For many students, learning new skills and concepts can be challenging. However, the presence of a friendly canine companion can help ease anxiety, build confidence, and create a positive environment for growth. Welcoming certified therapy dogs into schools as classroom assistants provides a multitude of benefits for both students and teachers. Read on to learn more about the positive impact canine companions can have in educational settings.
The Calming Presence of Canine Mentors
One of the most significant advantages of canine assisted learning in classrooms is their innate ability to provide a calming presence. Dogs have a special talent for reducing anxiety and stress levels in humans. Their warm and accepting nature helps students feel at ease. This allows them to focus better, engage more in lessons, and build their skills with greater confidence. Especially for struggling or anxious students, having the grounding, non-judgemental energy of a dog nearby can make a world of difference. Trained therapy dogs, with The Dog Mentor provide the perfect furry co-pilot for learning.
Motivation and Engagement
In addition to their calming superpowers, dogs in schools help increase student motivation and engagement. The novelty and excitement of having a four-legged friend attend class with them can pique students’ interest and investment in lessons. Gentle encouragement and unconditional positive regard from a canine companion motivates kids to keep trying and not give up when facing challenges. Therapy dogs also provide comfort after disappointments and mistakes. Their steady presence reminds students to dust themselves off and keep learning. Educators find that students become more actively involved in lessons and activities when a dog is participating alongside them. The fun, interactive nature of including dogs in teaching helps hold students’ attention span for longer.
Social-Emotional Skills
Working cooperatively with a canine classroom assistant like the dog mentor introduces many opportunities to develop social-emotional learning skills. Building a bond with a therapy dog cultivates compassion, respect, and empathy in students. Caring for their canine companion’s needs fosters a sense of responsibility. Teachers can design impactful lessons around teaching dogs new tricks, which helps kids learn perseverance, problem-solving, and positive reinforcement. Students also learn valuable relationship-building skills like reading canine body language, communicating clearly, and cooperating as a team. Therapy dogs model good manners and appropriate social interactions that kids can emulate. Their non-judgmental disposition provides a safe space for students to improve their emotional regulation abilities as well.
Reading Fluency Development
One of the most widely studied academic benefits of canine assistants is how they can improve reading fluency skills. Sitting down for story time or reading practice with an attentive, cuddly dog builds confidence and enjoyment of reading for reluctant students. The positive association helps diminish anxiety around reading out loud. Therapy dogs listen patiently without critique or correction, allowing children to take risks and gain competence. Students tend to display greater focus, willingness to engage, and volume/expression when reading to a non-evaluative canine companion.
Including canine classroom assistants provides multidimensional benefits for students and teachers alike. Their natural comforting presence eases stress and sets the stage for learning.
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