Back when school first began, I started a little experiment. I bought a fairy door (see pic) and installed it in my room. I told the class that a fairy named Fred lived there, but that he was terrified by loud noises. Hence, he would only come out when it got quiet. (Remember, forests are quiet places.) Usually after school.
Every so often the children will come into class and discover a little mound of starbursts candy, or other treats, covered in "fairy dust". Or they'd find things hanging from the ceiling that weren't there the day before.
In short, my kids love Fred. When they're good, he "rewards" them. Once in a while, when they're a bit out of control, he'll put a frowny face on the whiteboard. But the students have started bringing him little things to eat, like acorns and apple slices, and leave them by his door. Funnier still, a child will come up to me and say she saw Fred peering at her from behind the door.
One of the things I love most about teaching this grade and age level is that the children still believe in wishes, dreams, fairies, and fairy tales. And that allows us as adults to share the joy and laughter that comes with it.
