from white and black folders, the teacher clearly explained to the students what is «good» and what is «bad»: «Throwing toys and jumping on the sofa is bad, look, children, at this picture. This one is very ugly, and mom will be upset. And look here – I collect toys in a box and put them in their place.»
Jane prompted a little: «Now the room is in order. Mom will be happy.»
«And these photos are good, here the boy built a beautiful castle and helps his mother with the housework.»
The students did not behave in the best way: they made noise, interrupted the teacher, and the teacher scolded them and put them in a corner, and Chesky really liked this part.
Each picture showing bad behavior was balanced by a photo in which Chesky behaved perfectly. He even began to invent bad behavior himself so that later he could photograph the good and explain it to the students.
The boy showed photographs, describing in detail what is depicted in each of them. It seems that Chesky finally got what he always aspired to – everyone’s attention. He noticeably calmed down: now he is the most important, he is a teacher, and he has something to tell his students about.
HOMEMADE ABC
One day, when Nina came home from kindergarten, Jane had an idea for a new, exciting project. The school named after Chesky needed more educational materials, so she suggested creating a homemade alphabet book. They quickly got to work: Jane would call out a letter, the children would find an object whose name began with that letter, and Chesky would take a picture. Illustrations appeared one after another: A for apple, B for banana, C for circle. Chesky, filled with a sense of responsibility, took his job very seriously.
Nina then came up with a wonderful idea: to create a manual for mathematics lessons. She and Jane assembled compositions from several identical objects, and Chesky photographed them: one pencil, two balls, three Lego blocks. The time flew by, and they were slightly disappointed when Alina called them to dinner, interrupting their enjoyable activity.
When the children fell asleep, Jane and Alina retired to the kitchen to drink tea and discuss the day. Jane shared the details of their activities at the «School named after Me» and showed the photos taken during the day.
«Jane, why are you putting in all this effort?» Alina sighed. «Chesky is who he is. You can’t change him. I’m exhausted.»
«Why are you so sure? I’ve heard stories about people changing, even learning to do something.»
«Stories are one thing; real life is another,» Alina shrugged.
Jane knew her sister had tried at first but had quickly become too tired. She thought Alina had given up too soon.
«Alina, you know I use my friend’s printer to print the photos. There are so many now, and it’s not convenient for me to keep asking Eva. Maybe we should get our own printer?»
«That’s actually a good idea. Chesky has calmed down a lot thanks to your projects. I’ll talk to my husband; I’m sure he won’t mind.»
Chesky embraced his role as a teacher, diligently preparing for each lesson. He no longer had time for pranks; it wasn’t fitting for a teacher to behave poorly. During lessons, Jane was actively involved, asking questions and sometimes playfully scolding the «students» for not paying attention.
New lesson topics required new materials. Jane and Chesky collected them during walks, photographing trees, houses, cats, dogs, and children playing in the park. They prepared textbooks about flowers, trees, pets, and even created a guidebook from pictures of the buildings and park near their house. Next, they planned a book about the seasons and a manual for physical education, featuring a series of photos of Chesky performing various exercises.
READING LESSONS
Alina often complained about how difficult it was to read to the children. Chesky would lose patience quickly, interrupt, shout, jump up, and run around. Nina would often be upset because she wanted to listen to the story, but her brother wouldn’t let her.
One day, Jane decided to read to the children herself. She chose «The Three Little Pigs.» As soon as she started reading, Chesky shouted, «I know! I can read the word wolf!»
«Then you will be responsible for reading «wolf’ every time we see it,» Jane said, accommodating her nephew’s eagerness to show off his new skill.
For the first time, Chesky listened attentively to the entire story, waiting for his turn to read. These reading sessions became regular, and gradually Chesky started listening carefully and reading familiar words from the text.
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
One of Alina and Jane’s relatives was getting married, and the whole family was invited. Alina was excited but worried about Chesky’s behavior.
«I can’t imagine who to leave Chesky with on the wedding day,» Alina said, not considering taking him along.
«Don’t worry. I promise you won’t have to blush for Chesky’s behavior,» Jane assured her sister. «I’ll take care of everything.»
On the wedding day, Chesky, dressed in a festive suit and armed with a camera, looked very handsome. He approached guests politely, asking to take their pictures. His charm and politeness won everyone over, even the newlyweds posed for him. Throughout the evening, guests complimented Alina on her wonderful son. Jane, as promised, spent the whole evening with Chesky, marveling at how well he presented himself.
When they returned home, Jane whispered to her nephew, «Well, teacher, you have a topic for a new lesson: „How to take wedding photos.“»
LIVING PHOTOBOOKS
A few months later, the work at the School Named After Chesky continued with unwavering success. Jane and her nephews kept creating new textbooks and improving the old ones. Chesky’s parents also joined the process.
The father of the family, who often had to travel for work, was only home on weekends. Sunday lunch became a special family tradition: Chesky would tell his father about the new subjects at his school and how the students behaved. His speech was now clear and coherent, sensibly narrating the news and showcasing his educational materials. Dad cherished these family gatherings, finding comfort and warmth in the memories during his long trips. In gratitude, he would bring gifts useful for the school or new materials. The biggest gift came on Chesky’s birthday: a real camera. Jane had returned to live with her mother, and Chesky needed his own tool.
People who knew Chesky from before were amazed at the changes in his character and behavior. He had become a very responsible boy, clearly distinguishing between «good» and «bad.» He no longer stooped to pranks, now proudly bearing the title of «Teacher» and setting an example for his students.
Nina occasionally brought her friends to lessons at the School Named After Chesky, expanding the circle of students. Chesky directed his boundless energy into inventing new subjects, compiling new photobooks, and reworking old ones: adding and removing pictures according to his ideas.
«Our photobooks are alive! They either get fat or lose weight,» Chesky commented on the changes.
He was especially pleased that the white folder «Good Deeds» was
