Regardless of the grade they teach, teachers are professional decision-makers committed to supporting children's learning. Making decisions about what to teach and how to teach it best is simply a nonnegotiable feature of their job: only teachers have the specialized knowledge and professional training required to design meaningful learning experiences that build sturdy, flexible bridges between the academic content mandated by the state or district and a particular, specific group of children with a unique constellation of intellectual capabilities, cultures, home languages, life experiences, and aspirations. Even in schools where curricular and instructional freedoms are limited, there are always opportunities for resourceful teachers to use their professional judgment to devise learning experiences that meet children's needs. Develop the traits and use the strategies presented in this article to make confident, informed decisions; to strengthen teachers' ability to teach the standards to children in engaging and appropriate ways; and to support public school early learning environments that are focused on the learning and growth of all children.