This is a down-to-earth, heart-to-heart book about what it takes to be an exceptional early childhood teacher. The author uses her experience as a classroom observer and a developmental psychologist to create a rationale for best practice--the reasoning behind the best (worst and average) classroom practice. Cindy Rzasa Bess examines a variety of classroom scenarios and describes how teaching was done well or how it could be done better. She clearly illustrates how simple changes and heart-felt efforts can have outstanding results. This informative book will appeal to readers on a personal level and instill in them the need to fully understand their important role in a child's life. This book features: (1) A brief overview of the stages of early childhood development; (2) Detailed descriptions of high-quality early childhood education settings and materials; (3) Strategies for engaging children in center-based learning; (4) Descriptions of effective communications styles and teaching approaches; and (5) Examples of the importance of humor when teaching young children.