Established teaching norms for children aged zero to seven are being challenged by a new book that aims to harness their interests and imagination, reshaping the learning process within Malta’s educational settings.
The book — An Emergent Curriculum for the Early Years in Malta: Stories of Professional and Pedagogical Transformation — is aiming to spark a debate on embracing the concept of a child-led learning process.
Written by Charmaine Bonello, Anna Baldacchino, and Carmen Dalli, who are lecturers and experts in the field of early childhood education, the book was published by leading book publisher Routledge. It was launched on Friday with the support of the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society.
Bonello, a senior lecturer in early childhood and primary education at the University of Malta, explained that unlike traditional, pre-determined curricula, emergent curriculum placed an emphasis on the unique interests, experiences, and perspectives of each child, allowing for a dynamic and more engaging learning environment.
“This book charts the firsthand experiences and challenges faced by Maltese early childhood educators, which we hope will inspire and guide educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in an area that is so fundamental in a child’s formative years,” she said.
The narratives in the book demonstrate that when educators collaborate with children in the learning process, it leads to enriched educational experiences and professional growth.
The findings, Bonello said, underscored the transformative power of moving towards a curriculum that is co-constructed by educators and children, emphasising flexibility, responsiveness, and active participation.
“Overall, the book serves as a call to action to embrace the potential of young learners and transform the educational landscape from the ground up.”
Childcare and kindergarten educators, as well as early primary teachers who shared their insights, spoke of the fluid beauty of having an emergent curriculum, which “plants the seeds of joy in learning” and “motivates and encourages educators to remain in love with their job”.
A Year 1 teacher responsible for five- to six-year-olds said that once she started implementing the emergent curriculum, she realised that the ideas children came up with were something she would have never thought of. She felt she was now a co-learner with the children in her classroom.
Another Kindergarten educator spoke of how allowing children the freedom to explore helped teachers enter their students’ world, opening the door to new ideas. This kept the learning process fresh and exciting, and laid the foundation for future learning and development.
Co-author Baldacchino added: “The emergent curriculum evolves and emerges from children’s interests. It’s a flexible approach directed by children’s ideas with the guidance of their educators. This book shows that even the very young can benefit from such an approach.”
This was echoed by an educator working with babies who said, “Babies are capable beings who are intelligent and curious and have their own interests” if the right opportunities are made available.
MFWS chair and Eurochild president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca hoped the government and decision-makers will adopt this concept and take children’s early years in an educational setting more seriously.
“We have to stop treating children as passive participants in the learning process. We should work towards having an early educational experience that is relevant and allow them to explore their individual interests during this critical window of their formative years,” Coleiro Preca said.