Ladybug Wings

In their book, Learning Together with Young Children, Deb Curtis and Margie Carter give an illustration of the challenges in implementing an emerging curriculum:

"Linda's initial efforts at using an emergent approach to curriculum have been based on trying to develop curriculum plans around 'themes' the children seem interested in. For instance, when they noticed the children interested in bugs, she and her team developed an extensive curriculum plan centered on different kinds of bugs, with activities related to this theme.

"Recently as she thought more about the idea of looking for what was really capturing the children's attention [and looked at some photos of the children's initial interest in bugs], Linda realized that they had totally overlooked a little girl's close interest in the wings of a ladybug. The child was investigating how the wings were sometimes hidden and then appeared. But at the time Linda and her co-workers didn't pay attention to this and just focused on the idea of bugs in general. 'We totally missed it!' she exclaimed in hindsight. It was a great relief for her to hear that this is common for teachers who are just starting to think in new ways about deeper curriculum experiences for children."

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.

© 2005 Child Care Information Exchange - All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Return to Site