This comprehensive introduction to infant and toddler development, responsive program planning, and relationship-based curriculum continues to present the “why” and “how” of providing quality care for infants and toddlers, prebirth through age 36 months old. Incorporating all of the factors crucial to providing quality education and care to our youngest, very capable members of society, Wittmer and Petersen celebrate the many nuances of infant and toddler development.

This new edition maintains a focus on the importance of families’ and teachers’ relationships and responsiveness in interactions with children, the latest developmental research, an emphasis on child-centered planning, particularly strong coverage of infants and toddlers with special needs, and a focus on the effects of culture, families, and quality programs on infant-toddler development and interactions. A new “Culture Close Up” feature providing context for discussions and problem solving, relevant updated research, new photos and Observation Invitations offering a window into contemporary and authentic settings, and videos embedded in the Pearson eText version combine to make this the most engaging and valuable edition yet.

Also from Donna S. Wittmer and Sandy Petersen:

0132613123 - Endless Opportunities for Infant and Toddler Curriculum: A Relationship-Based Approach, 2/e - ©2013

She and Sandra Petersen wrote the chapter “Programs for Infants and Toddlers” for S. Feeney, A. Galper, & C. Seefeldt’s book Continuing Issues in Early Childhood Education, Third Edition (Merrill, 2008). She is the author of Focusing on Peers in the Early Years: The Importance of Relationships (In Press, ZERO TO THREE, 2008), and she and Sandra Petersen have written Endless Opportunities for Infant and Toddler Curriculum-A Relationship-Based Approach (Merrill/Pearson, 2009), a companion book to Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Program Planning . Both Donna Wittmer and Sandra Petersen are authors on The Young Child, 5^th Edition with M. Puckett & J. Black (Merrill/Pearson, 2008).

Sandy Petersen works for the Early Head Start National Resource Center at ZERO TO THREE: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. She recently worked on the new publication Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Recommendations for States and the soon to be released second edition of Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Groups: Developmentally Appropriate Practice. She created and teaches the special needs workshop for the WestEd Program for Infant Toddler Care. Before joining ZERO TO THREE, she was Coordinator of Training and Technical Assistance for Early Childhood Initiatives at the Colorado Department of Education. She was one of the primary authors of Colorado’s “Building Blocks”, preschool content standards in reading and mathematics, and the Guidelines for the IFSP and Service Coordination.

Ms. Petersen has direct service experience in early intervention, infant-parent psychotherapy, and childcare. She has a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology and completed doctoral coursework in Early Childhood Special Education at the University of California – Berkeley.

The authors have both taught for PITC’s national faculty. Their text embraces and captures the PITC language and philosophy and incorporates suggestions for use of the PITC videos throughout a course. You will find many quotes from Dr. Ron Lally in the book. The instructor’s manual recommends specific PITC videos that instructor’s could use when teaching a particular chapter. Ron Lally, creator and coordinator of PITC, wrote a strong recommendation for the textbook.

Both Sandy Petersen and Donna Wittmer are fellows of ZERO-THREE and have written articles for the ZERO to THREE journal. They have presented at national conferences numerous times. During their fellowship years, they studied with Berry Brazelton, Stanley Greenspan, Jeree Pawl, and Dolores Norton.