"The planning and reflection frameworks provide teachers with the guidance they need to observe their students and plan individual and group teaching goals. This is a practical resource that offers support to early educators from an author who understands young learners and the importance of teaching them well." --Shannon Riley-Ayers, PhD, Assistant Research Professor at The National Institute for Early Education Research, lead author of The Early Learning Scale, and co-author with Dorothy Strickland of Literacy Leadership in Early Childhood: The Essential Guide "We must embed academics into play. Once again, Gaye Gronlund defines developmentally appropriate practices in a resource that is both comprehensive and easy-to-use. Practitioners, administrators, and pre-service teachers will appreciate the focus on reflective, intentional teaching practices, and the helpful tools and strategies for planning, observation, and assessment. With the emphasis on play as how children can learn most successfully, this book provides both the argument and a how-to guide for successful implementation." --Barb Merrill, Executive Director of the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children "Gaye has once again provided us with a powerful and engaging book that is both theoretical and practical. She identifies the ways standards can be tied to best practices and classroom experiences in ways that allow educators do what they know is best for children.

The frameworks are inherently practical and simple to use, yet, thought-provoking. The implications for using this powerful tool are far-reaching. This is a must-have book for pre-service to experienced teachers, as well as administrators. It is exciting to imagine how children will be the beneficiaries of such intentional and reflective planning." --Gail M. Holtz, Kindergarten Teacher, Hawken School, Lyndhurst, Ohio.