Posted on

Dream A World’s Teacher of the Month for April is Stephanie Pelly

Stephanie teaches the “peaceable being.”

Stephanie Pelly has a true gift of recognizing the magical spirit of children…and adults.  As a peace educator, she has spent over twenty years teaching in public, private, and Montessori schools where she implemented character education and bullying prevention programs throughout Bucks County, PA and Southern New Jersey. Her most recent work includes The Peace Center in Langhorne, PA and Naudain Academy – A Montessori School.  Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary and Special Education from Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Stephanie believes educating children must be hands-on, creative, and fun for both the teacher and students.  She is known for creating the image of the “Peaceable Being” which stands as a role model of good character in classrooms. Stephanie has evolved this creation into a “Design Your Own Peaceable Being” T-shirt and Doodle Art Pad.  She is currently seeking funding to produce and manufacture these products for children.  Her goal is to offer “products with purpose and great valuefor kids!”

The first week in April Stephanie begins conducting the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program, curriculum specifically designed for Montessori, at Montessori Children’s House in Moorstown, New Jersey and at Indigo Moon, a holistic center also in New Jersey.   She is co-creator of the Young Masters Little Wisdom curriculum program as well as many others.  Thank you for all you do for children!

 

 

Posted on

Montessori Children’s House introduces children to their “Magic Eye”

How do children really learn what it means to have an imagination? 

Moorsetown, New Jersey – Stephanie Pelly introduced Montessori students to their “Magic Eye” this past week.  Children naturally use their “magic eye”, their imagination, but do they really understand the value of this important gift that’s always available to them?  The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program works to connect children with concepts like imagination.

Stephanie Pelly, co-creator of this curriculum, is facilitating the Discovery program at Montessori Children’s House where this week she focused on empowering children to use their own imagination in a variety of ways. The children start with the Young Masters Pledge, then read and listen to the the story from Young Masters: The Magic Eye.  Next they are guided through several right brain activities as they creatively express themselves, verbalizing all that they’re seeing in their mind’s eye.

Stephanie and boy with the Magic CircleThey practice being storytellers as they examine pictures of different people from magazine cut-outs. They use “The Magic Circle”, a hula hoop, to pretend they’re fishing, eating a bowl of ice cream or building a sand castle. One boy even sees a train moving around in circles on a track. They sit inside “The Magic Circle” and pretend they’re somewhere else.  One child is  in a big city naming all the vehicles he sees, one sits at home petting her dog. One little boy even sits on the Easter Bunny’s lap. What does the Bunny look like, what color is he or she? What fun!

 The song  Circle Of Creation, from “The Magic Eye” CD is played as they pass the “earth ball.” When they song lyric says “tell me what you see,” the children name different animals they see on the globe.

Stephanie then makes the connection as she explains  to the children that they can use their imagination any time.  It’s always available to them, whether they’re laying in bed and feel afraid of the dark or feel bored and are looking for a way to entertain themselves. They can use their imagination to decide what color socks to wear in the morning or to solve a problem…and they can exercise their imaginations by playing these games with another friend or by themselves.  A powerful concept that can later translate into children understanding how their imagination can be used to create their future.

Stephanie and three childrenConnecting children to the gifts that come natural to them are what the Discovery Program is all about.  Helping them discover who they are and what makes them unique.  Encouraging them as their individual characteristics and personalities emerge. This is the gift that teachers like Stephanie Pelly give to children.  

Click on the links below to view videos from the Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program from Unit 2 of
The Magic Eye

Young Masters: Circle of Creation

Young Masters: The Magic Eye – Learning How You Make A Difference

Stay tuned for the next unit – Young Masters: The Hidden Treasure as the children at Montessori Children’s House discover gratitude and why it’s so important to be thankful.

The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Curriculum for Montessori and other versions of this curriculum are available right  now for free.  Click below to take advantage of this offer so you can share this gift to the children in your life.

Young Masters Little Wisdom Curriculum


Posted on

The Young Masters Little Wisdom Discovery Program teaches the children of Naudain Academy, a Montessori school, about “The Hidden Treasure” – being grateful

Voorhees, New Jersey – The children of Naudain Academy were excited to learn about The Hidden Treasure today and as they discovered the next Secret Of The Heart. Students had several guesses before Stephanie Pelly, the program facilitator, revealed the secret. “Is it love, friendship or sharing with your friends?” they asked.

Stephanie slowly drew the the word gratitude from her special container. This was a new word for most of the children, so she explained that gratitude means being thankful. She also explained that being grateful is showing appreciation for people or things in your life.

The children were excited to hear the story from the Young Masters Little Wisdom book,  The Hidden Treasure. They began to understand that while it’s wonderful to receive gifts, the true gift is being thankful.  They discussed the many things for which Butaan and Phylos were grateful for in the story and after the story they shared all for which they were grateful as a class.

Then Stephanie passed around a red gift box and told the children that there was a wonderful, amazing, awesome, super, fantastic and great gift inside.  In fact it’s the greatest gift.  She told them they could all have a chance to peek and see it, but they would need to keep the gift a surprise until each person discovered the gift themselves.  One by one the gift box was passed as each child took a peek inside.  She repeated, “thank you for being here, you are a gift!”  as one by one they each looked inside the box and saw a star mirror and  – their own face looking back at them.  Some children got it right away… some took a moment to realize that they are the gift.  It’s who they are and all that they can share with other.  Some were a little confused and didn’t see themselves as a gift, so after each person had a turn Stephanie asked, “So what is this wonderful, amazing awesome, super, fantastic and great gift?”  One little boy raised his hand and said, ” Each one of us is a gift to the world!”  “Exactly,” Stephanie said.  “We can share our smiles and friendship with people every day! We each have something to give. Something for which to be truly thankful.”   She then asked the children to share some of the gifts they can give to others.  Immediately they chimed in, “friendship, imagination, love, kindness, sharing and playing together.” “Yes, all the secrets of the heart,” said Stephanie.

 

Stephanie then told the children she was going to use her imagination to give each child a gift.  One child said, “we learned all about imagination in the book The Magic Eye.  They remembered.  She went on to tell them that  in order to receive the gift she was giving them, she would need to use her imagination… and so would they.  One by one she pulled out “imaginary gifts”  and placed something inside each child’s hand or around their necks or once in awhile I even rolled a special gift to a child.  Every child said “thank you” and said they were grateful for their gifts.  One child said… “I know what my gift is, a baseball.”  Another child said, “You gave me sparkles.”  “My gift was a mircophone!” “I got a telescope.”  “I got a necklace.”  One child pondered long and hard and might still be thinking about what his gift really was.  “You can think about it while you’re in bed tonight, ” Stephanie said, and added, “I gave you each my love with your gift…and that’s the best gift.”

They sang “Circle of Appreciation” and had fun playing a game where the students got to point to all their different friends during the song.  They loved this song and game.  The lesson ended as they passed  around earth ball and shared the many gifts they earth gives to us.  “Something for which we are are very grateful,” said Stephanie, “to be on this beautiful Earth with our families and friends.”

Stay tuned for the next secret of the heart and the continuing journey for these very fortunate Young Masters at Naudain Academy.

See what wonders are happening at Naudain Academy.

Posted on

Culmination Of The Young Masters Discovery Program @ Naudain Academy, A Montessori School

Vorhees, New Jersey – The Young Masters Discovery Program at Naudain Academy concluded last week. The extended day children proudly wore the headdresses they created as they received their certificates and shared what they had learned with their friends – the Secrets Of The Heart

During the final celebration each Young Master held the microphone and had a turn reciting the Young Masters Pledge.  Confidently each stepped forward to say what they now seemed to believe about themselves and…they appeared to know what that meant.  “I promise to use my gifts everyday, in everyway for I am a Young Master.”

Children were quick to answer what their favorite Secret of the Heart was and why and Stephanie gently probed them with questions to find out what stories and lessons resonated most with them.  Some children loved using their “creativity” and “imagination” during the program, some children said “friendship” and “love” were their favorites.  A number of children talked about “courage” being their favorite “secret”, because they learned to face their fears and a handful of students liked “gratitude” best!  Stephanie reminded them that all of the “secrets” are important to practice.

Wearing their colorful Young Master headdresses, each student received their certificate of completion.  Something they could hang on their wall at home to remind them what they had accomplished, and they would now bring home the Young Master Journals that they had spent class time creating and adding to during the year.

“Tell us something you learned during the Discovery Program?” asked Miss Stephanie.  One young boy raised his hand.  “I learned I have gifts to share,” said one Young Master. “Yes!” said Miss Stephanie.  “I am so proud of all the students of Naudain. It takes real courage for a child to stand up in front of their class and recite the Young Masters pledge all by themselves or to express their feelings about the program. I’ve witnessed a lot of growth with the children and I know they felt equally proud of themselves when they held their Young Masters certificates up for one last class photo.”

“I believe each child felt a little bit like Butaan, Phlyos or EEtha as they wore their Young Masters headdresses.  They really connected twith the characters in the books, loved the messages in the stories and wore wide smiles each time they sang the songs on the CD’s. I believe that First grade will be a little easier for these students.  They understand some very important concepts that will serve them well in the days and years ahead.

Many of the children were sad the program was over.  “Miss Stephanie, will you be at my new school?” asked one little girl. “You can take me with you in your heart,” said Stephanie.“You’re a Young Master!”

Stephanie Pelly conducts the Young Masters Little Wisdom Program at Montessori schools and centers in New Jersey.  If you’d like to schedule the program at your school, contact Stephanie Pelly at ment2btrue@aol.com.

Naudain Academy is a Montessori School