Taking a strong developmental focus, this book ensures that readers understand the close relationship between observing, understanding what has been observed, and improving the educational curriculum and environment.This edition is the result of a continued commitment to produce a book on observation that unites solid methodological instruction with a broad understanding of children's development. In the seven chapters that presents an observational method, two detailed examples taken from preschool and primary grade levels model how effectively study individual children and issues in classrooms, interpret the data, and initiate follow-through plans.