Proud Leader Moment

The fourth and fifth graders I get to have in my small group never cease to make me smile - and I think we wear each other out running outside! - but, this week, on top of all that, I was also ridiculously proud of them.

Clarification: I've been proud of them every week; for the way that they try to learn each others' names, even when the group is constantly changing; for the way they keep track of each other; and for the way that they are respectful during large group, regardless of whether or not they want to be singing. This week was just extra proud. (Something about finally starting to settle into group and get their feet under them probably helped.)

#1 They came in and sat down next to each other during the large group lesson, completely of their own volition and willingly juggled seats so that everyone could fit. (When you're a fourth grade boy, moving down to a cold seat just so that a girl can sit by her friend is a big deal.)

They saw a need (people sitting by themselves), and they filled it.

#2 Our group has settled into an inside-outside-inside division of small group time. Somewhere during the settling back inside process, one of the boys, G, had his nose bumped - completely on accident. Not wanting anyone else to see him upset, he ran off for the hallway. Understandable. Unfortunately, also a no-go as far as keeping track of children is concerned.

While I went to check on G (ie. figure out where in the massive children's wing he had run off to), I left the group, minus G, to proceed with their discussion questions. When I came back, JN (girl) and P (guy) had taken charge, and they were all talking calmly, quietly, respectfully, and earnestly, not just speeding through the answers, but following up with "why?" and "how?" questions. Major props, considering the last thing we had been doing wasn't exactly calm. :)

Again, they saw a need, and they filled it.

#3 The kid, M, who had been the cause of the nose bumping had tried several times to apologize and check on G. No response. No response. No response. And, I figured he had given up, so... that makes it time for teacher to go figure out what happened / smooth things over.

No sooner had I squatted down to where G was sitting, then M was back beside me, trying again. G finally opened up a word or two, and M engaged him in a dialogue (sharing guy stories), and we ended up having a fourth grader initiated teaching moment about respect and disrespect (which...just so happens to be this month's Sunday School focus). By the time M was done, they had gone from enmity to a fist bump and a smile.

M saw a need, and left his normal group of friends and his comfort zone to fill it.

Yep. Definitely proud of that group of kids.