From the Desk of Gigi Schweikert Dear Winning Ways Reader (and Preschool Teacher), I absolutely love being a teacher. These days, I teach mostly adults who teach children. Teaching is something I never tire of and always find exciting, and I completely lose all sense of time when I’m in the classroom or speaking at a conference. There’s nothing I would rather do. Do you feel That’s me doin g what I most, wor love the same way? king with children. Earlier in my career, I spent many years teaching preschoolers at the United Nations Child Care Centre in New York City. The children in my class were from all over the world. Although the preschoolers were each unique in appearance, lan- guage, culture, and temperament, what was most interesting to me was that despite those significant differences, their approach to learning, their interactions with the world and others, and their joy of life were strikingly similar. They all loved to run on the playground. They all loved to play in water. They all loved books. They all loved to learn. They were all preschoolers. Although English was our primary language, many times the children didn’t speak the same language, but they played alongside one another just the same and always giggled at the same things. In my experience, preschool development is pretty universal. Whether you’re new to the field or a veteran preschool teacher of many years, I think you’ll find the information in this Winning Ways book, Understanding Preschoolers, helpful. You’ll learn a few things—I did during my research—and you’ll be reminded of how important your job as an early childhood professional really is: helping all preschooler you work with to learn and grow and be the best that they can be. After you finish reading the book, please e-mail me with your own thoughts, ideas, and own stories about working with preschoolers at www.gigischweikert.com. I’d love to hear from you. Children deserve our winning ways,