Not all heroes wear capes—some don a burnt sienna sweater, a silk cravat, and the patient grin of one who’s reined in recess riots and taught fractions during fire drills. Ms. Annie, first of her name, Defender of the Pencil Sharpener, and Keeper of the Globe, presides over her classroom with the quiet authority of a scholar-monk and the spirit of a Labrador who’s read too much Austen. That apple? Gifted by a shy visionary named Parker. The book? A well-worn copy of “Where the Wild Things Are”—annotated in the margins with paw prints and heart. Display this portrait near your desk—and summon the calm, steady brilliance of those who teach not just facts, but the very art of curiosity.