Abstract
This theoretical paper characterizes and explores emergent-oriented curriculum practice through the experiences of an early childhood education (ECE) prospective teacher, in the context of the U.S., as she co-constructs the meaning of emergent-oriented curriculum with culturally diverse pre-K (4-5-year-old) children during her field experience. The paper examines how the prospective teacher understood emergent learning, how she and the children created and shaped their curriculum, and what critical aspects pertain to emergent-oriented curriculum work from the perspective of developmentally meaningful and culturally responsive practice.