A Moment

As mentioned, I take risks in the classroom. I challenge my students to be better than they ever could imagine that they could be. Today, I needed to retest a few students.For this to happen,  I had to trust that my other 20 kiddos could cooperatively work on an art together. They had to share a bin with two bottles of tacky glue, one pair of craft scissors, and pieces of fabric per row of students (about 5 kiddos). They had to share without arguing--not the easiest thing when we're squeezed like sardines. They also had to keep their voices to a whisper because people were taking a test. I told them that I knew they could do it. Most important, I expected them to do it. What happened? They did it!  

As I was retesting my kiddos, I looked up. I couldn't believe my eyes. They were negotiating without arguing. They were finishing their work. They even completed their project on time. I was so proud of them!