Emergent Curriculum

 

At Cross-Cultural Family Center (CCFC), our curriculum lives in everything we do with children, families, and one another—it is reflected in how we plan, design learning environments, build routines, select materials, and, most importantly, how we relate and respond in everyday interactions. Our curriculum is emergent, meaning it grows from the real lives of our community and is shaped by the identities, cultures, strengths, questions, and interests of the children, educators, and families at CCFC, guided by our core values. We deepen learning through projects and investigations sparked by children’s curiosities and grounded in relationship-based, play-centered, inquiry-driven experiences. We also align our practices with the Pyramid Model to support healthy social-emotional development through nurturing relationships, supportive environments, and individualized strategies when needed, helping children feel safe, connected, and ready to learn. At our infant and toddler sites, CCFC educators are PITC-trained (Program for Infant/Toddler Care), strengthening our culturally responsive approach by focusing on attachment, continuity of care, and individualized routines aligned with infant and toddler development.

Projects and Investigations

 

To deepen learning, children and educators engage in projects and investigations centered on questions and topics that are meaningful and relevant to children’s lives. A project is an in-depth exploration of a real-world topic worth investigating further. Teachers use careful observation, documentation, and reflection to understand children’s interests and emerging theories, and to pose thoughtful questions that guide the development of investigations.

​

Projects typically take place in small groups, allowing children to focus deeply and engage more fully with ideas—whether exploring sound, studying the life cycle of an insect, or investigating how buildings are constructed. Through these experiences, children develop curiosity, collaboration, and sustained attention.

​

Within the context of these investigations, teachers intentionally support and extend children’s learning across all developmental domains, including math, language and literacy, science, social studies, and the arts. Investigations take place across all age groups, including infants and toddlers, who explore the world through their senses—discovering cause and effect, experimenting with materials like paint, and asking questions through movement, touch, and observation.

​

The goal of a project is not to arrive at a “right answer,” but to deepen understanding, thinking, and meaning-making.

​

Documentation

 

Documentation is central to our practice and helps make children’s learning visible to families, educators, and the broader community. Through careful observation, reflection, and documentation, teachers listen deeply to children’s thinking and use this information to plan responsive and meaningful experiences.

​

Documentation is not a finished product, but an ongoing process of observing, interpreting, and planning. It may include children’s work, photographs, written reflections, and learning stories. This process invites families into dialogue about their child’s experiences, supports ongoing research by teachers and children, and creates opportunities for shared reflection.

​

Environments and Materials

 

Our environments are intentionally designed to reflect CCFC’s values and beliefs. Learning spaces foster relationships, curiosity, creativity, and a sense of belonging. Classrooms honor the identities and cultures of children, families, and educators, while maintaining shared elements across the center.

​

Each classroom includes welcoming spaces for families, areas for sensory exploration, communication, dramatic play, construction, and quiet connection. Materials are thoughtfully selected and beautifully arranged to invite exploration and support learning. We value open-ended, natural, recycled, familiar, and unconventional materials—what we often call “beautiful stuff”—as tools for expression, inquiry, and deeper thinking.

​

Assessment of Children’s Learning

 

In alignment with our agreements with funders and regulatory partners, CCFC uses ongoing assessment to strengthen teaching practices, support children’s development, and guide continuous quality improvement across all classrooms and sites.

​

Child Assessment (Annual and Ongoing):

Each child is assessed at least annually using the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP), a strengths-based tool that measures growth across key developmental domains. CCFC also uses the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ:S E-2) as developmental and social-emotional screening tools. These tools support early identification of strengths and potential areas of need and are used in partnership with families.

​

Classroom & Program Quality Assessment:

CCFC uses established quality tools to reflect on learning environments and the quality of interactions, including:

• CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) to strengthen teacher-child interactions and responsive teaching practices

• ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) to assess and improve preschool learning environments

• ITERS (Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale) to assess and improve infant/toddler learning environments

​​

Assessment at CCFC is used as a tool for reflection, planning, and growth—not for labeling children. Each child maintains a portfolio that reflects their learning journey, strengths, accomplishments, and interests. Portfolios may include work samples, educator and family observations, photographs, learning stories, and reflective documentation over time.