Deborah's informed perspectives on the many aspects of teaching in a toddler classroom—common classroom challenges, art projects, outdoor time, mealtimes, field trips, and more—are informative and philosophically important. I discovered a number of new ideas that I'm excited to try out, even for the program aspects with which I am already familiar. Debbie, with her many years as a teacher, has a great breadth of experience with different personalities. This guide explains how to respectfully handle a number of classroom situations, and she includes information about the importance of providing opportunities and flexibility to help all children succeed. I often noticed the words "authentic and respectful" throughout the book, and I know that these are two words that truly guide her work with children. She teaches with warmth and respect, and places importance on building a developmental understanding of all aspects of each child as an individual and as a group, then uses that information to build her program. She makes it very clear that certain things work better for certain groups or individuals within a group, and the flexibility of that planning is crucial. The book is a practical snapshot of an "authentic and respectful" philosophy in action, with details on how to apply it to many different aspects of classroom management, curriculum, and activity planning. I especially appreciated the section on program evaluation and the questions to ask yourself (and perhaps your co-teachers) about your program, how it is running, and why. The impact of even seemingly small aspects of a program—such as referring to a child by their name or whether you get down on the floor with the children—are discussed and shown to be important, telling elements about the tone of the classroom. This book has given me a lot to think about, and I look forward to continuing to reference it and use it both for ideas and as a basis for reflection.
toddler teacher

This book is filled with an abundance of useful information about working with this remarkable age group. The colorful photos and vivid descriptions of real children involved in an actual classroom make the ideas and experiences engaging and accessible for any teacher!
toddler teacher and author

Deborah Falasco's joy in working with twos and threes spills over into her clear, practical advice to teachers. Whether you're new on the job or a long-time veteran in early childhood education and you want to reflect on your practice through observing and recording, problem solving, and brainstorming for action, this book is directed to you. It provides endless ideas embedded in reflective stories from the author's own experience. But it's not just a grab bag; it provides a systematic process of responsive curriculum building. There's enough in here to inspire you for the rest of your teaching career.
faculty emerita, Human Development, Pacific Oaks College

Although this book is full of wonderful activities for twos and threes, it goes far beyond a typical activity book by allowing teachers to follow the child's lead and design a curriculum based on the natural behaviors and curiosities of this unique age group. This is the type of book that will support teachers who want to grow along with twos and threes. It's a fresh resource that encourages a reflective creative practice.
director of Bard College Nursery School, trainer, author

Teaching Twos and Threes goes above and beyond providing curricula. Deborah offers specific, authentic—and most of all, respectful—advice that fully captures the delight in experiencing this extraordinary age group. Her creative strategies present inspired, individualized ideas for helping nurture children as they grow into confident problem solvers. As a caregiver of two-year-olds, I immediately began applying the ideas found in this book to my own classroom on the very same day that I read it! Deborah is truly an expert in her field, and Teaching Twos and Threes would make a perfect textbook or refresher course for new and veteran educators alike.
University of Michigan North Campus Children's Center

Deborah Falasco's to the point, easy reading, curriculum planning book for twos and threes will be very helpful for educators and child care providers who may wonder or have been struggling with how to create a comprehensive curriculum for young children. It promotes a variety of ways to support children's learning while they are playing. Unlike other curriculum books, Falasco supports her curriculum ideas with information on child development as well as the benefits of the curriculum and learning areas. It is a must-have book for educators and child care providers for young children.
Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School, University of Minnesota