What a change!

I am taking a moment, right now, while my kids are playing.  I'm sitting here, in our little classroom living room, watching them in pure and utter amazement. There are a group of children at our building zone. They created a building permit so that they could build a huge bed. I have a group of children at our Lego who are building airplanes and flying cars. They too have a supervisor signed building permit. There are four children at our art studio, painting winter scenes with white paint and using only a pinch of glitter each because we told them that the little bowl had to last all of their friends for the whole day. There are a group of three girls at our writing table discussing how flowers grow, another two children there as well, working on their writing by making their Santa lists, looking through the Sears wish book. It is amazing. I think back to September when we wondered if it would ever come together with this class. And here they are, self-regulating, playing, learning, writing, exploring. We have moved from us coaching them in their daily writing, to them doing it independently and knowing that they must have writing up on their pictures every day. Of course there are a couple of children who require some reminders, but for the most part, they independently regulate themselves. There are not any squabbles at the moment. Earlier there was one and the little munchkin said that I didn't have to worry because she said sorry and everything was better.  So for all of you teachers out there who work on classroom management and feel like drill sergeants for all of September and October, it is worth it. I am so full of joy at this very moment. I can only imagine what these darlings are going to be like in June!  I cannot wait to see!