The last couple of days have really felt like an incredible crescendo to the last year of efforts we have put in. While I have mentioned a bunch of times that there are always ups and downs, it does feel like the peaks are getting higher and higher and our troughs aren’t nearly as bad as they used to be. I have always envisioned a learning environment where people can come to learn anything they want regardless of who they are. Today for the first time it felt like there was some semblance of that. We had almost 40 learners today and as expected there was some chaos and ruckus. However today, the chaos felt a lot more ordered and I felt that each and every person who was at the center had worked on something or the other that they were interested in. Given that we’re almost a year into the journey I thought it would be a good time to think about what are the things that have contributed to where we are today. There seems to be a lot of merit in establishing a set of norms and a fair system in place to enforce the norms. In the past we simply had the norms in place with no way to really enforce it. Having some sort of mechanism to enforce them has really helped create a much better culture. There seems to be a sanctity around the norms. The learners seem to understand that if someone does not respect the norms of the space they are not welcome. Having enough resources and material for everyone to be engaged is extremely crucial. Large part of the chaos and fighting simply comes from not having anything to do. Coming up with and having fun material for the children helps everyone stay engaged with something. The children invariably ask me every day if I have brought something new for them and it is important to constantly reinvent and to keep them engaged. Having stationery too has helped a lot. The learners don’t have to borrow or steal from each other and a lot more activities become accessible to them simply by giving them some stationery. Creating different spaces for different activities helps regulate the chaos a bit. Having designated areas for arts and colouring, physical activities, puzzles and games, and academics helps both facilitators and learners to have a sense of purpose and direction. I feel that going forward we could also design the physical space to add to the effect of a learning environment. It has taken a year but it does feel that at this point we have earned the trust of the learners. A key part of this has been to listen and to respond to their requests. While we still may not be truly democratic and do have a sense of authority it does feel like this has been a two way street and a lot of the time we are trying to cater to learners' interests. I feel that personally I have also done a good job in making sure the voices of the shy, more introverted learners are heard. I have been trying to make an effort to take time out to talk to and reach out to these learners and over time they too have become comfortable sharing how they feel.  On a more personal front, I feel reflection has really enabled me to be a better facilitator and that is definitely a big part of creating a better environment. Thinking through the interactions at the center and putting them in a larger perspective almost each and every day has helped me be much more mindful of the learners’ context and to be a better facilitator. In terms of material generation and ideas as well, reflection has really helped me better understand the mindset of the learners and a deeper understanding into what they might enjoy.  By no means are we perfect and I’m sure we are going to continue to learn and grow. This is but a step in the journey forward but today I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve done so far and I’m really looking forward to the year ahead!