This book was inspired by the work of many education reformers who focused on student-centered, inquiry based, experiential education and the ongoing work of teaching as learning. My study of the work of Maria Montessori and subsequent years applying her methods and philosophy in both private and public-school settings inspired me to extend my work beyond the single classroom. My work is also inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, the creative aspects of the Waldorf approach, and Vygotsky. Finally, I must thank the many developmental scholars who have contributed to our understanding of how children learn and develop and how best to optimize this process in school settings. Now is the time to apply this knowledge to truly fulfilling the promise of the public school system: to prepare our youngest for the challenges and opportunities to come.