To be effective, teachers must get to know each child in the group well. They do this using a variety of methods-such as observation, clinical interview (an extended dialogue in which the adult seeks to discern the child’s concepts or strategies), examination of children’s work, individual child assessments, and talking with families. From the information and insights gathered, teachers make plans and adjustments to promote each child’s individual development and learning as fully as possible. Developmental variation among children is the norm, and any one child’s progress also will vary across domains and disciplines, contexts, and time. Children differ in many other respects, too-including in their strengths, interest, and preferences; personalities and approaches to learning; and knowledge, skills, and abilities based on prior experiences. Children may also have special learning needs; sometimes these have been diagnosed and sometimes they have not. Among the factors that teachers need to consider as they seek to optimize a child’s school adjustment and learning are circumstances such as living in poverty or homelessness, having to move frequently, and other challenging situations. Responding to each child as an individual is fundamental to developmentally appropriate practice.