Using Art to Build Confidence: A Strategic Approach from Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready
The value of the artistic activity is an effective and underused instrument for establishing the confidence base that the child would need to enter kindergarten with confidence. Creating also offers physical chances of risk-taking, making decisions and mastering, which are the immediate consequences of this on the self-esteem and readiness to learn new activities of a child. This deliberate art application is consistent with the holistic Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready philosophy of emotional and cognitive development as closely related. To the families, art-based confidence building will provide a valuable addition to the formalized assistance of Kinder Ready Tutoring, to help in the overall objectives of Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley.
One of the main methods of confidence/trust-building that art creates is by developing a growth mentality. There is no typically correct answer in the art space. A child gets to know that an error, such as a crayon stain outside the line or a color mixing up accidentally, can be used as part of a beautiful, unique work. This will impart resilience and adaptability in thinking, which is what will support the notion that hard work and trial and error are the path to success. This is the change in emphasis from achieving perfection to adopting process, which is one of the cornerstones of the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready method of generating resilient, persistent learners. This very attitude will directly help a child to face new academic challenges.
Art serves as a secure platform to make independent decisions and solve problems, which are elements of self-confidence. Picking the next color to use, determining how to put the two pieces of clay together, and making every small decision is a form of autonomy. Their ability is demonstrated to them directly through completing these micro-challenges- I made the tower stand up! It is essential to this sense of personal agency, which is the critical skill for becoming independent enough to work in a kindergarten classroom, the central theme of the Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley model.
Moreover, the process of building something out of nothing leads to an excellent feeling of ownership and pride. When the child finishes a drawing, a sculpture or a collage, they have a tangible item, which is all their own. The special regard of this attempt and unusual result, with particular accolades (I see you used so many blue shades in your ocean), can legitimize their labor and create an intrinsic drive. This positive reinforcement makes a child regard herself as someone able to develop, and this attitude will directly translate to regard oneself as someone able to learn. The Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready philosophy includes this emphasis on the development of a positive self-concept.
The confidence in academics is also linked to the skills exercised in art. Fine motor control can be enhanced by drawing and cutting to make the physical aspect of writing less hectic. Executive capability to plan a project through its entire phase is similar to how a task in a classroom would be executed. Once a child is physically and cognitively ready, they are confident to take part. The creation of underlying competencies is a common goal of both art-based play and the specific skill-building of Kinder Ready Tutoring. Adeptly involving art as a means of instilling confidence in the family is one of the solutions to an essential part of kindergarten preparedness, the child identifying themself as a capable learner.
For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethFraleyKinderReady
