Stephen

Music, Chess and Sports Teacher

Resources

Bookings

Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess

Mondays

4:00pm - 5:00pm

12 Classes

9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 12/1, 12/8, 12/15

Grades K-5

20 students

Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess

Tuesdays

4:00pm - 5:00pm

8 Classes

9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11

Grades K-5

20 students

Creative Canvas Color Adventures

Thursdays

3:15pm - 4:15pm

9 Classes

9/18, 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13

Grades K-2

9 students

EcoARTventures in the Animal Kingdom

Fridays

4:00pm - 5:00pm

13 Classes

9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21, 12/5, 12/12, 12/19

Grades TK-1

20 students

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Experiences

Embark on a journey into the Animal Kingdom, where art and STEM merge in an adventure of discovery and creativity. Explore diverse ecosystems, uncovering secrets of animal camouflage and defense. Through hands-on projects, imagination and curiosity thrive.
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A colorful canvas awaits as young artists dive into painting, coloring, and using markers to bring their vivid imaginations to life. They will explore foundational art theory and visual techniques, enhancing fine motor skills and appreciation for art.
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Dive into the realm of fairytales and popular stories where creativity flourishes. Embark on an imaginative journey with Disney characters and mythical creatures. Paint legendary heroes, sculpt fantastical beasts, and explore different artistic techniques.
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Explore the world of watercolors in the "Watercolor Masterclass" series, where creativity flourishes. Young artists explore painting techniques like perspective, layering, blending, and shading. Colors come alive on paper, transforming surfaces into works of art, showcasing beauty from a sunset to a dreamscape.
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This chess club offers an engaging adventure where young minds explore the captivating story of chess. They will learn the rules, master opening moves, plan ahead, and develop advanced strategies. Along the way, they'll enhance problem-solving, critical thinking, and patience while having fun.
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Dive into the mesmerizing world of watercolor! Kids will explore the magic of mixing colors, creating layers, and understanding perspective. This experience nurtures artistic expression, patience, and focus, helping children develop fine motor skills and a deeper appreciation for art.
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Discover the magical world of art with "Watercolour for Kids!" In this multi-week series, kids will delve into watercolour painting, exploring essential techniques and principles that spark creativity and imagination. They'll master basics like blending and shading and understand concepts like perspective. This series nurtures a love for painting while helping develop fine motor skills and artistic confidence. Kids will experiment with vibrant colors and unique watercolour effects, unlocking their potential and expressing creativity. Let imaginations run wild as simple ideas transform into beautiful works of art!
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Ignite curiosity with the Arts and STEM Series, where creativity meets innovation. This fun experience blends arts and STEM, allowing exploration through experimenting with colors, sounds, and structures. Enjoy imaginative art projects, fascinating science experiments, and hands-on activities in technology and engineering.
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Set the board and dive into an exciting Chess series for kids! This multi-week adventure covers everything from basic moves to advanced techniques. Discover the art of opening, strategic planning, and friendly competition. With engaging activities and matches, kids improve their skills and learn valuable lessons. Make new friends and enjoy each victory and lesson. Whether aiming for grandmaster or just fun, this series is perfect for curious minds!
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Explore the world of sound with "Music Production and Theory for Beginners"! In this multi-week series, participants delve into music, creating their own tunes and exploring music theory and production. They'll experiment with genres, craft melodies, and rhythms, all while gaining creative skills and confidence.
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Where young athletes learn the game's rules, enhance skills, and explore teamwork! From dribbling to shooting, discover the joy of playing and nurturing a love for the game. Enjoy dynamic drills, engaging activities, and make lasting friendships.
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Dribble Dreams: Bounce Buddies is a lively basketball series where love for the game takes center court. Through fun activities and friendly challenges, children refine dribbling, shooting, and team play skills while making lasting friendships. It's a place to develop coordination, boost confidence, and enjoy basketball.
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Welcome to the Soccer Stars Academy, where young athletes can enjoy an exciting multi-week soccer journey. Participants will dive into the fundamentals of soccer, perfect footwork, develop teamwork skills, and have fun with new friends on the field. Experience the joy of the game and build confidence.
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Explore the world of sound with "Mini Mix Masters," a dynamic Music Production Series for budding DJs and producers. Participants embark on an adventure into music creation using digital tools. They will gain a foundational understanding of mixing and producing tracks, enhancing problem-solving and artistic skills. Discover the joy of self-expression and musical imagination in a collaborative and fun environment.
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Discover "Earth Buddies: Our World, Our Stories," a journey into the wonders of anthropology and environmental studies. Explore diverse cultures, traditions, and natural environments through storytelling, games, and immersive activities. Uncover fascinating tales while nurturing a connection to the Earth.
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"Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess" invites students to explore the world of knights, kings, and strategy. Through captivating games, interactive challenges, and skill-building exercises, kids dive into chess, thinking several moves ahead and developing critical problem-solving skills. In this multi-week series, they will explore the chessboard, discover the unique movements of each piece, and learn opening moves, mid-game tactics, and epic checkmates. Mini-tournaments and team activities keep their competitive spirits high, making each session a celebration of learning and fun. Whether new to chess or looking to sharpen their skills, children will gain confidence and a greater appreciation for this classic game.
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Step back in time with "Classic Schoolyard Games!" This series brings kids together to enjoy recess with a modern twist. From timeless favorites like tag, kickball, and hopscotch to an array of energetic activities, each session promises excitement and laughter. Experience physical games that promote teamwork, coordination, and pure fun. Ideal for those with boundless energy and a love for outdoor sports, this adventure highlights the simple pleasures of schoolyard play. Watch as children boost their fitness, learn new skills, and create lasting memories, all while having a blast in the great outdoors!
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This fun series brings back classic games like spud, hopscotch, four square, red rover, red light green light, and capture the flag, along with exciting tag variations. Experience the timeless joy of these playground games, build teamwork skills, enhance coordination, and boost creativity.
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About Stephen

Originally from Ireland and with a Bachelor's degree in Art and Design, Stephen discovered his passion for teaching while working as a camp counsellor as a teenager. He specializes in teaching music, chess and sports, and brings a diverse set of skills to his teaching, incorporating painting, making music, and surf tenets and culture. Stephen believes in the power of a fun, varied education and strives to inspire and support student growth through his multifaceted experiences and enthusiasm for learning.

Class reflections

EcoARTventures in the Animal Kingdom

🎨

October 4, 2025

YMCA/Sutro Elementary

Great, very good kids who listened and enjoyed the class :)

Today I started the class with a 5 minute silent drawing. When this was done I introduced the kids to the topic of the day, with picture examples and a short video, we then done our first drawing. Half way through I done a movement break with the kids and then I introduced them to the second part of the class. We sat down for our final drawing but then we were interrupted as kids and teachers entered the room. Our class was stopped 15 minutes early, I’m not sure why. the time of this class was changed today to be 15 minutes later and maybe not everybody was aware which resulted in a little confusion. So I did not have a closing with the kids today.

Creative Canvas Color Adventures

🎨

October 3, 2025

San Francisco Day School

Wonderful, I’ve been learning a lot through my observations of other teachers and I thought I’d try some new things today. The kids really enjoyed the lesson today and I was really happy to see it. They wished art class was 2 hours long 😅 and I got some heartfelt goodbyes at the end of the lesson.

Today for an opening I gave everybody the task to silent free paint for 10 minutes. This is something new I tried today and it worked really well. After free paint each kid took turns showing the painting and explaining. After this I explained the lesson of today (distance), showing examples and also explaining using a real life painting. We all started painting again. Today we did not have a movement break, the kids were very focused on the work and really wanted to continue painting.

Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess

🎉

October 1, 2025

Sunset Elementary

Great. Everything went according to plan and the kids are really enjoying chess. However these kids are really young and they all want to sit next to me, play with me, and talk to me, and so it’s difficult to divide my attention, I’ll be prepared for this next week 😅

Chess class, like always, open with a quick refresher of some expectations and what we learned last week. Then we played our first game, half way through the class we take a break for me to answer any questions and introduce the lesson of today, we watched a short video and then I gave some useful insights. For our next game we switch partners and play until closing. For the end we do another refresher on the lesson of today and say our goodbyes

Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess

♟️

September 30, 2025

YMCA/Sutro Elementary

Perfect :) I really like teaching at this school. More and more kids have been joining each week. Class goes according to plan. The kids are fun and they all enjoy chess

Today was a chess class, all of the students are playing really well so today we learned some new skills. Beginning with a refresher on expectations and what we learned last week. We played our first game. Half way we took a break and I explained the lesson of today. We played or second game, then did a small wrap up before going home

EcoARTventures in the Animal Kingdom

🎨

September 27, 2025

YMCA/Sutro Elementary

Wonderful. Super fun and easy class, the kids are great fun. They love to make art, they are very funny and creative. Everything went according to plan and I really felt the kids learned something.

At the start we went over some classroom expectations and then we I explained the theme of today aided by pictures we then watched a short video and played a quick game based on our topic. We started our drawings while listening to calming music. Half way through we took a short movement break before finishing our drawings. At the end we gathered around and everybody got a turn to explain their art then we said our goodbyes

Creative Canvas Color Adventures

🎨

September 26, 2025

San Francisco Day School

Perfectly fine. Everything went according to plan, and the lesson was very fun.

Welcomed the students, refreshed names and classroom expectations. Explained the lesson of today aided with example pictures. First half the class we started our paintings. Then a small movement break. Second half of the class we finished our paintings. All artwork was set on the table and we gathered around to talk about it as a conclusions, then we said our goodbyes

Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess

♟️

September 25, 2025

Sunset Elementary

Excellent. I really like this school and the kids are great. Everything went exactly according to plan. It was a perfect chess class.

This class was a small group of students, some I already knew from last year. At the start I did a quick get to know ice breaker. I then briefly went over some rules and explanations. I gathered all the kids together and went over the rules of chess with everybody, also getting their feedback on what they knew. We played some chess for 30 minutes. Half way through the class I gathered the kids again to refresh the rules once more and to explain the new skill of the day, I played a small video for the kids based on our topic before we switched chess partners. For closing I went over the new topic again with the kids and we said our goodbyes

Checkmate Champs: A Fun Journey Into Chess

🎉

September 23, 2025

YMCA/Sutro Elementary

Perfect, I’ve never had a class this big but I was confident I could manage. Everything went smoothly. We had fun and we learned :)

Today was the second class of the series, we had some new students join us today with a grand total of 21 kids now. Today we had a new classroom to accommodate more students. I opening the lesson with a welcome, a small introduction and classroom expectations. I began teaching with a recap in the rules of chess while we were all gathered around the board. Straight into our first game. Half way through we took a break to discuss problems and questions, then I introduced the kids to the lesson of today, each week they will learn something new. We watched a video then we done some examples in the chess board. For the second half of the class they switched partners. To end we gathered together again and discussed what we learned and to answer any questions. This class was great. Straight forward and exactly according to plan. I really like teaching at this school and the kids are great 👍

EcoARTventures in the Animal Kingdom

🎨

September 20, 2025

YMCA/Sutro Elementary

Today’s class went really well and according to plan. Text book first class. These kids are really young many of them 4 years old so I was not expecting how much attention they would want as individuals, and how short their attention spans would be. It was a very fun class, it seemed all the kids enjoyed it and so did I.

Today was first class of the series so a quick introduction and ice breaker game. Classroom expectations. Introduction to today’s topic. Some examples pictures and a short video. Activity began, movement break was a game and then I showed another short video before completing the second half of the class. Wrap up, clean up, and then goodbyes. This class is about animals and learning through art. Today’s topic was based on camouflage, we made art using colouring pencils, crayons and markers based on animals using camouflage.

Creative Canvas Color Adventures

🎨

September 19, 2025

San Francisco Day School

Excellent, I already know most of the kids from previous classes and from summer camp. The lesson today was fun, straight forward and easy to teach, the kids enjoyed it and so did I.

First we opening up with a small introduction, round the table saying “your name and something that you like”. Then we went over some expectations and rules of the classroom. This is an art class, each week we will learn something new, the topic of today was “colour and emotion”. I explained the topic, showed lots of examples while getting their opinion. We then watched a short movie clip related to the topic. I handed out paper and materials and we began to create our “emotion monsters”. Kids picked and emotion or feeling and created characters to represent those feelings, while being very mindful of the colours they chose. Quick wrap up, and goodbye

Testimonials

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So far the students love chess...Truthfully in the past week all my upper grade students have been talking about how much they want to play chess and beat each other at it.
Danilo P, K-8 School Enrichment Coordinator