Westside Program Offers Tailored Approach to Early Learning

By Gabriella Bock | Contributing Writer

Do you know what type of learner your child is? Chances are, if you’re the parent of a wide-eyed and curious preschooler, the answer to that question may not yet be evident.

Luckily, Los Angeles educator Elizabeth Fraley has created Kinder Ready, a unique transitional education program that helps young Palisadian students reach their greatest learning potential through engaging, individually designed curriculum.

Launched in 2016, Brentwood-based Kinder Ready offers its clients award-winning summer camp programs and year-round private, home-based lessons with master’s level teachers who incorporate multi-sensory learning practices into their classes.

The lessons typically range from 30 minutes to two hours and, once the Kinder team understands a student’s natural learning style, instruction can be fully customized to engage them with the technique that best suits their needs.

Speaking with the Palisadian-Post, Fraley, a former classroom teacher and education contributor at the Huffington-Post, revealed that she developed the program after becoming frustrated with the nation’s factory education system and its “one-size-fits-all” teaching model.

“In most cases, teachers are stretched way too thin,” she told the Post.

“You’ll have one teacher—and maybe an aid—instructing a class of 25 to 30 kids. It just isn’t possible to meet every child’s learning needs within a traditional classroom setting.”

Fraley went on to explain that play-based preschools and public elementary schools typically incorporate only visual and auditory teaching methods within their curriculum even though many students fare better by learning through a kinesthetic or “hands-on” approach.

And some children process information more efficiently through musical experiences or in groups, others need more time for self-reflection.

“The truth is there are many different types of learners,” she said. “So the best thing we can do for a student is to take a step back to fully observe their learning style—and then nurture it.”

Trained in various educational philosophies such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Waldorf,  Fraley has worked with numerous Palisadian families through her Kinder Ready program—including Adam Sandler and James Corden’s children—and was recently awarded an LA Educator of the Year distinction for her service to the community. 
“Our programs are designed to help parents determine what schools will best serve their children while also assisting them in navigating through the arduous private school admission process,” she explained.

Many of Kinder Ready’s clients are now attending sought-after schools like Carlthrop, JTD, Curtis School and Mirman School but, for Fraley, the work doesn’t stop at acceptance—she also works with learners ages six and up in her Elementary Wise program, a middle school prep course that uses fun and specialized learning practices to prepare students for ISEE testing.

And because ISEE scores help students gain entrance into top-performing independent middle and high schools, now is never too early to begin working toward an enriched academic future.

“No one child learns the same so, wherever the gaps may be, we’re here to help fill them in.”

For more information on the Kinder Ready and Elementary Wise learning programs, visit kinderready.com.