Notes: Thanks to Mari and Sammy for being their always awesome selves. Special thanks to Mari for bouncing and for all the fairy info, and to Sammy for the title and quote and for reminding me to finish the story last night! I blame snow day anticipation :-)
Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your amazing support! It is always appreciated.
Hope you enjoy!
"A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning."
~Brad Henry
Inspiration (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
"I hear you're going to be building a fairy school to add to the backyard this weekend," Elizabeth said as she, DJ, and Angie were finishing their snack after arriving at the condo.
Both children's eyes lit up at her words.
"We are!" DJ said as Angie nodded eagerly, her mouth full of apple and peanut butter. His brow creased. "But we haven't done much planning yet. It's been a busy week."
Angie nodded again, swallowing. "Very, very busy."
"Well, we could do some planning this afternoon if you want," Elizabeth suggested. "While we wait for Grandpa and Grandma Ang to get back."
DJ and Angie looked at each other and immediately nodded.
Elizabeth smiled. "You two finish up. I'll be right back."
She returned a moment later with a notepad. DJ gasped. "Mommy uses one just like that!"
Elizabeth winked as she retook her seat. "Where do you think she learned it?"
Angie pointed. "From you!"
"That's right, angel."
"Can I do the writing, Grandma?" DJ asked.
"Of course, sweetheart. Do you want to finish your last apple slice?"
"I'm full." He turned to his sister. "Do you want it, Angie?" he asked unnecessarily as she was already reaching for the slice. He grinned. "I'm gonna go wash my hands so I don't get the notepad all sticky."
Angie held the apple slice in the air in her excitement. "Den we plan da fairy school!"
"So what do you think a fairy school would need?" Elizabeth asked once both children had washed their hands and Angie had made a quick bathroom run after they had promised not to start without her.
DJ and Angie looked at each other, clearly taking the question seriously.
Angie's eyes widened with sudden inspiration. "Dey need cubbies for d'eir stuff!" she said, thinking of the first place she went once in her classroom.
"Good idea," DJ said, already moving to write it down.
"Definitely," Elizabeth agreed. "What kinds of things would a fairy bring to school?"
"Paper and pencils," DJ said. "And colored pencils or markers."
Angie nodded. "All da colors." She waited till DJ had finished writing. "An' dey need a snack."
Elizabeth fought a smile. "Of course. What do you think fairies would like to eat for a snack?"
DJ tapped the pencil against his closed lips. "Mm, maybe raisins and pineapple and yummy fruit with yogurt and granola."
"And cookies!" Angie added, shifting to her knees in her excitement.
"Of course cookies," Elizabeth said, chuckling. "I think those are all wonderful ideas for fairy snacks."
"I bet fairies would really like snickerdoodles," DJ said. " 'Cause the cinnamon and sugar is kind of sparkly like they are."
Angie gasped and nodded. "We should make dem snicken-doodlers. Da fairies will love dem soooooo much."
Elizabeth smiled. "That's very generous." After DJ had finished the snack notes, she asked, "How will the fairies carry their snacks and their paper and pencils and markers?"
"Backpacks!" Angie immediately replied. "Sparkly backpacks."
DJ started to write, but stopped. He looked up, biting his lip. "But how do they wear their backpacks? Wouldn't their wings get in the way?"
"Good point," Elizabeth said. "What do you think?"
DJ paused, biting his lip again while Angie watched and waited, recognizing her brother's thinking face. "Maybe they have a bag like Mommy?" he finally said. "That goes over her shoulder?" He frowned. "But that might make them fly lopsided."
Elizabeth smiled. "You know, in the old days, we used to carry our things to school without a backpack."
Angie's eyes widened as if she couldn't believe it. Her brow furrowed in her own version of a "thinking face" and she said, "Maybe dey can help each other carry d'eir stuff."
DJ nodded. "Fairies are very helpful in the books we've read about them."
"Okay then," Elizabeth said. "What about inside the school? Will they need fairy desks?"
"I don't think the fairies would sit at desks like we have," DJ said. "It would hurt their wings to sit in a regular chair."
Angie's expression grew worried at the thought.
"Oh dear," Elizabeth said. "That's true."
"Dey can sit in beanbags," Angie said. "We got dose at my school." She gasped. "Or swings! Da fairies can sit on swings!" She shifted to her bottom and pumped her legs like she was on a swing to demonstrate.
"I like that idea!" DJ said, writing it down.
Elizabeth laughed warmly. "And what will the fairies be learning while they swing?"
"They have to learn about nature most of all, right, Grandma?" DJ asked. "Because they live in nature."
Angie nodded her agreement.
"That makes sense," Elizabeth said. "They probably have a lot of science lessons."
"They need to learn which plants are which and about animals and things," DJ continued.
"Do fairies have pets?" Angie asked suddenly.
DJ looked to Elizabeth for the answer.
"Well, let's see," she began. "We have dogs, cats, birds, and fish and other animals like that. I think fairies would have things like caterpillars and ladybugs for pets."
"Because dey're small!" Angie said in realization.
Elizabeth smiled at her. "That's right."
"So it's important they learn about nature so they can take care of them," DJ said. "And they have to learn math because everybody needs math, right, Grandma?"
She turned her warm smile on him. "Absolutely. And reading?" she asked.
Both kids nodded without hesitation.
"Do you think fairies read books about people?" DJ asked. "Like we read books about them?"
Before Elizabeth could answer, Angie said, "We should write a book about people for dem!"
"I love that idea!" Elizabeth said genuinely.
"It could be a comic book like we made about the fairies," DJ said excitedly.
Angie clapped her hands. "Yes!"
"It will have to be very small," DJ said.
Angie nodded. "Very very small." Her eyes widened. "I want to take it to show and tell before we give it to dem. Like I showed my fairy book."
"Ohh," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Do you think the fairies have show and tell at their school?"
"Yes!" Angie said immediately, voicing her favor for one of her favorite things about school.
"What do you think they would bring?" Elizabeth asked.
DJ turned to his sister, letting her answer.
"Ashae's mommy said fairies love shiny d'ings," Angie said. She nodded confidently. "Dey'll bring shiny d'ings for show an' tell."
" 'Shiny things for show and tell,' " DJ repeated aloud as he wrote. He looked up at Elizabeth. "Do you think we should draw pictures of what the fairy house should like, too?"
Elizabeth smiled. "What do you think?"
DJ and Angie looked at each other and smiled.
"Yes!" they answered in unison.
"Look who we found on our way in," Joseph said as he helped Grandma Ang through the front door of the condo.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Angie said, spotting Steve and Catherine following Joseph and Ang inside. She ran toward them. "We made da fairy school!"
"What?" Catherine said even as she accepted an excited hug from the bouncing four-year-old.
"We made notes with Grandma about what the fairy school should look like," DJ clarified as he and Elizabeth joined the group packing the foyer.
"Nice," Steve said, taking the proffered notebook after hugging both Angie and DJ. He flipped through the pages as the group moved toward the more spacious and comfortable living room. "Swings?" he questioned, eyebrows raised.
"For da fairies to sit on," Angie said seriously. "So day don't hurt deir wings."
"Aww," Catherine said. She ran a hand over DJ's hair, instinctively knowing that would have been his concern.
They settled around the room and DJ and Angie took turns sharing their ideas.
"This fairy school sounds wonderful," Ang said. Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Can I go there?"
Angie and DJ giggled.
"It sounds like an excellent place for the fairies to learn," Joseph agreed.
Steve noticed DJ's expression shift subtly. "What is it, buddy?" he asked.
DJ looked around at everyone clearly interested in his thoughts. He smiled. "I'm excited to build the fairy school, but I think the most important part of any school is the teacher. You can learn anywhere if you have a good teacher." His eyes stopped on Elizabeth, remembering their weeks of homeschooling two years ago.
She opened her arms and he went over for a hug. "Couldn't have said it better myself, sweet boy." She waved Angie over to join their hug. "And of everyone I've had the privilege of teaching in my life, I'll tell you a secret."
"What?" Angie asked, her eyes widening excitedly at the thought of a secret.
Elizabeth leaned closer and whispered loud enough for the room to hear. "You two are my favorites," she said. "And I hope the fairies love learning as much as you do."
"With a teacher like you," Catherine said, smiling softly at her mother, "they will."
Note: Dedicated to all the teachers at every level and of every subject, those still in the classroom and retired, who've given so much of themselves to help their students succeed. We have several among our readers (including my mom!), and also among the REAL World writers. I continue to be awed by your dedication and the impact you have and have had on students of all ages. Thank you for your inspiration!
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