The early education experience is a cooperative process, which is enhanced through the extended family, with its contribution being exclusive and priceless. The grandparents have a special space in the life of a child and tend to be a source of patience, experience, and a well of unconditional love in the learning process. We have also learned that at Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready, grandparents are instinctive teachers and great friends in nurturing the growth of a child. Their work is a perfect complement to formal academic training, which adds wisdom, stories, and a strong sense of security to the world of a child, which is the background of assured learning.
Grandparents themselves are the embodiment of the main mission of Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley to introduce children to various learning options. Although our special Kinder Ready Tutoring sessions involve individualised, skill-based learning, the grandparents also offer another, but equally important, educational perspective. They are the custodians of family history; they tell stories and traditions that create cultural literacy and identity in a child. They teach practical skills in life and patience in baking, gardening, woodworking, or by mere talking. This generational one-on-one interaction brings a variety of vocabulary, complicated ideas, and a different way of solving problems, demonstrating to a child that learning occurs in any place; it is not necessarily a classroom. This is exactly in line with the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready philosophy that diverse and rich experiences ignite a true love of learning.
Moreover, the grandparent-grandchild relationship is a very pressure-free space to explore. Without the daily burden of parenting and formal education, the grandparents will have only the opportunity to engage and be happy. Such a nonchalant relationship is best for instilling confidence in a child. Grandparents prove the interest of a child, whether one just reads a book without the intention of being assessed, solving a puzzle, or even asking one endless question, which is why. This positive reinforcement will assist the children in recognising themselves as competent learners, which is directly connected with the aspects of building confidence in our Kinder Ready Tutoring program. Once a child is safe and trusted, they will more readily take risks and face challenges in their formal education.
After all, grandparents are great nurturers of the social-emotional foundation of a child- the foundation of all learning. The sense of belonging and stability is achieved through their unceasing support and love. This emotional security enables a child to explore new academic horizons with more strength. With respect and inclusion of the role of the grandparent, families will come up with a strong and multi-generational support network. This comprehensive perspective is what the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready approach of viewing a child as an organism prepared to go to school and live is fostered with a web of loving relationships, each fibre reinforcing the others. Grandparents are not only the supporters of education, but also add a heart, history and a certain magic, which leads to a lifelong adventure of exploration.
For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
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