The author begins by restating his suggestion of 1982 to uncouple adults` efforts to teach from their expectations for soon-following mastery by children. He then associates that teach earlier, expect later proposal with a longstanding tradition in early childhood education of pedagogical patience. Tying that tradition to an ancient and even broader educational practice, propaedeutics, he proposes and discusses propaedeutic appropriateness as a standard by which to both legitimate and evaluate propaedeutic activities.
