OUR STORY

It is no secret that our public manners have deteriorated along with a dramatic loss in respect damaging how we treat one another. Our headlines are full of broken ethics for individuals, companies, and countries disregarding the autonomy of other countries.

• We worry about test scores yet our children are exhibiting high levels of anxiety and stress.

• School shootings often reveal a history of bullying

• Teachers are leaving in record numbers a profession forthey often had a deep passion.

• Loss of social skills and emotional intelligence development for our children due to the pandemic.

THE ORIGIN

Sandra’s unique background as a performer/teacher/illustrator led her to be hired to teach etiquette in a prominent school in Los Angeles. 

Within the first month of designing the program, she realized that our manners are born from our personal ethics; what motivates our behavior and how we treat others. 

She looked for universal principles that govern all our values and concluded that all our positive values fall under four categories: kindness, respect, gratitude, and compassion which became The Master Keys.

MASTER KEYS

Master Keys for Kids was originally called Open Doors/ Closed Doors as she taught the process of critical thinking, – Do you want to open a door with that person, or close it?

The choices we make encourage, damage, or terminate relationships.  This simple principle was grasped immediately by her K-8 grade students and it became the Master Keys north star.

If we are not conscious of our behavior and its affect on others, doors of opportunity are being slammed to us without our awareness.

The almost 50 lessons Sandra designed fell under six collections: The Basics, Respect, Self-Respect, Kindness, Gratitude, Compassion.

They became the Master Keys for Kids ebook series. Each lesson includes teacher objectives, lesson overview, lesson worksheets, and even a section on how that lesson applies to the one teaching it personally.
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The Master Keys series can be used by families and classrooms.  In fact, when used by both, the child is getting lesson reinforcement both at home and in the classroom so teachers and parents can work together.
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Master Keys can become skills that a teacher or parent :
  • Fold into their current curriculum or day to day life
  • Actual lessons taught by themselves
  • A guide for conversations such as car-talk.

RETURN TO CIVILITY

From Sandra’s experience as a performer, she understood the power of storytelling, improv, and creative games to encourage kids to express their feelings and build confidence.

As a teacher and originator of a twenty two year summer program, she taught hundreds of children to get up on their feet and play.  She has now combined those creativity games with Master Keys lessons for the six semester school program, Return to Civility.

Utilizing  the Return to Civility program, schools can offer an after-school program or use it in the main school to playfully teach empathy, process emotions, build self-esteem and focus on an ethic per semester.

Kids must experience ethical behavior and social skills.  Then, they can claim them as their own.  Mere posters and mission statements will not change behavior.

A MANNER FOR ALL SEASONS

Throughout human experience, storytelling is one of our most powerful and universal tools for teaching.  Sandra took individual lMaster Keys lessons and wrote and illustrated a series of stories, A Manner for All Seasons.  In the process, she invented a new genre of children’s literature; stories that include teaching tools for both families and classrooms.

For example, A Tale of Two Keisters teaches How to Seat a Lady & the Art of Thank you Notes.

•  Whether it’s a bedtime story, a weekend with a grandchild, or story time in a classroom, this series highlights life skills to last a life time!

•  Readers are also be introduced to her series hosts, Madama and her pet, Peeves.  Teaching with wit and a story locks in the skill or lesson.

• Special bonus: the stories encourage a broader vocabulary in a playful way

A MOMENT FOR MANNERS

We all operate on stifling schedules with little time to concentrate on teaching social skills and manners.

• A Moment for Manners is the YouTube series designed to playfully focus on one lesson or skill in under three minutes.

• Single parents, grandparents, extended family and homeschoolers can all join in on the fun and watch it with their kids focusing on it together.

• Hosted by Sandra’s main characters, Madama and her pet, Peeves, the series is clever with substance for child and adult alike. Look for special guests, as well!