In an expert, published on edutopia, from the book, The Self Driven Child:  The Science and Sense of Giving Your Child More Control Over Their Lives, , Stixrud & Johnson explain the potential damages incurred when parents and teachers attempt to teach children reading and math skills before they are developmentally ready. [Link to Article]

My purpose is to teach children to love school; To teach children they are good at school.  Trying to force children to read before they are ready only serves to frustrate- both the student and teacher!  The slower growing plants tend to have the strongest root-structure.

However, as Stixrud & Johnson state, some children are ready to read in Preschool.  For those, I try to keep them appropriately challenged.  Those who are not ready, are better served to focus on reading comprehension skills [Link to Post].

When young children see themselves as capable and successful students, they are more likely to enjoy their schooling from Pre-K to University.