As your child’s first teacher, your actions between the critical ages of 0-3 and 3-6 can have a profound impact on their life trajectory. Our goal is to present researched findings that can transform your perspective on your role in preparing your child for future learning. There is no greater sense of empowerment than knowing you have knowledge, based on science, to help shape your child’s future.

At KOGNARA, we have vetted the science so that you can focus on the goal of turning everyday play into high-IQ-building activities.

Let me tell you why I have been, for many years, and still am, extremely passionate about building the FOUNDATIONAL BUILDING BLOCKS (cognitive skills) for learning.

In my initial teaching career, I was responsible for instructing science subjects in New York City public schools, spanning kindergarten through sixth grade. During my tenure, I observed a significant disparity among students’ readiness for learning. Some students entered kindergarten with a superficial understanding of the alphabet, reciting the letters without comprehension. Others demonstrated a rudimentary grasp of counting to 100 without recognizing numbers or developing number sense.

Notably, some students claimed to possess the ability to read, yet their reading skills were limited to decoding words without comprehension. Those students exhibited a form of readiness based on memorization rather than genuine knowledge. They struggled with attention spans and lacked critical thinking skills. Many of these children found it challenging to follow age-appropriate instructions and maintain focus. When presented with tasks that required them to apply their classroom learning, they were unable to do so effectively.

Conversely, there were students who entered school with an impressive understanding of various subjects. They possessed knowledge about animal families and behaviors, identified constellations, recognized the seasons and their causes, named different trees and their leaves, identified sea shells and marine animals, and understood the principles of buoyancy and sinking.

They had so much general knowledge. Remarkably, these students not only demonstrated school readiness but also possessed strong thinking skills. When given tasks, they not only followed age-appropriate instructions but were also able to apply their learning and, in many instances, use it to create.

In summary, the latter group, by the third grade, significantly outperformed the group that had memorized a few facts, which were mislabeled as readiness skills. Two master’s degrees and many continuing education courses later, I began to understand why the latter group surpassed the so-called “school readiness” group. The latter group had strong Cognitive Skills upon which the readiness skills were built.