ABSTRACT
This chapter asks one to consider their experience of child-initiated learning. It discusses the essence of child-centred philosophies and research, provides case studies from four contrasting settings and tables of provocative questions to help one consider the pros and cons of child-centred approaches. The chapter provides opportunity to outline some significant and recent findings from affective and cognitive neuroscience with a discussion on their implications for the classroom. Introducing opportunistic cross-curricular learning, the author makes a distinction between the whole class methods common in Early Years settings and the individual or group approaches more commonly used with 7–11-year-olds. The chapter offers practical guidance on how to set up and maintain child-focussed approaches, and notes their disadvantages. It includes all those that support learning: teachers, carers, parents, assistants, key-workers, helpers and sometimes peers. The chapter uses three overlapping terms to describe teaching and learning: child-centred, child-led/initiated and opportunistic.
