If I don't write about it, I just might cry

I can count on one hand the number of times I've cried of happiness in my life. But this school year, I seriously feel that I will cry nearly every day from looking at this group of children just being themselves. Seriously, if you feel that the world is going to crap (as I do many a day living in LV), come take a look at my classroom because these are the kids who are going to save the world.

I was feeling a bit grumpy upon arriving to school this morning, when two girls, who get to school early because their moms also teach, are hard at work making a nametag for Mr. A, the assistant in our class, because he doesn't have one and they decided he needs one too. One says, "Mrs. Diana, you look just LOVELY today," and my mood already starts improving.

But this is what takes the cake. Show and tell today. I have never been a fan of show and tell - it drags on, it is nearly the same junk every week, it gets boring quickly, but the kids love it. This year I put a spin on show and tell in my class - each week there is a theme and they have to think ahead and choose something that will relate to that theme. It is all about what we are doing in the classroom - either related to our unit of inquiry or the PYP profile or attitude that we are focusing on. Since the beginning of the year, we've been focusing on the profile CARING, so today they had to bring something to demonstrate caring. Not such an easy task, fairly abstract. They blew me away.

One girl brought in her brother from kindergarten, and told all about how they are caring to each other in their play. Another brought a miniature table from a dollhouse with everything to set the table, and told us how on the weekends, when she and her sister wake up early before their parents, they set the table for them and prepare everything in the kitchen "so it looks and smells nice" when they wake up. (Really, I promise, these are real children!) Others brought photographs of themselves doing caring tasks at home (helping in the garden, etc.). Still others brought favorite books with characters that did something caring. Others brought their stuffed animal "pets" (some represented real pets, others were really just imaginary pets) and described how they care for their pets. Seriously, seriously, I was nearly in tears by the end, because if you could see how gently and sweetly they described all of this, how they listened and complimented each other, how perfectly superb they all are as individuals and as a group, you may start thinking the world might just turn out ok after all.....

A bit of freetime followed, because they have been working so hard for me, and again, I watched them all make sure to include each other in their games, involve friends who were sitting out on the side, and find ways to include each other or play new games if something was hard for someone. Then we walked down to music class, I was the tail of the line. When I arrived, there was no music teacher yet, but my class had arranged themselved perfectly, sitting on the risers, going "shhhhshhhh, let's surprise the teacher!". A group of angels on earth, that is what they are.

All props to their families, of course, for doing such a wonderful job at home. I also have mentioned to some that if you believe in that type of thing, I would say I have a classroom full of "old souls" this year - though I'm not an expert at second grade yet, I can say with a fair amount of certainty, that this is no ordinary grade two class. I am a lucky, lucky teacher this year. :)