This concise and accessible resource provides an overview of the fundamentals of teaching in early childhood settings (pre-K–2), with a focus on what high-quality practices look like. It details the features of developmentally appropriate, linguistically responsive, culturally relevant/sustaining teaching and how this approach can prepare our youngest citizens for the challenges of our 21st-century world. 

“This text is a portrait of what it means to be an early childhood professional and to take seriously the job of establishing meaningful relationships with children, families, and professional colleagues. It is these relationships that will shape the social, emotional, and cognitive foundations of generations of productive and enlightened citizens. No work is more important.” From the foreword by Jacqueline Jones, president and CEO, Foundation for Child Development