Montessori and Love Archives

October 23, 2018

Love Has The Last Word – Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program @ Children’s Montessori House

Moorsetown, New Jersey – The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program at Montessori Children’s House wrapped up this week with the last book and lesson in the series. The children were now able to say the YOUNG MASTERS Pledge as a group. Several children took turns by themselves and one of the youngest little girls proudly showed Miss Stephanie she could do it all by herself. Promising to use their gifts everyday has become second nature. BravoYoung Masters! One of the children called out, “What’s today’s gift?” Miss Stephanie giggled to herself thinking how each week she pulled the SECRET OF THE HEART out of a ceramic gift box. “Oh you mean today’s SECRET OF THE HEART? That’s right that’s your gift isn’t it?” She reached in and pulled out the word LOVE. The children were getting the connection. The secrets of the heart were indeed the gifts they possessed.

“It’s This Little Light,” said Miss Stephanie, “Butaan, Phylos and EEtha are going to find out what it means to have This Little Light inside. “Did you know you had a little light inside? Well you do…everyone has a light to share.” The gift of LOVE was the today’s secret. Today’s gift. And today, the children would learn how to share that gift with their family, friends, teachers, pets and even the earth.

Since today was the last day Miss Stephanie wanted to honor each child in a special way. So one at a time, each child was asked to sit on a chair in front of their classmates. They were invited to wear special heart glasses if they wanted to. The children took turns saying three things they loved about their friend. The children expressed their kindness and compliments to each by saying things like, “I love when she plays outside with me!” “I like the way he makes me laugh.” “I like your hair” or “I love his shirt!” One little boy sat in the chair for his turn and said, “Can my friends say five things they like about me?” “Well, who doesn’t like hearing good things about themselves,” Miss Stephanie thought laughing. “Why not?”

A special certificate was presented to each child for completing the discovery program. They are indeed YOUNG MASTERS, and though they know this class is over for now, they understand there are many more gifts to learn and much more to know about using their gifts. During the past six weeks their teachers have reported the children looked forward to Tuesday when Miss Stephanie was there to teach them about the Secrets of The Heart. They now had a good idea how to demonstrate what they’d learned about – friendship, imagination, gratitude, courage, creativity and love.

The class ended, as it began with each child putting their hand on the heart and saying, “I promise to use my gifts everyday, in every way for I AM A YOUNG MASTER!” Then they all shouted “PEACE”! In a final moment the children were asked to close their eyes and remember how thankful they were as the song, “Thank You For Being Here,” was played. It was a good day for these Young Masters. A day filled with a sense of accomplishment and possibility.

Before Miss Stephanie left she noticed all the YOUNG MASTERS books and CDS were displayed in the classroom library. One child mentioned, he liked to sit down at the desk and listen to the books on the CD and look at the pictures of Buttan, Phylos and EEtha. It’s now up to the wonderful teachers at Children’s Montessori House to continue this very meaningful work along with their daily curriculum. Thank you to Denise Reid Sharp and Connie Campbell for recognizing the importance of this program and well done Young Masters!

If you’d like to see a music video of this program please view – Shine Your LIght

If you’re interested in the Young Masters Little Wisdom Curriculum. It’s available to teachers for a limited time for free. Find out more by clicking here.

October 19, 2018November 27, 2018

This Little Light – The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program teaches the gift of love to students at Naudain Academy, a Montessori School

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.

Download your complimentary copy of the Young Masters Little Wisdom Curriculum today!

October 17, 2018December 19, 2018

Children Learn How To Shine Their Light In The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program at Naudain Academy, a Montessori School

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.

Click here to make a difference in the lives of children 4-8 in your world.

Curriculum is still available for free.

Naudain Academy is a Montessori school in Voorhees, New Jersey.