Two powerful books by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter, best-selling authors in the early learning field. 

Designs for Living and Learning
You likely have dreams for your early childhood environment that are greater than rating scales, regulations, and room arrangements. Designs for Living and Learning has been a favorite resource among educators and caregivers for more than a decade, and this new edition is packed with even more ideas that can be used as you create captivating environments that nurture children, families, and staff while supporting children's learning. With hundreds of all-new colorful photographs of real early learning settings and a multitude of simple and practical concepts for creative indoor and outdoor spaces and learning materials, this book truly is a source of inspiration as you learn how to shape welcoming spaces where children can learn and grow.

Expanded chapters include new information reflecting current trends and concerns in early childhood, such as the use of repurposed and nontraditional materials, children in the outdoors, alternative ways to think about providing for learning outcomes, facing and overcoming barriers and negotiating change, and the impact of environmental rating scales in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS). Two new chapters are included, one highlighting the transformations of environments with before and after photos and outlines of the process, and the other with examples of soliciting children's ideas about the environment. 

Age focus: 3–5; 360 pages

Learning Together with Young Children, Second Edition
In this new edition of their classic book, Curtis and Carter offer an alternative framework to approach standardization and data-driven mandates. Learning Together with Young Children, Second Edition, puts young children at the center of planning your curriculum. Rather than following a prescriptive curriculum, teachers can translate educational theories into concrete ideas for working with children and families. 

Over 100 inspiring and engaging stories help you learn to create a welcoming classroom culture, develop routines for self-regulation, and use observation and reflection to enhance experiences for the children in your care. The authors share engaging and inspiring stories of teachers who are using this approach. 

This edition has been updated to examine how to work with mandated curriculum, rating scales, and assessment tools, while practicing reflective, child-centered teaching. 

Age focus: 0–5; 304 pages; 300 photos