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I cannot agree more. I have been in this field for 20 yrs and now completely understand after allllll that time on how kids learn, what they need to learn and the space they need to do it in. California has high expectations for kindergartens and now the preschools are getting pressured to "teach" more. It's like trying to teach a baby to ride a bike. They will learn in all due time.
I see parents and some teachers concerned that kids can't cut with scissors (or write), I tell them, no worries I have never seen a thirty year old that can't cut.
Ease up people. Play is what matters!

Finland has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, and the children learn to read at 7 yrs of age. Children's eyes aren't quite ready at 5yrs of age. Reading to children from very early on, 1, 2 or 3yrs of age, is the best way to prepare children. I taught public school kindergarten for 12 years, with poor inner-city black children, and they loved being read to, reading to each other (pictures), and all of the developmental pre-reading skills were put in place, readying them all to jump into reading in 1st & 2nd grade. And even first grade can be a bit early for a full-court press with reading, but most elementary schools are driven by Scope & Sequence from a publisher reading program. We can teach reading through developing class stories, students composing their own stories, following children's interests to cover all literacy skills.

Thank you Joan Almon. A perfect article to share as we prepare for our first preschool parent-teacher conferences this fall.

There is no evidence that earlier is better--in fact, quite the opposite is true. Just as it makes little sense to, by age four, write your name on a line, know the days of the week, know letter "sounds," stand in line, and other mindless, all too common, requirements of early childhood centers and schools. The emphasis is all topsy-turvy.

I absolutely agree with this article as it pertains to "traditional" methods to teach children to read. The Montessori Method has a way that is developmentally appropriate, uses movement and respects the child's individual abilities in reading and spelling as early as 3 years old. It is not that we push our students, we are trained to look for readiness based upon the child and fortunately have the tools that are productive with the individualized child centered approach.
Check out American Montessori Society amshq.org for more information on how the Montessori method really works, and the beauty of I spy, sandpaper letters and the movable alphabet!

Please take time to Read Maryann Harman's article about Music and Movement and language development at this website:
http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=601

American schools and curriculum goals designed by legislative spreadsheet business people without any educational training in human development are so off the pathway of lifetime success for children; teens; adults it is laughable.

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
From Rhythms of Learning- "it should be noted that children should not be pushed to read early. Reading too early puts stress on the eyes and causes other potential damage. In Chris Brewer and Don Campbell’s book, Rhythms of Learning, they state that emphasis on early acquisition of reading, writing, math and other symbol systems may actually cause children to develop awkward and inappropriate methods of understanding these symbols. If this information is given to a child before they are neurologically ready, it may just result in meaningless memorization. If this is done prematurely, it may process in the wrong region of the brain, which is not as beneficial as processing in the proper region. In Denmark, reading is not taught until the age of eight and their literacy rate is 100 percent. "

Piaget-Higher order thinking skills are rooted in the development of Fundamental Movement skills. We are living in a sedentary society which does not allow/promote complete development of Sensory-Motor-Perceptual skills prior to forcing end product upon children not ready to read. American skills in some cases are actually creating the IEPs for children with "learning differences" through DIP - Developmentally INAPPRORIATE Practices. Gross motor needs developed prior to fine motor skills. VERBAL speech needs to be developed prior to symbolic language skills. We have children who cannot talk or move and demand symbolic language before they can even make letters due to lack of physical and cognitive development. What is the big hurry to FRUSTRATE CHILDREN and lead them to a miserable life in school and becoming dropouts?

I agree completely that I have never found any evidence that teaching reading at 4 or 5 has any benefit for later education attainment. On the other hand, those children who learn to read early effortlessly, seem to enjoy it immensely. My experience is to allow a wide range of development and not force children into a same lock step learning pattern.