Resources 

What makes a good education resource?

·         Captures attention and imagination

·         Simple - not too complicated

·         Colourful

·         Age appropriate

·         Cater for the 9 intelligences

Unique Approaches for different age groups

 Preschool

·         Routine to lesson creates safety and builds confidence

·         No written language / use of symbols

·         One concept

·         Real life

·         Games – virtue bears, matching, cards

·         Role plays

·         Stories – story telling and picture story books, felt, puppets

·         Music, movement and songs – actions, simple, repeat, real life

·         Posters, colourful

·         Resources - 1 for each child

·         Art/craft

·         Surprise presentation – felt, bags, boxes

·         Make books to share

·         Quiet time – sample from CD – what sound is that? Helps children to be still, listen and concentrate and create a habit

·         Service

·         Involve in planning at a simple level of likes and dislikes

Primary

·         Language

·         Games – bingo, miming, cards, card, mimes

·         Music, songs and dance

·         Project box – cooperative activity (practice the skill) - play, reverence book, Holy Book

·         Poster

·         Plays

·         Make books to share

·         Involve in planning

·         Quiet time – sample from Reflections for Kids CD – ‘Listen’

·         Performance

·         Service

Junior Youth Empowerment

·         When fundamental concepts of individual-self and collective-society life are formulated

·         When adolescents struggle to leave behind childhood and develop new capabilities as Junior Youth, as Youth and as Adults.

·         Comprehend concepts,

·         Formulate opinions and exercise their power of expression,

·         Search for spiritual truths,

·         Self discovery and participatory projects

·         Discussion – work through complex tasks, independence

·         Plays and skits

·         Performance

·         Music and dance

·         Hand over planning

·        Service

·        Quiet time – Magical Carpet from CD Reflections for Kids from Sharing Circles

A central thing needed to assist all educational programs is a stimulating environment and age appropriate resources that stimulate and reinforce.  When Sharing Circles commenced there were limited resources that truly reinforce and assisted character development. 

Many resources have been developed and trialled throughout the sessions of the program and these are offered to you for order to assist your efforts.

These include: - please refer to attached order form for details ORDER FORM

·        Rainbow Bear – The character of Rainbow Bear has been used during Sharing Circles as a model and encouragement to children.  He provides them with a vision that each one of us are full of virtues that we can practice and share with others to help us perform better in our daily lives, for us to become better people contributing to building a loving and caring community.  For young children this means to learn to practice friendliness, and love, to be orderly with our things, to practice patience when we want something right now, so badly!  

·        Miniature Virtue Bears – for use by children to play and reinforce how to practice virtues and instil the use of the naming of virtues.  There are 3 sets offering 12 virtue bears in total – the virtues include:

Set 1 - love, patience, helpfulness and caring

Set 2 - creativity, kindness, cleanliness and friendliness

Set 3 - service, prayerfulness, orderliness and gentleness

·        CDs

•         Songs for Kids - A set of 15 songs based on the Ruhi Institute Book 3 Teaching Children’s Classes that help teachers assist children to build a spiritual foundation.  The songs are a range of fun and motivational with themes such as service, love, friendship, truthfulness, justice etc.  Each of the 15 songs is accompanied by exciting music, which is repeated on the CD a second time to offer background for the 15 tracks  - refer to resources

•     Reflections for Kids - provides a set of original visualization stories and reflections put to music for young children to assist them in developing the skill of peacefulness and their spiritual qualities.  Ideal for sharing with children aged 2 – 10 in your own home, in a local playgroup, at childcare centre or school.   Each track offers something different in helping young children and all have been grouped to assist your selection

Sharing Circles Doh for Kids – a scented play doh for kids to manipulate.  The 3 colours are scented to help stimulate not only the creativity of young children but also their minds and spirits.- refer to resources.

Doh for Kids that has a ‘smelly twist’ - the three colours each have aromatic oils and essence to stimulate not only children’s’ physical development but at the same time stimulate their senses.

•        Rose Red

•        Lemon Yellow

•        Peppermint Green

Teaching Aids

·         Music/songs for actions, dancing and singing

o       Limited music for this age group is available so you will need to consider carefully what you use and repeat it often.  Also mix the music between new songs and old time favourites nursery rhymes and action songs

·         Feeling Plates

o      

·         Virtues

•      Virtues cards (hidden in bag)  

•      Virtues snap cards to play games and ‘talk’ virtues language

·         Puzzles related to the various themes – you can make these yourself by cutting up prints into large pieces

·         Virtues Bear and set of mini bears - used to present virtues in lessons and for use in games (first used in lesson 23)

·         Rainbow Bear - used to encourage the demonstration of virtues (first used in lesson 34)

 Story Books

·         Books – obtained from local libraries as a starting point or make your own in the class.

Resource Books

To assist with ideas for sessions or general approaches to character development

Music  

Music is a spiritual food for the heart and soul.   It provides children with a melody to which link concepts, themes, ideas and offers tranquillity and confidence to thought and movement.

Music can be used to reinforce the theme of the lesson, assist children to use their imagination, to tell a story, to have them to find a reflective mood.

Much of the music used in Sharing Circles is from Rahda Sahar of Universal Children’s Studio  http://www.ucamusic.com/index1.htm as it suits the preschooler age group and she has used many well known children’s songs and adapted to present a virtue.  A fantastic resource is the ‘Virtues Within Me’ CD and book

In recent years we have also developed two CDs of our own

Sharing Circles Songs for Kids (52CD303) - A set of 15 songs based on the Ruhi Institute Book 3 Teaching Children’s Classes that help teachers assist children to build a spiritual foundation.  The songs are a range of fun and motivational with themes such as service, love, friendship, truthfulness, justice etc.  Each of the 15 songs is accompanied by exciting music, which is repeated on the CD a second time to offer background for the 15 tracks  - refer to ordering.

In this busy, challenging and changing world it is becoming increasingly necessary for young children to learn the skills of reflection and quietness.  As children practice the virtue of peacefulness it assists them to increase their resilience and ability to balance events in their lives.     Sharing Circles Reflections for Kids (52CD323) - A set of original 17 inspiring tracks. A set of visualization stories and reflections for young children to assist them in developing the skill of peacefulness and their spiritual qualities. refer to ordering.

Sharing Circles Reflections for Kids provides a set of original visualization stories and reflections put to music for young children to assist them in developing the skill of peacefulness and their spiritual qualities.  Ideal for sharing with children aged 2 – 10 in your own home, in a local playgroup, at childcare centre or school. Each track offers something different in helping young children and all have been grouped to assist your selection, including:

·   material for listening and developing concentration skills for younger children

·   inspirational words from various faiths for children to reflect upon and gain inner strength

·   imaginary journeys through well throughout visualizations based on principles of unity and the world around us for stimulation and focus

Songs used to date in Sharing Circles include

Reflections and Meditation

 In this busy, challenging and changing world it is becoming increasingly necessary for young children to learn the skills of reflection and quietness.  As children practice the virtue of peacefulness it assists them to increase their resilience and ability to balance events in their lives.

The reciting of inspirational words and prayers assist children to become in touch with their inner being and to create a connection to the Great Spirit, God, Unknowable Essence.  

Sharing Circles Reflections for Kids (refer to ordering) provides a set of original visualization stories and reflections put to music for young children to assist them in developing the skill of peacefulness and their spiritual qualities.  Ideal for sharing with children aged 2 – 10 in your own home, in a local playgroup, at childcare centre or school.   Each track offers something different in helping young children and all have been grouped to assist your selection, including:

·        material for listening and developing concentration skills for younger children

·        inspirational words from various faiths for children to reflect upon and gain inner strength

·        imaginary journeys through well throughout visualizations based on principles of unity and the world around us for stimulation and focus.