Friday, September 30, 2016

Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) Visit!

This morning, we were fortunate enough to have a visit from a R.E.A.D. team.  From the website, "The R.E.A.D program improves children's reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to an animal.  But not just any animal.  R.E.A.D companions are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owner/handlers as a team, going into schools, libraries and many other settings as reading companions for children."

Even the kids who aren't very excited about reading on a typical basis were so excited to read to Katie, a beautiful black poodle.



Katie's owner began by coming into our classroom and showing us a few of her best tricks.  Then kids walked over one at a time with their books to sit near Katie as they read to her.  It was pretty cute how they tried to find a book that the dog would enjoy... Harry the Dirty Dog, Dogs and their Puppies, etc.


The students did such a wonderful job on their reading, Ms. Patty (and Katie, too, probably) said she thought they were 1st graders! ;)



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