Eagerness to Learn
Q: My 5-year-old daughter has been reading for quite awhile now. Her older sister is a 1st-grader reading on a 5.8 grade level. During the school year my younger daughter would read the books that her older sister brought home. I am delighted with both of my daughters' academic progress. I do not try to "push" them. If anything, they push themselves. It has been suggested to me, however, that I have made a mistake in allowing them to read early and explore other learning activities. The theory being that they will be bored in class and not as attentive to learning what the rest of the class is learning (since they have already mastered that skill). Have I made a mistake?
A: I can only answer this question by saying that if a bright, active, and inquisitive child becomes bored in class, then it is the responsibility of the school to find a way to keep that child's motivation and interest alive. It is the key to learning. However, since it is clear that you need not worry about your child's reading progress in school, you can devote your energies to helping your child expand her interests further — in music, sports, drawing, or other academic areas such as science and math. If you ever feel that your children are pushing themselves too much and are inflicting stress upon themselves in a particular area, you can always help them balance out again by tapping into their wide interest and learning base.
Susan Canizares holds a PhD in language and literacy development.
