Education news

Turning kindergarten into a kindergrind won’t make kids love to read #reading

0ben-white-128604

A love for reading and employing the imagination should be instilled at a young age. When children read, and are read too, they develop larger vocabularies and have improved abilities in English comprehension. This seems to be an idea lost in some school systems and it is a cause for some children to be left behind in their education.

Share the idea

Read one man’s thoughts on why Common Core standards makes children suffer.

Reading at an early age leads to a larger vocabulary

Forcing children to memorize dozens of words using flashcards can be less than effective. This type of harsh education doesn’t foster imagination and the drive to learn more. Kindergarten should be less of a “grind” and more of a positive outlet for imagination and the joy of learning. When children are given the ability to freely learn, the outcome can be immeasurable.

Forcing young children to study flashcards in the car in order to “master” 100 words is turning kindergarten into kindergrind. Children who develop a love of reading will master thousands of words, without suffering.

Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert

Key takeaways

  1. The argument of Common Core continues to rage from state to state especially when it comes to math standards.
  2. However, there is no doubt that literacy standards are met when children are read to and with on a regular basis.
  3. Flashcards are off-putting and stressful when finding a book for a child to read is a better way to teach them a literacy concept from any subject.
Is it dyslexia? Take the free test Ten minutes, no pressure, and a clear next step for reading and spelling. Take the dyslexia test

Is your child struggling in school?

Get your free personalized learning roadmap

You describe what you see at home. We turn it into a plan you start this week.

  • Answer 5 short questionnaires about what you already notice, 30–45 minutes at your own kitchen table
  • Your child sits no test and gets no score: nothing to schedule, nothing for them to dread
  • You do the answering, the AI does the writing, and a person reviews it before it reaches you
  • Access all 40+ courses instantly: reading, math, focus, processing and more, with new ones added regularly

Why we use AI, plainly: it writes from a knowledge base our team maintains and audits. We work through it line by line and pull anything the evidence stops supporting. The roadmap you get on Tuesday reflects what we corrected on Monday, and a human still reads it before you do.

Your school district must evaluate your child free of charge if you ask in writing, whatever your income and whatever the outcome (US, 34 CFR 300.111 and 300.301(b)). That route takes time and answers a different question than you do. This one starts today, from what you already know.

Get my free assessment & 7-day trial Cancel anytime during your trial.

Your answers stay yours. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not hand identifiable assessment data to outside AI companies to train their models.

A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.

Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert Writes about the learning brain for parents who want plain answers. Every article is grounded in current neuroscience and classroom practice.