Dog stays connect with students virtually during remote learning
April 28, 2020
With students around the city learning remotely, teachers are digging deep to keep kids connected, and they’re turning to some four-legged friends for help.
Mushu is a member of the Department of Education’s Comfort Dog Program. He provides educational and emotional support at school to hundreds of sixth through eighth graders.
When New York City schools closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Assistant Principal Philip Hammaack found a way to keep the comfort available to students.
“There’s a lot of research that indicates reading to dogs in person is a really great way for struggling readers…. As we’ve moved into remote learning, it’s been a way for us to connect with kids,” said Hammack.
For an hour each Wednesday afternoon, Hammack and his canine co-author host virtual storytime.
They read books like “Mushu Makes A Mistake” and “Mushu Goes To School” to sixth graders. They also tackle themes that are relevant to the times and give students a chance to talk about them.
Those experiences can also serve as inspiration for Mushu’s next story. Hammack says students are submitting ideas to keep the tales coming.
“The entire city is figuring out how to do this. And Mushu is just a tiny piece of that puzzle, but an important one,” said Hammack.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]