With more than 120,000 copies in print, this classic text has been widely acclaimed as a highly effective tool to help teachers better understand children's behavior. The thoroughly revised and updated Fifth Edition outlines methods for record-keeping that provide a realistic picture of each child's interactions and experiences in the classroom. Numerous examples of teachers' observations of children from birth to age 8 enrich this work and make it accessible, practical, and enjoyable to read. Based on the latest thinking in the field, the new Fifth Edition is an even more valuable resource for pre- and inservice educators of young children. New features include updated observations that reflect the diverse population in contemporary classrooms, recent research on language and children with special needs, and a total revision of the chapter that relates thinking to Piagetian theory, with more relevant descriptions of the processes of assimilation and accommodation