Curriculum

Imagine:

• Imagine a learning environment where children are encouraged to explore their world and challenge themselves in a variety of ways that help them deepen and strengthen their verbal, logical, physical, social, natural, existential, and emotional intelligences. Activities are child-directed and age-appropriate.

• Imagine children are learning joyfully, deeply absorbed in observing the world around them,  and using all five senses to  help them gather information to help explain a question they have about the world.  Although teachers may have some activities planned and prepared, children are never required to engage in activities that are too difficult or uninteresting to them.  Instead, children are encouraged to challenge themselves while helping each other work towards a common goal. The focus is on group collaboration, not competition. Children know two heads (or four or 8) are better than one and rely on each other as sources of valuable information.

This is what “emergent curriculum” and the “Reggio Emilia inspired” is all about.  Instead of relying on a textbook  or pre-fabricated curriculum to determine how,what, and when children learn, the learning comes from them, between them, and co-constructed with compassionate and flexible  adult guides who consider first what their interests and abilities are, then consider what skills and abilities need to be developed.

Field trips and community visitors are integral aspects of the learning experience. Examples of typical enrichment activities include: visiting a fire station, visiting a museum, meeting guide dogs who help the disabled, discussing fire safety with real fire fighter visitors, going to the wet market to talk to the local farmers, or visiting a local farm.