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NORWESTER THERAPY DOGS

  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Comfort Dogs on Campus
    • Testimonials
    • Videos
  • Get Involved
    • Join NWR
    • Volunteer
    • Therapy Dog Certification
    • For Students
    • Donate
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    • Teacher Forms
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  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Comfort Dogs on Campus
    • Testimonials
    • Videos
  • Get Involved
    • Join NWR
    • Volunteer
    • Therapy Dog Certification
    • For Students
    • Donate
  • For Teachers
    • Teacher Forms
    • Professional Literature
    • Activity Ideas
  • Photos
  • Blog
  • Contact

NORWESTER THERAPY DOGS

NORWESTER THERAPY DOGS

  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Comfort Dogs on Campus
    • Testimonials
    • Videos
  • Get Involved
    • Join NWR
    • Volunteer
    • Therapy Dog Certification
    • For Students
    • Donate
  • For Teachers
    • Teacher Forms
    • Professional Literature
    • Activity Ideas
  • Photos
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Literacy & Learning
Home Literacy & Learning Page 2

Category: Literacy & Learning

Emotional SupportLiteracy & LearningTestimonials
September 1, 2019

WHAT OUR HOST TEACHERS ARE SAYING!

“I truly do not think there is enough time in my lifetime to fully express how much Kerrigan and Cathy Guenzel have made a difference in my classroom this year.  As I type this, I am preparing the room for our “Last Day with Kerrigan” celebration.  For our celebration, each student will be receiving a bound book of all their writing which was inspired by Kerrigan this year.  From imagining what Kerrigan would wear for Halloween, to writing about him taking a trip to see Santa on the Polar Express, to a Tall “Tail” that involved Kerrigan wrestling rattlesnakes and wild monkeys in Brazil—he inspired it all.  Cathy will be presented with a complete book of their work and pictures I took.  The book is about 3 inches thick.                                                                                                                                                                                         Not only did he and Cathy inspire my students writing and reading confidence, he also inspired their hearts.  One of my favorite quotes is from Aristotle:” Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”  No one embodies this quote more than Cathy and Kerrigan.  I have students in my class that suffer emotionally and/or mentally due to attention issues or an inner battle with depression and anxiety.  Kerrigan has eased their little minds and given them something to look forward to each week.  There were days where Cathy would turn to me with a smile and say, “I don’t think we’ve gotten much work done!” and I’d reply, “What you’re doing is more important than the worksheet they need to complete.”  She and Kerrigan successfully touched their hearts and minds each week with compassion, dedication and love.                                                                                                                                                   Thank you from the bottom of my heart for finding the perfect match for my special little group of children, and I look forward to continuing to work with this fantastic team.” 

(KC – Richboro Elementary, Council Rock)

“Your program is priceless! Each year I have seen my lower reluctant readers grow into confident readers. Priceless! Today, as we were sitting in a group in our reading center, a student stated, “Marley is a good listener, and Miss Tricia is a good teacher.” Priceless! I asked the group what their favorite thing about Marley was – all answered, “Reading to her!” Priceless! The program has also motivated my students to be excited about writing. During the year I take pictures of Marley and the students. Then the students use the pictures as prompts to write in their journals. It’s amazing how the non-writers become writers when they start writing about Marley. Priceless! My students LOVE to escort Marley, to pet Marley, to read to Marley, to write about Marley, and to read their written stories to Marley! Priceless! Thank you for allowing us to participate in your wonderful program.”  (DG – Goodnoe, Council Rock)

Cute little Pomsky puppy laying on a blue background with a back to school sign and school supplies all around him.

“There was one child in my class who was having difficulty being a flexible thinker and would often become frustrated. Throughout the year, I worked with this student to use strategies to help him become unstuck. On one occasion early in the school year, the student was “stuck,” and Laila had just entered the classroom. The student reluctantly went over to Laila to read to her. After having some time to chill out and pat Laila, he became more positive in his thinking and was able to enjoy the rest of the day. Throughout the school year, Laila became a positive influence for this student, and in turn, he made great gains in becoming a more flexible thinker and controlling his frustration independently.”  (LS – The Center School, Abington) 

“Michele Lecker and her therapy dog have been a wonderful asset to our school and students. On the days they visit, the entire mood of the school changes. It can be an emotionally rough day for some students which often affects the entire school. When Michele and Rory are present, there is a sense of peace and tranquility. It is truly amazing to see the transformation.  One of our students who was working on her graduation project changed her topic halfway through to do her project on therapy dogs. She did a wonderful presentation, completed a brochure, and was very enthusiastic about the project.”  (JH – The Sloan Alternative School, Council Rock)

“Our students have struggled with significant personal issues this year, including eating disorders, OCD, anxiety, depression, family illness, lack of academic motivation, etc. Mrs. Grossman and Blu’s visits helped brighten the day of students who otherwise have real difficulty connecting with others. There are several students who would light up with Blu’s presence. One student struggled with severe anxiety and depression this year, but Blu’s visit was the one time when this 17 year old would smile and become engaged with the class. It was amazing to witness the transformation.”            (SG/LR – Council Rock High School -South)

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By janine
Literacy & Learning
August 25, 2019

TEACHER REPLACED BY THERAPY DOG, AND THE STUDENTS ARE THRILLED!

By Heather Wade, Holland Elementary, Council Rock School District

Therapy dog Jingles, owned and handled by Joyce McGettigan, went right to the head of the classroom when he entered.  We think he knew it was the best way to see all the kids at once. He pretty much pushed the teacher out of the way so he could take over teaching for the morning.

In Math the previous week, the students were learning about “longer/shorter” and putting things in order based on length.

We put the students and Jingles side by side and put them in order.

Math concepts can be lots of fun when the therapy dog helps teach!

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By janine
Emotional SupportLiteracy & LearningTestimonials
August 4, 2019

MEET THE TEACHER: CARLA FOY

Carla Foy grew up in Bethlehem, PA. Her father was an airline pilot, and her mother owns a used/rare bookstore called The Old Library Bookshop. She has always loved children and teaching, and she was encouraged by her grandmother to pursue education as a career. Before coming to Council Rock, she taught in a Catholic school in Princeton, NJ, and a year in Trenton, NJ. She has been at Richboro Elementary for 26 years. 

Carla attended Rider University for both her undergrad and graduate degrees. When Carla was studying for her Master’s in Elementary Counseling, she had a vision of the impact that therapy animals could have in school classrooms.  This led her to doing her thesis on this topic. In her research she discovered massive documentation that proved how valuable it was for children to interact with animals, especially when paired with learning. Now that Carla is a host teacher for one of our Nor’wester therapy dogs, she knows that having an animal in her classroom is beyond “cute and fun.” It is profoundly powerful.                                                                         

Carla shared a story with us about a student she had in her classroom one year when Wendi Huttner and her dog Wes were visiting:                             

“I once had a little boy in my class named *S* who had a multitude of learning and behavior problems.  He had an autistic brother at home who seemed to get all the attention that *S* so desperately needed. *S* lacked social skills, and so most of his classmates shunned him.  He had no friends. As a teacher I tried all the interventions I thought would be most beneficial. Nothing seemed to help.  When our therapy dog, Wes, started his visits, I began to notice a change in *S*.  He worked harder to read more fluently, especially on Mondays when he knew Wes was coming.  With this change, the students started to accept *S*, and he began making a few friends.  At the end of the school year *S* wrote a note to Wes. 

“Dear Wes, thank you for coming to our class.  When I read to you, you were the only one who didn’t laugh at me when I got stuck on a word.  I read better now because of you.  Please don’t leave us. 

Your Friend, *S*.” 

Carla recalls, “As a teacher who was an observer of all this, I cry every time I read *S’s* letter.  He got the attention and love he wasn’t getting at home, and it changed him in a million ways.” 

IDEAS FROM CARLA:

  1. I keep a basket of dog books from which students can choose for independent reading. I have “book talked” these books, or we’ve read them together as a class. These books are in great demand. Sometimes a student will request that a book be included in the basket. If the book is appropriate and centered around dogs, I will honor the request. 
  2. We have a blog on my class webpage. When students are reading independently, they may come across a book they would like to read to our therapy dog.  The blog is a place for them to share the title and the reason why they want to share it with our dog.
  3. I also use golden tokens I got from the Crayola Factory with students who have behavior issues.  They can earn golden tokens for extra time with our therapy dog. 
  4. A terrific website for teachers, parents, and kids is James Patterson’s readkiddoread.com . . . dedicated to making kids readers for life!

Note: The Nor’wester Therapy Dogs organization encourages sharing among our host teachers of ideas and lessons which have been successfully implemented to maximize the impact of therapy dogs in the classroom. 

In addition to being a creative host teacher, Carla has also jumped in as a volunteer when the organization does community events.  She has supported us in several fund-raising dog walks and more recently has served as scheduling coordinator for our booth at Tyler Park’s Crafts in the Meadow venue.  The Nor’wester Therapy Dogs organization is truly fortunate to have Carla as part of our team. Carla lives in Ivyland with her three children: Valerie, John, and Kelly. Chip, their 6-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever, is a much loved member of their family.  “I can’t imagine a home without a dog,” says Carla . . . and we know she feels the same way about her classroom.  

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By janine
Literacy & LearningTestimonials
July 28, 2019

FEARFUL STUDENTS AND THERAPY DOGS

We often encounter students who have anxiety and fear when around dogs. It seems that our therapy dogs are then thrust into the role of helping students overcome these issues.  The gentle and calm demeanor of a therapy dog is the first step in working with these students.  It’s heartwarming to see our therapy dogs help students gain confidence while being around dogs.

Sean was in second grade when Hannah started classroom therapy dog visits.  When the teacher took September photos of each student reading to the dog, Sean wouldn’t come within twelve feet of Hannah. 

None of us forced the issue and allowed Sean to dictate his comfort level.  As the weeks passed and Sean observed his classmates snuggling with Hannah, he started to inch closer and closer when it was his turn to read.  His teacher and the handler silently applauded the day Sean sat next to Hannah and petted her.  Soon he looked forward to the dog visits as much as his classmates.  At the end of the year when the teacher took photos of each student with Hannah, Sean was snuggling beside her with his arm around her body. 

Six years later, Sean and Hannah were reunited in middle school. There was a joyful reunion when Hannah walked in for her first visit.  Needless to say, the handler had tears in her eyes.

Then there was Chelsey, a 5th grader. At the end of the year she volunteered to write about her experience with Hannah in the school’s student newsletter, The 5 O’Clock Times.

REFLECTION ON HANNAH, OUR THERAPY DOG

Hannah is our reading dog.  At the beginning of the year I was petrified of all kinds of dogs and wouldn’t even go near one.  When Hannah started visits, I didn’t think I would read to her or pet her, and just be scared the whole year.  When it was my turn to sit with Hannah, I decided to be super brave and pet her.  I was glad that one of the first dogs I was petting was a therapy dog because they are sweet and extra calm.  After I petted her for my first turn, I thought it was a miracle I didn’t freak out and that I was extremely relaxed.   The next time it was my turn to sit with Hannah, I took another big step towards eliminating my dog fears and started to read to her and pet her at the same time!  I kept doing this every time I sat with Hannah.   Now it is the end of the year, and I am not scared of Hannah at all.  Also, my fear of dogs has dropped a little bit.  When I pass dogs on the street or anywhere, I now don’t jump and hide behind anyone.  I also went to a friend’s house, and her dog was so calm I didn’t need my friend to hold the dog by the collar while I was there.  If you have a horrible fear of dogs, and want to overcome your fear, I suggest starting with a therapy dog!

by Chelsey S.

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By janine
Community SupportLiteracy & Learning
July 24, 2019

SUMMER READING FUN!

SOME GREAT DOG-THEMED BOOKS FOR STUDENTS

It’s summertime and a great time to catch up on pleasure reading. Our therapy dogs recommended some wonderful dog stories and encourage you to visit your local public library!

The Nor’wester therapy dogs will be visiting the Free Library at Northampton Township in Richboro on Thursdays now through August 8 from 1 to 2 p.m.

Stop by and read to the dogs!

PICTURE BOOKS:

Bad Dog Marley by John Grogran (about loving a dog even though he’s trouble)

Bark George by Jules Fifer

Before You Were Mine by Maribeth Boelts (addresses adoption)

Buddy Unchained by Daisy Bix (addresses rescuing a dog from a neglectful owner)

Clifford, The Big Red Dog by Normal Bridwell (a fun and popular series)

Dog Breath by Dave Pilkey (a dog with bad breath ends up saving the day!)

Help Me Mr. Mutt: Answers for Dogs with People Problems by Janet Stevens & Susan Stevens Crummel

It’s Hard to Read a Map with a Beagle on Your Lap by Marilyn Singer (poetry)

Martha Walks the Dog by Susan Meddaugh (Martha solves a bully problem with kindness)

Murphy and Kate by Ellen Howard (addresses losing a dog to death)

Rugby and Rosie by Nan Parson Rossiter (a family raises a seeing-eye dog)

Some Dog by Mary Cassanova (a dog worries that he’s not important anymore)

Superdog: Heart of a Hero by Caralyn and Mark Buehner (a dog is a hero despite what others say)

The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant (a lonely old woman refuses to get close to anyone she could outlive — then a dog comes along and works his way into her heart)

CHAPTER BOOKS:

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynold Naylor

Sounder by William Howard Armstrong (sad ending)

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

The Captain’s Dog by Roland Smith (Lewis and Clark through the eyes of a dog)

The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be by Farley Mowat

Tornado by Betsy Byars

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (sad ending)

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By janine
Casey library
LibraryLiteracy & LearningTherapy Dog CertificationTherapy Dog TrainingVolunteer
June 2, 2019

Casey the Blind Wonder Dog (Part 2)

Casey’s Journey to Becoming a Registered Therapy Dog

When I adopted Casey, I had no idea what to expect or how to train a blind dog. I had no idea that a dog born without eyes could run circles around sighted dogs. . . literally!  Being a Border Collie with natural herding instincts, Casey always attempts to herd. Casey runs just as fast as any Border Collie and is amazingly aware of his environment.

I spent the first year training Casey in basic commands. It was difficult because I was so accustomed to using hand signals and eye contact; obviously neither of these worked with Casey.  I still catch myself using them when I give Casey a command. In the beginning I used a special touch or a sound (like a clicker) along with the command word and eventually phased out the touching and clicking.  Casey wasn’t very food motivated, but he loved to be praised. He associated the clicker with praise. After we got Archie, a sighted Border Collie, Casey finally discovered that treats were pretty special!

Casey was like a sponge and absorbed everything I did with him. He seems to have an uncanny and innate ability to understand what I want.  People always ask how I trained Casey. I never take credit for it; Casey is just a natural.

The first year of training I exposed him to all kind of things: hiking, biking, swimming, and meeting people. I even did agility to teach him how to navigate on his own in unexpected circumstances. Much to everyone’s surprise, he loved doing agility. He was even better than the sighted dogs in his beginner’s class!

Casey really trusts me.  He’s not afraid of heights, dark places (of course!) or the unexpected. He’s always on leash when he’s doing agility obstacles.  His safety always comes first. 

The instructor had never taught agility to a blind dog and was amazed how well he compensated.  It doesn’t matter what he tries; he always succeeds.

Casey loves people, and everyone who meets him seems to make a special connection with him.  Everyone kept telling me he should be a therapy dog because he was so special. 

One day at the dog park, Casey was running and playing with the other dogs when someone again mentioned that Casey would be a great therapy dog. One of the women exercising her dog at the park that day told me all about her experiences doing therapy dog work. She explained what was involved and how to go about getting Casey registered as a therapy dog. At the time it was late May. She said I should start the process immediately since I wanted to get involved in a reading dog program in our local school district.  That way we could train through the summer, get tested, and be ready to go by September. 

I went home that day and looked up the Therapy Dogs Incorporated organization (now called Alliance of Therapy Dogs) on the internet. I contacted one of their local evaluators and set up a meeting with her to find out what Casey and I needed to do to prepare for testing.  Much to my surprise, the evaluator said she did not think Casey needed any additional training and was ready for testing. Within the week Casey visited the skilled nursing area of a retirement community and passed the testing with flying colors. Casey was now officially a registered therapy dog. 

However, since I decided I wanted to work with children in our local school district, Casey also had to pass the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test.  Again, not being sure if Casey could meet the requirements of the test, I asked the evaluator to observe him beforehand to tell me how to prepare.  Again, I was told he was ready to test.

Within days there was a CGC test being administered, and Casey was just amazing! No one had any idea he was blind.  He went through the paces and came home that evening with his Canine Good Citizen title.

I then contacted Nor’wester Readers (now Nor’wester Therapy Dogs, Inc), the organization that places therapy dog teams in our local school district. At the time, I was unaware that one of the directors of Nor’wester Readers had been at the CGC testing and had seen Casey going through his paces. They were delighted to have Casey join their group and immediately placed him in the summer Public Library program that was to start in July.  Casey really got involved his very first day as you can see in the photo.  Reading seemed to be his thing!  That was six years ago, and Casey is still a regular at the Library.



​He visits nursing homes, works as an emotional support dog for children in a residential treatment center, helps children read and learn in area schools, and is a regular volunteer at the Free Library of Northampton Township in Richboro, PA.  He certainly is an incredible Wonder Dog!

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By Debbie Glessner
Casey
LibraryLiteracy & LearningTherapy Dog CertificationTherapy Dog TrainingVolunteer
May 27, 2019

Casey the Blind Wonder Dog (Part 1)

How It All Began

A number of years ago when I was visiting my mother, she handed me a brochure about a dog therapy program. As soon as my mother saw it, she knew it would be something that would interest me.

Since the brochure was about a program in a hospital, I started investigating area hospitals.  I located a program through the volunteer office at Doylestown Hospital, and I started the process of becoming a volunteer in their visiting dog program.  At that time the training was a self-study program developed just for Doylestown Hospital. 

My dog Maggie was a very sweet, lovable Border Collie mix who could do just about anything. There were twenty-one things the dog was expected to do as a visiting hospital dog, from carrying baskets, picking up things, and just lying quietly.  Maggie loved to do all of them.  I worked with Maggie until I felt she was ready for testing. 

The day of testing she was fabulous except for the last task. Another dog entered the room, and she barked once. It was a friendly-greeting bark, but nonetheless it was a bark, which was an automatic fail.  Everyone was so disappointed, even the evaluator, but rules are rules.  So, we waited until the next testing a few months later and had the exact same results. A few months later we tried a third time. Maggie rarely barked and never barked at other dogs when we went for walks, but for some odd reason she must have thought she was supposed to greet others while she was in the conference room at the hospital.  Unfortunately, this ended Maggie’s opportunity to visit at the hospital. She would have been a great therapy dog.

Casey

​

Since we thought Maggie would be our last dog, therapy dog work became a passing thought. Then we fell in love with Casey, a Border Collie born with a congenital heart defect and without eyes.  It was love at first sight.  We thought he was the most amazing dog as he proudly walked down the steps to greet us for the first time. From that day on he became known as “Casey, the Blind Wonder Dog.”

​Shortly after he joined our family, my mother-in-law had a stroke.  So, the first few months we had Casey he spent every day at the nursing home with me.  When my mother-in-law would become agitated, Casey seemed to understand and would run to her side.  Blind dogs see with their hearts, and Casey intuitively knew that all she needed was a little love and comfort from him.  He was also very popular with the nurses and other residents. It became quite evident early on that Casey was a very special dog with a special job to do, and I needed to help him do it.  I wasn’t sure if he could officially become a therapy dog because he was blind, but I decided to find out. This was how our journey began. (to be continued next week)

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By Debbie Glessner
Colette
Emotional SupportLiteracy & LearningVolunteer
May 20, 2019

Colette’s Magic

Three years ago my life changed when my dog Colette and I joined Nor’wester Therapy Dogs.

We were assigned to a third-grade classroom at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School in the Upper Dublin School District. My couch potato dog, a sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was now up and off the couch, and I was with a wonderful group of children and an amazingly creative teacher. Each week we worked on a different academic skill from telling time to reading fluency. Colette flourished in the classroom setting and walked more quickly each week to get to the children she loved.

Because Colette and I enjoyed our visits so much, this year we chose to be with two third-grade classes and a fifth-grade class. It is so impressive to watch the children’s academic progress and equally impressive to observe their social and emotional growth.

In one of my classes I have a student who is painfully shy, almost to the point of selective mutism. Initially, she would not speak in class or even in a small group sitting with Colette. As the weeks passed, Colette’s calm presence encouraged this child to speak and increase her volume as well. Since the beginning of the year, she always sits right next to Colette and pets her the entire time her group is with us.

Last month she read two paragraphs to all of us, and it was the first time it was loud enough for everyone to hear. Another girl in the group turned to her and said, “I love to hear you read because you have a beautiful voice, and we don’t get to hear it very often.” All the children in the group agreed.

It was one of the most amazing moments in ALL my classroom experiences. The teacher has since reported that the child is also having normal classroom interactions too!

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By Debbie Glessner
Tex3
Emotional SupportLiteracy & LearningTestimonialsVolunteer
May 13, 2019

Getting Started: Stories from a New Partnership (Part 2)

Stephanie’s Story

What Carol says is true…I always wanted therapy dogs in my classroom! I used to teach in a zoo, and I have always had pets in my classroom. I was so happy when Carol, Violet, and Tex were assigned to my class.

I have always strongly believed that we can learn a lot from animals. Animals help to teach students responsibility, empathy, understanding, and since my turtle walks freely around the classroom, it also teaches them to be aware of their surroundings!

A big part of my school year is spent studying dogs. We read novels about them, we learn about therapy and service dogs, and we follow the Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska. It seemed only fitting that I have therapy dogs visit my classroom.

I teach a typical 4th grade class that also includes students that require learning support. It really has been amazing to watch the kids with Violet and Tex—especially the ones that weren’t too enthusiastic about having the dogs in to visit!

One boy in particular would never fail to mention that he prefers cats. He would ask if cats would be coming in, why we didn’t have cats visiting, and he always kept his distance when Violet or Tex would come in. Fast forward to this past week—the same boy now jumped up and ran to the door to give Tex a pet before he left!

The dogs have really transformed our class. There are always a core group of students who choose to read with the dogs. Some of them are great readers, and some of them are not, but they all get wonderful practice with reading fluency. Violet or Tex quietly listen and never correct them or judge them! The only thing they ask of the students is belly rubs. Especially Tex—he is never shy about sprawling out on the rug!

Tex especially has provided some great lessons for our class. The kids know that it is his first experience as a therapy dog, so they are understanding and patient with him. If he barks or gets scared, they know to comfort him or to let him know that everything is ok. They are also more mindful of things that might make him surprised or nervous.  It has become a great teaching/learning experience for the kids! Carol has been very open to new ideas and is always up for trying new things. She has been amazingly flexible with my crazy schedule. Our first year together is flying by, but I hope to try and incorporate the dogs into even more lessons next year. I feel so lucky to have Carol, Violet, and Tex as part of my team!

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By Debbie Glessner
Violet1
Emotional SupportLiteracy & LearningVolunteer
May 6, 2019

Getting Started: Stories from a New Partnership (Part 1)

Carol Van Sant joined Nor’wester Therapy Dogs in 2018 and received her first assignment for the 2018-2019 school year. Carol was partnered with Stephanie Lucci-May, a Pennsbury elementary school teacher and ardent dog lover. Carol and Stephanie met for the first time at an introductory session in Stephanie’s empty classroom. It was both Carol’s and Stephanie’s first assignment. Both of them were a bit nervous and unsure of what to expect.  We thought it would help other newbies if we shared some of their experiences, and maybe spark some memories from those of you who have started volunteering already. Carol’s story appears this week. Stephanie’s story will be continued next week.

Carol’s Story

I finally retired in 2018 and was able to fulfill a dream of getting my two therapy dogs registered with Nor’wester Therapy Dogs in the fall. I love reading and believe literacy is very important, so this was a perfect fit. We were assigned to Stephanie Lucci-May’s 4th grade class at Edgewood Elementary, and we were very excited to get started! Stephanie loves dogs and had been requesting a therapy dog team for her classroom for some time. Little did she know that she was getting a two-fer—two dogs instead of one.

Having the support of Lyn Bauer, Wendi Huttner, and Debbie Glessner in the beginning helped reduce my nerves. Stephanie’s interest, enthusiasm, and her preparation of her class for our initial visits helped even more. Stephanie and I really clicked, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner!

Violet, my yellow Lab, and I have been a therapy dog team for over 8 years, so she was no stranger to therapy dog work. I’m very confident in her abilities and the way she relates to others. She’s a happy girl and always enjoys giving affection. When we arrive on Monday afternoon, she wants to wander around and say “Hi” to everyone—including Stephen the turtle who roams the classroom freely!

For Tex, my yellow Lab/Great Pyrenees mix, Edgewood Elementary was his first therapy dog assignment. We adopted Tex 3 days before he turned 1, so there are things in his background that we can only guess at. He sometimes startles easily and will bark at weird things. Volunteering has been as excellent a learning experience for Tex as it has been for the students.

Tex is a big, goofy boy and enjoys getting attention. When Tex and I visit on Thursday afternoons, he likes nothing better than to wade into a group of students and lie down so they can rub his tummy. He really turns up the goof factor during our visit and the students love it!

It did take us a while to get started, but we are now a regular part of the classroom routine. We usually begin with a list of students who want to read to the dog. One of the students is the timer, and off we go! Amid licks, sniffs, and giggles, each student gets some reading done.

After individual reading time is over, Stephanie often works in some class activities with the dog. She did action verbs focused on the dog, reading a book to the class, and discussing empathy. One of my most memorable times happened with Tex. During individual reading time, a student accidentally shut the classroom door loudly, which set off a barking spree and a fear of the door. Stephanie’s lesson that day was on cause and effect. I can tell you that Tex was featured in many examples from the students!

To be continued next week . . .

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By Debbie Glessner
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