When Scout enters school for the first time, she is very displeased with her teacher's style of teaching. Her teacher, Miss Caroline, is young and not from Maycomb. She doesn't understand the ways of the town. Further, she plans to introduce a particular method of teaching reading, so she is upset that Scout already knows how to read. She tells Scout not to read at home anymore. Miss Caroline fears that Scout will be ruined if she doesn't follow her system for reading. Miss Caroline says to Scout:
“Now you tell your father not to teach you any more. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I’ll take over from here and try to undo the damage . . . ”
Scout goes home and complains to Atticus about her hatred of school and of Miss Caroline's methods. Atticus imparts to her a life lesson, telling that sometimes in life it is important to compromise. He tells Scout that if she will go along politely with what Miss Caroline wants in school, she can continue to read at home:
"It works this way," he said. “If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night just as we always have. Is it a bargain?”
Scout agrees.
On Scout's first day of school, Miss Caroline discovers that she can read fluently and tells Scout that her father is no longer allowed to teach her how to read. Scout is initially confused because she believes that Atticus never taught her how to read but is upset that Miss Caroline will not allow her to read at home anymore. Miss Caroline believes in a rigid education system and punishes Scout for her advanced abilities instead of fostering her talent. Scout is extremely frustrated with Miss Caroline and voices her displeasure to Jem when she sees him on the playground. Scout says,
"If I didn’t have to stay I’d leave. Jem, that damn lady says Atticus’s been teaching me to read and for him to stop it-" (Lee, 18).
Jem then attempts to explain that Miss Caroline is introducing a new way of teaching called the Dewey Decimal System. Scout responds by telling Jem that she isn't interested in Miss Caroline's new system and absolutely hates school. Later in the day, Miss Caroline catches Scout writing a letter to Dill in the middle of a class activity. Miss Caroline once again chastises Scout for her advanced abilities and tells her that children shouldn't write before the third grade, which gives Scout one more reason to hate school.
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