Seatbelts, everyone!
Lisa Herring, a science teacher at McKinley Alternative School in Kokomo, Indiana, decided to put a little pizzazz in her official school photo, taking the snap with her class’ bearded dragon Rango Kippling.
The portrait, which her niece shared on Threads, quickly went viral with charmed social media users comparing the educator to the kooky, lizard-loving Miss Frizzle of famed children’s franchise “The Magic School Bus.”
Oscar-nominated actor Gabourey Sidibe even chimed in with some love for the Herring, whose resemblance to Miss Frizzle is truly uncanny.
“Obsessed. I’ll take 6 full seasons of her cartoon show please,” Sidibe wrote.
Herring’s photo, which was shared by her niece on Threads, has received more than 85,600 likes and over 1,000 shares as of Nov. 8. And the teacher tells TODAY.com that she’s pleasantly shocked.
“That is mind blowing. That is hilarious to me,” Herring says, laughing. “This is just just me and my little funny dragon.”
In the photo, a smile Herring holds Rango, who’s all dressed up in a blue top hat and teeny tiny bowtie. Both look ready to take on the school year!
Herring says that while the internet’s obsession with the photo is a new thing for her, this isn’t the first time she’s been compared to The Frizz.
Miss Frizzle —who’s featured in both the famed 1990s “Magic School Bus” animated show and the series on which the cartoon is based — is of course known for her zany teaching methods, bringing students aboard her magical school bus and leading them through fantastical field trips. The teacher is also known to have her pet lizard, Liz, by her side.
Herring explains that just like Miss Frizzle and Liz, she and Rango share a special bond. She says that about two years ago, her class received a grant to get a school pet. While many students were pretty jazzed about getting a bearded dragon, Herring says that she initially wasn’t so sure.
“He was about four months old when we got him, and I was just like, ‘Yeah, he’s really cute,’ but I really wasn’t interested in touching him or anything,” Herring says. “After a while, he just kind of grew on me.”
Before long, Herring says that she was taking her school photo with Rango. The most recent photo is the pair’s second year, taking their official snap together.
“I started taking him home on the weekends, taking him home over the summer. He spends every summer with me,” she says. “He actually would sit on my shoulder and eat bell peppers this summer when I raised 200 lunar moths.”
And yes, if you’re wondering, Rango does have an extensive wardrobe. Herring says that his fits range from hoodies to holiday ensembles. For Halloween, she says, Rango even underwent a midday costume change.
“He was a hot dog in the morning and a Highland cow in the afternoon,” she adds.
The similarities between Herring and Miss Frizzle don’t stop at their shared love of their reptile buddies. Herring says that she’s all about infusing some whimsy into her classroom, just as the Frizz does. Whether she’s decking out her room in Wonder Woman-themed decorations or finding fun ways to get through to students, Herring says she loves to add a bit of her sense of humor to her lessons.
“A couple years ago, I had a student that … got in a lot of trouble outside of school and had a really rough home life. But one of his favorite things was York peppermint patties,” she recalls. “I actually found out they had National Peppermint Patty Day. I had no idea! I designed a whole lesson around peppermint patties just for him.”
Herring, who’s in her ninth year of teaching, says she’s passionate about connecting with students from all backgrounds. And often, that means taking creative routes in the classroom, she says.
“A lot of times as educators we are stuck in this routine. We’ve got to meet all these different goals and expectations from the powers that be, and so we’re afraid to step out of our comfort zone and do things different,” she says, addressing fellow teachers. “Don’t be afraid.”
As Herring underscores, you never know how powerful whimsy can really be.
“Some of my students have actually been saved from whatever was coming down the road, just from something quirky that we did in the classroom, like making elephant toothpaste,” Herring says. “I still have students that are now 25 years old that still remember that. So just always think outside the box and don’t be afraid to act on it.”
Source: www.today.com
