//------------------------------//
// Student Teacher 
// Story: Sapiophilia 
// by The Mountaineer Brony 
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As Ponyville found itself gaining more and more residents over time, so too did Cheerilee find her classes growing larger. She had tried breaking up the blocks of students, teaching different grades at different times or on different days, but it eventually got to the point that if the humble little Ponyville Schoolhouse was going to keep up with EEA standards, she was going to have to bring on an assistant teacher. There weren't a lot of ponies with the proper background in education to be found locally, but fortunately, since Princess Twilight was now on good terms with the EEA, she would be able to assist in getting an excellent teacher transferred in.

At least, that's what Cheerilee hoped. Truthfully, the Equestrian Education Association was starting to look down on the archaic system of one-room schoolhouses that had dominated the nation's villages for the past century. More and more places were building large, metropolitan-style schools for every grade, even in the smaller population centers; meanwhile, in the shadow of the capital, Ponyville's population kept increasing, but it still maintained its homely, intimate schoolhouse, essentially operated and upkept by a single pony. There were times when Cheerilee barely managed to skirt by with EEA compliance, and the Greater Canterlot Board of Education certainly didn't provide adequate funding for new materials. Of course, the citizens of Ponyville were more than generous, willing to repair playground equipment or buy a few new textbooks, but keeping the school running to the standards expected of it was still a daunting task, one that Cheerilee wasn't sure she could keep up with in perpetuity. 

Still, the addition of a second teacher would be a welcome change, and Cheerilee was confident that her pupils would now receive the comprehensive help they deserved. Cheerilee smiled, thinking of their bright eyes and smiling faces, as she sat next to Twilight Sparkle at the train station, waiting for her new aide to arrive.

"The two o'clock should be along any moment now." said Cheerilee. "I can't believe you sent for somepony all the way from the Crystal Empire just to come and help me teach! Such a haven of the arts and sciences..."

"Only the best for Ponyville's youth!" Twilight replied with a smile. "I didn't know you were so excited about the Crystal Empire though, Cheerilee."

"Oh, when I was in college, what I would have given to visit the Crystal Empire!" she said, bringing her hooves together in delight. "Of course, it wouldn't reappear until you came along, Twilight... but I read so much about their society's advancements. Their scholars revolutionized science, mathematics, the study of magic... and believe me, when I was your age, I read all of those and more!" Cheerilee gave a small laugh as she remembered those days, back when she had time to read and learn to her heart's content. "I wanted to know everything there was to know, and to share it with anypony who'd listen!"

"I suppose that's a good quality to find in a teacher!" Twilight said, tossing a wing around her friend. "Your new teaching assistant is just like that. If you want to know about pretty much anything, this is the pony for you!"

Not long after Cheerilee had brought it up, the two o'clock train came rolling into the station, lurching to a stop with a hiss of steam and a note on its whistle. The doors on the passenger cars clattered open to expel their riders, dozens of ponies spreading across the platform with luggage in tow. From out among the chaos stepped a unicorn, a young stallion with his back weighed down with books. His mane was slightly unkempt, and would probably have looked childish if not for his equally scraggy goatee. His coat was orange like a creamsicle, and had a sock pattern in white on his hooves, along with a charming stripe down his snout. His eyes, light blue and happy, gazed out from behind pince-nez spectacles, and on his back he wore a blue, star-patterned cloak, looking to all the world like an aspiring wizard. 

Twilight spotted the lad and motioned him over with a hoof. They smiled upon spotting each other.

"Cheerilee," Twilight began, cantering over to meet the stallion "this is Sunburst! He's the pony I sent for to help you teach. Sunburst, this is Cheerilee, who runs the Ponyville Schoolhouse!" The princess eagerly gestured back towards the purplish mare who was walking up to greet them.

"How do you do?" Cheerilee said with a smile.

"Oh, uh, fine!" Sunburst said after taking a moment to parse the greeting as a question. "It's nice to meet you." The two ponies shook hooves in greeting.

Twilight briefly chuckled and threw a wing around her friend. "Sunburst is one of the smartest ponies I know, and I'm sure he'll prove helpful in educating the foals."

"Well, I should hope so." Cheerilee replied, tapping a hoof idly on the platform. "This fall's classes are going to be some of the largest I've ever dealt with, especially in the younger grades. Come along and I'll show you the way to the schoolhouse."

The three of them chatted as they trotted along the dirt road through town. Sunburst sorted through the innumerable books he'd brought along, lifting them in his magic as he went through his preparations for the semester and ideas for different parts of the curriculum. Cheerilee listened intently, occasionally glancing back over her shoulder as she led the way toward the schoolgrounds. 

"I've been reading up on different theories of education for children, namely ages five to seven and eight to ten." Sunburst said, rapidly flipping through a small, dense book, stopping on a page he'd marked. "Perfect Plume recommends a holistic approach to teaching most subjects, as opposed to rote memorization and quizzing; I figured combining that with certain elements of a traditional classroom setting, not unlike that advocated by Scholar Skill, would optimize the children's engagement in the course."

Cheerilee laughed. "My goodness, Perfect Plume..." she thought. "I think I had that same textbook in college." She turned to face him, carefully walking backwards for a few moments. "Not a bad idea, Sunburst. I admit, I do like Ms. Plume's methods myself, though the EEA doesn't really allow for their full exploration. They're more in favor of Rigor Stern's Principles of Education. Though, that's not to say we don't manage to have fun here in Ponyville!"

"I've heard that the Changeling education system takes a lot of influence from Perfect Plume;" Twilight added "allowing students to get an enriching, rounded education in the basics while also letting them explore their own interests. I'll have to write to Thorax and find out more!"

Sunburst fiddled with his goatee. "I wonder if we took the existing Sternian methods and combined them with the principles espoused in Swift Mind's Philosophia Disciplīnārum... I know it's a rather deep cut, the text is almost as old as Equestria itself, but I think there's a lot to be gained from--"

"I hate to interrupt," Cheerilee said "but here we are!"

The rustic red Ponyville Schoolhouse stood before them, aged but dignified, with its flagpole flying the town banner. It had been a good two summers since its last coat of paint, but its fanciful designs with hearts crowning the windows were still just as lovely. The shingles on the roof had held up well, and the weathervane atop the bell tower only squeaked a little bit.

"The first thing we'll need to do before the semester begins is to clean up the place a little." Cheerilee continued. "You'd be surprised how much dust this old place can collect over the summer." She smiled as she wiped some dirt off the top of the sign out front; her smile quickly faded after a unexpected bird dropping landed on it from far above.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I kept my own place tidy..." Sunburst chuckled "but you just tell me what to put where and I'm sure we'll be ready for class in no time!"

"I can help out some too!" Twilight added, smiling. "I've got about a half-hour before I need to meet Rarity at the boutique. She's going to be designing outfits for the Old Ponish Faire in Vanhoover and she knows I can be counted on for historical accuracy!"

"Ooh!" Sunburst blurted out. "Can you get me a ticket?"

Cheerilee laughed, trotting up the path to the schoolhouse door. "Come on, you two! We have work to do!"





Opening up and cleaning out the schoolhouse proved an easier task with more than one pony working at it. In the weeks that passed between Sunburst's arrival and the first day of school, the teacher and her aide swept out the old hay covering the packed earth floor and put down a fresh layer, cleaned and polished the desks and brought in a couple brand new ones, made the trimmings around the ceiling and windows look presentable, and reorganized the classroom's library, along with introducing a few new books to the shelves. It didn't feel like long at all until the bell rang on a crisp autumn morning, welcoming the first class of the day to the Ponyville Schoolhouse. 

The first class consisted of about 20 fillies and colts, a few grades behind the Cutie Mark Crusaders and around ages six and seven. Cheerilee had made sure she looked her best today, her mane freshly done from the salon and wearing a crisp neckerchief to ward off the breeze. Sunburst likewise had tamed his orange mane--an impressive feat--and his cloak looked brighter and cleaner than when Cheerilee had first met him.

The children were a mixed bag of behaviors: some chatted among themselves, some sat excitedly at their desks, and others looked nervous to be in a new setting with ponies they didn't know. Cheerilee had seen every trait before, and knew just how to handle each of their needs. She smiled as she stood from her desk and walked around to the front of the classroom; Sunburst stood to the side until he was needed and the students all turned to face forward. 

"Good morning, students!" Cheerilee beamed. "I'm Miss Cheerilee, and I'm glad to be your teacher this year."

Some students greeted her with varying degrees of warmth and enthusiasm; some of the more nervous children mumbled a greeting, if at all. 

"Now, I know that not everypony is used to a setting like this, and that's okay. We all go new places and try new things in life, and it's okay to be nervous about it. I've heard from some of your parents that some of you are new to town, and I want to welcome you on behalf of all Ponyville! If you don't mind, could I see a show of hooves as to who's new in town?"

More hooves went up than was initially expected, about 11 in all. Fortunately, most of these children seemed to be full of energy, having adjusted well to their new home, though some, namely one pink filly seated at the front, were slow to raise their hooves, uneasy being surrounded by new faces. 

"Quite a few of you!" Cheerilee said, her smile never leaving. "I hope you all find that Ponyville is a nice, friendly place to live. I'm sure some of you are still nervous being here, or still miss your old homes or old schools or old friends; and hey, that's okay too! I'm here not only to teach you, but to help you feel as safe and comfortable as possible while you're in these walls." She turned her eyes towards Sunburst, who straightened his cloak and stepped towards the front.

"You're not alone, after all." Cheerilee continued. "Besides your fellow classmates, my student teacher is also new to town."

Sunburst cleared his throat, though his voice still cracked slightly as he introduced himself. "Hello everypony! My name is Sunburst, and, uh... I come all the way from the Crystal Empire." Some of the students oohed at the mention of such a faraway place. "I'm very eager to get to know you all and show you how much fun learning can be!" 

"Speaking of learning," Cheerilee continued "I think it would be nice for everypony to learn each other's names! After all, we're going to be sitting together for quite a while!"

"Let's start on this side and work from front to back." Sunburst added, taking the initiative. Cheerilee smiled at seeing his enthusiasm reflected in the children. The two teachers took turns calling on each filly and colt, some of which, of course, were more hesitant to stand up and introduce themselves. The little pink filly at the front seemed the most nervous of all, but by the end of their class, it seemed as though she would eventually warm up to Cheerilee and Sunburst. 

As usual, the first day of class didn't involve any work, mostly serving as an introduction to the teachers, the class, and the curriculum. The youngsters' morning class let out at around 11 o'clock, and their seats were filled by the older foals nearing the end of their tenure with Cheerilee, the Cutie Mark Crusaders among them.

"Howdy, Miss Cheerilee!" chimed Apple Bloom as she and her classmates trotted in through the door. 

"Good afternoon, class!" Cheerilee smiled as her favorite group of students shuffled to their seats. "How does it feel to be starting the sixth grade?"

"I'm excited!" said Scootaloo, buzzing her wings. "And I'm ready to learn all sorts of stuff!"

"Miss Cheerilee, who's that?" asked Sweetie Belle, who gestured toward Sunburst.

"This is Mr. Sunburst, my teaching assistant for this year." Cheerilee replied. "He came all the way from the Crystal Empire on Princess Twilight's request."

"Hey, we've been there!" Apple Bloom said, leaning forward in her seat. "Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and I carried Ponyville's flag at the Equestria Games!"

"H-Hey, I remember that! Great performance!" Sunburst replied. Truthfully, he didn't think he had been; it was probably another one of those big events he spent huddled up in his house studying, but if it helped him bond with his students, so be it. The girls all smiled regardless.

Cheerilee reached into her desk, retrieved a stack of papers, and asked Sunburst to pass them out. 

"This syllabus will tell you what sorts of things you'll be learning this year." She said. "I hope you all find something you enjoy! Sunburst and I will certainly enjoy teaching you along the way."

The classroom became filled with the sound of rustling paper as the fillies and colts flipped through the sheets. Sweetie Belle eyed her copy up and down, examining the list closely. 

"Ooh, we get to make food?"

Cheerile nodded. "Home economics, that's always a fun one!"

Apple Bloom's eyes lit up as she spotted a familiar subject. "Hey, look! There's chemistry! I learned a little bit about that from Zecora."

Scootaloo tilted her head confusedly, turning back to show her paper to Sweetie Belle. "Huh... what's this one? 'Re-pro-duct-ive biology'...?"

Sunburst's eyes widened; he nervously glanced at Cheerilee, who flattened her ears and shrugged.

"We have to cover it eventually. EEA standards."





The first week of classes went as well as Cheerilee had hoped, if not better. Through the numerous, larger classes scheduled at different times of the day or on different days of the week, Sunburst had kept a level, organized head and proved an enthusiastic teacher. Cheerilee commended him for his work, though he humbly expressed that he was just doing his job. Nonetheless, the students benefitted from having two teachers around, which made them both happy; quickly, friendships began to form between students, between students and teachers, and between the teachers themselves.