LONDONDERRY — Southern New Hampshire Montessori Academy has become one of the first schools in New England to bring in a therapy dog as a full-time member of its community.
Guardian, a Portuguese water dog, was chosen for his temperament, his silky soft hypo-allergenic coat and teddy bear looks. While he's in the process of completing his year-long training, Guardian is already having a positive impact in the classroom, where he is charged with being a calm, emphatic and steadfast best friend for little boys and girls.
"While school therapy dogs are still currently regarded as a cutting-edge educational tool, research is showing that dogs in the classroom can play a huge role in boosting students' happiness, calmness, overall emotional well-being and ability to learn," said Debra Hogan, SNHMA's founder and head of school.
Guardian, who is always ready to greet student with a wag and a lick in the mornings, has helped the younger pre-K students with separation anxiety as their parents drop them off in the morning, she said.
"He is happy to see the children come in the mornings and offers a welcome huggable friend to little ones who are finding it hard to see Mom and Dad go," Hogan said.
Guardian is also helping first-graders hone their reading skills.
"Dogs are perfect listeners," Hogan said. "They are not judgmental; they don't care if you don't get the words exactly right, and for most children, practicing reading aloud is all they need to become fluent readers."
They can help in other ways, too.
"Therapy dogs can have a positive impact on every aspect of the classroom from lessons planning, to teaching social skills and responsibility, to comforting students in a time of grief or personal crisis," said Terri Hamilton, an elementary guidance consultant and parent-child connection advocate. "They teach, they listen, they are unconditional friends."
Hamilton said she has seen children with attention deficit disorder grow calmer with a therapy dog.
For further information, visit snhma.org.
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