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are interested and they are passionate about what they are doing then they are less
inclined to run amok. They are feeling good about themselves and what they are doing.”
Felicia claims that the children “are involved and there isn’t enough time and they feel
empowered so they don’t feel the need to challenge.”
Mary revealed that even after a number of project experiences, she was still
hesitant about emergent curriculum. She was not confident balancing what she termed
“structured activities” with the Reggio philosophy. Control was a concern for Mary with
respect to curriculum and children’s behaviour. How much control of the curriculum
should Mary have? How could she control the classroom along with the behaviour of the
children? Mary seemed to be especially focused on behaviour. Stuck in the transitional
stage, Mary was “second guessing” herself and claimed it was “bringing me down.” She
seemed frustrated with her inability to develop as the other teachers had and felt
comparatively inferior in her ability to implement emergent curriculum.
I was reluctant to ask Mary about the focus group experience because I could
detect a level of discomfort. Reflecting on the focus group experience, Mary disclosed
that “I didn’t feel very good about myself after some of the conversations.” She went on
to say that “these people are here and I was still way down there.” Mary was unsure
whether she was “going to get there.” She went further to say that she didn’t “know
whether I believe in all this.”
During the focus group, Mary’s contribution consisted mostly of describing the
issues she faced with the children’s challenging behaviours. After the others had
presented documentation from prior projects, Mary was asked to share what she had
brought. She responded “Well, I brought their work, but I am nowhere near this level.”