Future early childhood educators need to know how to teach "all" young learners effectively--including children with diverse cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds and children with special needs. This core textbook equips early childhood educators with the knowledge they'll need to succeed in the classroom and ensure the best outcomes for young children. M. Susan Burns, co-editor of the National Research Council's seminal "Eager to Learn" report, partnered with two other respected ECE experts (one a current early childhood teacher) to develop a highly accessible text that's perfectly in tune with the realities of today's diverse classrooms. Ideal for teaching the basics of early childhood education to undergraduate and community college students, this textbook is everything future educators need: (1) Field tested, both in the author's courses at George Mason University and a Head Start-University partnership for professional development in Washington, D.C.; (2) Focused solely on preschool settings and the teaching strategies most effective for that specific age group; (3) Inclusive, so teachers can skillfully meet the needs of the diverse students they're sure to encounter in their classrooms; (4) Aligned with NAEYC, CEC, and TESOL standards--includes a clear matrix of correlations between the book's content and the standards for easy reference; (5) Student friendly--packed with learning objectives, case studies, photos, self-reflection and study questions, helpful section summaries, and a glossary; (6) Concise and clear, so preservice educators are likely to read the whole text and keep it for years as a reference; and (7) Comprehensive, covering everything from the history and legislation of early childhood education to specific educational strategies. With this expertly organized collection of essential information on early childhood education, tomorrow's preschool teachers will enter the classroom prepared and motivated to give all children a great start in school. Contents include: (1) Who Provides Early Childhood Education and Care?; (2) Who Are the Children and Their Families?; (3) How Has Early Childhood Education Been Defined over the Years?; (4) Early Childhood Practice Today (with Myra Rogers); (5) Approaches to Learning; (6) Social and Emotional Development; (7) Cognitive Development and Learning; (8) Language Development (with Robert A. Stechuk); (9) Physical Development (with Myra Rogers); and (10) Learning in Early Childhood Is Continuous. A glossary and an index are included. [Foreword by Linda Espinosa.]