Voohees, New Jersey – It was a rainy day and the children were ready for some indoor fun. The theme of imagination continued on their favorite day, the day Stephanie comes to conduct the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery program . As always Stephanie Pelly began with the Young Masters Pledge. “I promise to use my gifts everyday, in every way, for I am a Young Master.” As they reviewed what they had learned during the last class, the children remembered that their Magic Eye was – inside their mind. Stephanie asked, “when can you use your imagination?” “On a rainy day like this,” one little boy answered, “or when I’m laying in bed, driving in a car, at school or with my brother, sister or friend – anytime.”Today they played imagination games, beginning with The Magic Circle. One child at a time came up to the front of a classroom and began using their imagination to create something in the hula hoop. One girl pretended the hula hoop was a mirror and she held it up to look at herself and strated to brush her hair. Classmates took turns guessing what she was doing. Another child pretended The Magic Circle was a garden of beautiful flowers. One by one she picked a flower and brought it up to her nose to smell its fragrance. Another young boy imagined he was typing on a computer. Even Stephanie took a turn, making a big snowball and throwing it at one of the children. Lots of fun!
The second game they played was Magic Ball. Stephanie used her imagination as she pretended to pull a magic ball out of her pocket. She bounced it and tossed it in the air. Finally, she called someone’s name and threw to them. Using their imagination they caught the ball with both hands and passed it to a friend next to them. The imaginary ball moved around the circle being rolled, tossed and thrown across the room even like a pitcher does in a baseball game. Sometimes the ball grew really really big and sometime the magic ball became very small. The children got a chance to stretch their power of imagination.
The last group activity for the day was story time. Everyone worked together to create a story. Stephanie began by holding up a microphone. “Once upon a time,” she said. The next child held the mic and continued, “There was a little boy.” The story unfolded with each child speaking into the microphone to add their new idea. It went something like this: “A little boy was watching tv… and then he saw something on the news… he got scared and then went into his bedroom… and began dreaming…he dreamed about a door that was opening… and then he heard someone calling his name…he woke up only… to later hear his alarm clock ringing… he was just dreaming.” The children cooperated by taking turns and their story was told. “We all have a story to tell,” said Stephanie.
The program ended today by singing Thank You For Being Here and then they quietly laid their heads down to listen to some soft, gentle music. This was one more opportunity to use their imaginations.
Stay tuned for our next Young Master LIttle Wisdom Discovery adventure. See you next time!
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Vorhees, New Jersey – The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery program begin with the Young Masters pledge as a group. “I promise to use my gifts everyday, in every way, for I am a Young Master.” Several children wanted to say the pledge by themselves or with a friend or two. They took turns. One of the youngest girls, said the pledge all by herself with no help. Stephanie heard a child say, “What’s today’s gift?” Each week Stephanie pulled a Secret Of The Heart out of her cermaic gift box. “Oh,” she said, you mean what’s today’s Secret of the Heart?….well…” Imaginary drum roll……as she reached in and pulled out the word LOVE.
Stephanie explained to the children that in this week’s book Young Masters: This Little Light, that Butaan, Phylos and EEtha share the gift of LOVE with their family, friends, teachers, pets and even the earth. Since today was the last day for a while, she wanted to honor each child in a special way. They read the book and then shared some of the music.
For the activity, one at a time, she asked each child to sit on a chair in front of their classmates. They were invited to, if they wanted, wear Stephanie’s special red heart-shaped glasses. The children took turns saying three things they loved about their friend. A few things the children said were “I love when she plays with me outside!,” or “I like the way he makes me laugh,” Children even gave compliments, like, “I like your hair or I love your shirt!” One little boy sat in the chair for his turn and said, “Can my friends say five things they like about me?” “I guess he loved hearing kind words,” Stephanie said, admitting she is truly entertained by the honesty of children.
Today each child was presented a special certificate for being a Young Master and completing the Little Wisdom Discovery Program. During the past six weeks, the regular teachers have told Ms Stephanie that the children were always very excited to learn about the Secrets of The Heart – Friendship, Imagination, Gratitude, Courage, Creativity and Love. It’s been a remarkable and memorable experience. One they will never forgot.
As the class ended each child put their hand on the hearts and said, “I AM A YOUNG MASTER!” Then they all shouted PEACE! “Yes, you are,” said Stephanie. They all closed their eyes and sang Thank You For Being Here one last time, with Ms. Stephanie. “Always remember to use your gifts,” said Ms Stephanie, “you each have special gifts to share with the world.”
Before she left, she noticed all the YOUNG MASTERS books and CDS are in the classroom library. One little boy commented, “I like to sit at my desk and listen to the books on the CD and look at the pictures of Butaan, Phylos and EEtha.
“It’s been a very rewarding time,” said Stephanie, presenting this program. “Now off to the next school and a new classroom of Young Masters.” Join us for Stephanie’s continuing Little Wisdom adventures.
Stephanie Pelly is co-creator of the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Curriculum and conducts the program at Montessori Schools throughout New Jersey, New York and surrounding areas. Contact us to find out how Stephanie can conduct the program at your school.
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Voorhees, New Jersey – The children of Naudain Academy have been enjoying the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program every other week since November. Their mission has been to learn and practice the Secrets of The Heart based on the Young Masters Little Wisdom books. This past week they learned about the final secret in the first series – love.
The program began with the class saying the Young Masters Pledge together. “I promise to use my gifts everyday, in everyway, for I am a Young Master. PEACE!” “By now the children have learned they do indeed have gifts to share with the world, ” said Ms. Stephanie, “and that’s why they’re Young Masters.”
After the pledge, the children listened to Ms. Stephanie, the program facilitator as she read Young Masters: This Little Light. “In this storybook, the children learn the many ways love is shared with people, animals and the earth.” The story was followed by an activity to demonstrate the power of love. The activity is called A DROP OF LOVE. In a glass bowl filled with water, Ms. Stephanie placed a small earth globe. One at a time, each child took a turn and using an eye dropper filled with colored water placed a drop of love around the globe. As they shared something they love about themselves, others or the world around them they all saw how the love they had to give helped color the world with love. “One drop of love makes a difference in the world,” said Ms. Stephanie. Each child had a turn as ideas like “I love my family and friends, I love my teachers, I love my dog, I love flowers and I love music,” were expressed.
After completing the activity the children created “heartprints”, this was an art project to share with someone they love. As they listened to music from the Young Masters: This Little Light CD, each child decorated four “heartprints” and added their own very special thumbprint to make the shape of a heart. As they placed their thumbprints on the hearts Ms. Stephanie told them “there is no one in the whole world that has a thumbprint like you and there’s no one in the world exactly like you. You are unique! And the way you give your love is unique.” On the reverse side of the “heartprint” children wrote messages like “I love you” or “I love playing with you.” Some children wrote words like “kindness” and “share.” The children were asked to share their love by giving a “heartprint” away to a classmate, family member, teacher or neighbor. “Sharing love is making someone else feel special,” said Ms. Stephanie, “that’s how you shine your light. That’s what Butaan, Phylos and EEtha talk about in the book.” “I love hearing the children sing along with the CD while they’re creating,” said Ms. Stephanie. “Music adds so much to a learning experience…music makes learning joyful.”
As their time together came all too quickly to an end, the students repeated the Young Masters pledge one last time and were encouraged to try making heartprints out of clay at home to share with friends or family members.
“Young Masters…learning to make the world a better place. I love my work,” said Ms. Stephanie. Stay tuned for the next adventure in learning with the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery program.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how you can use this program in your school.
Stephanie Pelly is a peace educator and co-creator of the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program for children and teaches this program and others in and around New Jersey.
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Curriculum is still available for free.
Naudain Academy is a Montessori school in Voorhees, New Jersey.