"The field of child development offers practical information for those who teach, guide, and support children in other ways. Yet it is up to educators and other practitioners to do the hard work of translating general developmental knowledge into actual practice with children. At the heart of this translation process is compassion for children. Children are nurtured most effectively when adults understand how children commonly progress toward maturity and adjust to individual needs and cultural backgrounds. A part of this translation process is encouragement of children’s initiative, such that children take action, make choices, and reflect on their knowledge" (Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod, Child Development and Education, 25