Early elementary science does not concern itself with memorizing facts, but is the elementary process of learning how to observe, to question and to make sense of the world. It develops the highest order of habits of mind, all further learning is based on: curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving. We apply scientific inquiry in our holistic preparatory curriculum at Kinder Ready Tutoring. Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready philosophy celebrates the importance of early introduction to science as a highly important force behind cognitive development, where young learners are turned into active investigators with a systematic and resilient way of thinking.
Inquiry skills and process skills are the foundational aspects of early science education. A child needs to learn the how of science, in asking questions, making observations, predicting and describing what they observe before they can understand complex concepts. This consists of basic and practical exercises such as classifying leaves by their shape, determining whether something will sink or float, or monitoring the life cycle of a plant. This scientific method, in which one tries to create a hypothesis, test it, and interpret the findings, is a direct exercise of the executive function. It develops sequencing, logical reasoning, and attention to detail, skills that the Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley methodology focuses on as a matter of overall school readiness and which are practised during our tutoring appointments.
Moreover, the practice of science activities builds basic literacy and math skills in a practical environment. Science is interdisciplinary in nature. Writing in a journal develops writing stamina and vocabulary. Deposition of ingredients in a simple experiment brings about volume and comparison. The use of early data literacy is to create a graph to monitor the growth of plants. This combination is the same as the Kinder Ready Tutoring model since it considers domains of learning as intertwined. When we incorporate math and language arts into meaningful scientific discovery, we not only make these skills relevant and memorable but also make them comprehensible far more deeply than a worksheet can accomplish.
Teaching science in early grades instils resilience and a growth mentality. When it comes to experimentation, things do not necessarily happen as they are supposed to. A seed may fail to germinate, or a building may fall. We instruct children, following the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready philosophy, to look at them as not failures, but as valuable data. We promote questions such as, What can we do better the next time? It is a process that leads to normalization of iterative thinking, endurance, and error learning-all the same qualities in successful and flexible learners in any academic discipline.
Simply put, early elementary science is the discipline of training the mental kit which all children are supposed to have. It develops the ability to think critically, to analyze, the ability to describe using language, and the strength to continue. This very essential discipline does not become an afterthought with the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready approach, but it is part of preparation. Through their collaboration with Kinder Ready Tutoring, families will experience the benefits of expert-led scientific inquiry that makes up and supplements classroom instruction to help their child become an inquisitive, analytical, and confident thinker who can master the fields of STEM and beyond.
For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethFraleyKinderReady
