The keystone of successful early education is not necessarily the information being given, but the emotional context within which learning takes place. An emotionally safe environment is one in which a young learner feels safe, appreciated and not overly afraid of criticism or failure. It is this feeling of security that is the antecedent to curiosity, taking risks, and cognitive development. In Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready, this underlying emotional security is of utmost importance. In a carefully planned, individualized environment, Kinder Ready Tutoring, we create an atmosphere of trust, respect, and unconditional positive regard, making sure that the initial steps of formal learning of a child are based on the sense of psychological safety, which in turn, leads to the feeling of confidence towards the actual kindergarten preparedness.

The establishment of this safe environment is possible first and foremost by an environment that is predictable, consistent, and nurturing. To a young child, uncertainty is a cause of anxiety, whereas predictability leads to silence. The Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley program is designed in a manner that brings out the best predictability. The sessions are based on a consistent schedule and have one committed instructor, so a strong and trusting relationship can be established. In this consistent and stable relationship, the child learns that the thoughts and feelings he has will be met with patience and respect. The role of the educator is to act as a helpful guide rather than to judge. This repetitive, constant presence sends an encouragement to the child that s/he is in an environment where they are viewed and accepted, which reduces the survival instincts of defense and opens the mind to exploration and learning.

Once inside this vessel of protection, children are then given the intellectual freedom to run the intellectual risks necessary to develop. Emotional safety does not imply the lack of difficulty; it means that the difficulty is offered in a supportive setting. During a Kinder Ready Tutoring session, errors are not seen as failures, but rather as information and formations that are stepping stones in the learning process. A teacher can tell, That was a good effort! We will learn what we can out of that, and this is a way of fostering a growth mentality. This is a proactive way of dissolving the fear of not being correct that is one of the greatest obstacles to playing and exploring. 

This generated security is, finally, the mechanism of developing real confidence. Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready’s mission is to introduce children to the various learning possibilities in order to find out their sparks. This mission is achievable only in such an environment, when a child feels safe to share what they are really interested in, enquire about the reasons, and pursue their interest. The trust that flowers out of this stable foundation. A child with a sense of personal safety will develop a positive academic identity: they perceive themself as a competent and worthy learner. This is the most important way they can enter a kindergarten classroom, as far as self-perception is concerned. Kinder Ready Tutoring can achieve the same by making emotional safety their primary source of all instruction, such that a child is not only equipped with skills, but also with the inner safety to apply them, to interact with peers and teachers, and to grow up with true love of learning that is fundamentally founded on joy and not fear.

For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethFraleyKinderReady