Topics in this episode:
Emergent curriculum • Early childhood education • Child-led learning • Play-based learning

In early childhood education, themes often feel comfortable.

They give us structure. They help us plan. And they make learning visible in our classrooms.

But what happens when we shift our focus from the theme… to the child?

In this episode of Your Monday Morning REFRAME, Tammy explores the difference between theme-based planning and emergent curriculum, and why following children’s curiosity can lead to deeper and more meaningful learning.

Through a story about a group of preschool children who believed they discovered a “crab in a tree,” Tammy reflects on how powerful learning moments often begin with observation, interpretation, and responsiveness.

You’ll hear about:

• What emergent curriculum really means
• The difference between child-led and teacher-directed learning
• Why observation, interpretation, and responsiveness matter
• How educators become co-learners and co-researchers in children’s investigations
• Why emergent curriculum does not remove structure — it simply changes where planning begins

Sometimes the most powerful shift in early childhood education isn’t a new program or resource.

It’s learning to see children differently.

And when we begin to see children differently, our role as educators begins to change.

In next week’s episode, we’ll explore the difference between being a babysitter, an educator, and a pedagogical leader.