Reading In The Schools Day

I really enjoy this event every year. This year I was even more excited because a good friend of mine brought her ReadingPaws dog, Stouie, to read with the kids. It was amazing to see how excited the kids were to meet him. They discussed what it meant to be a Reading Paws dog, they showed off Stouie's tricks, and read a book together. Even our most active, hyper students were calmed by his presence. We also got to practice our safety around dogs lesson!

Stouie is deaf so many of the students really connected with him. In fact one student was so eager to share that he was like Stouie, because he had to wear hearing aids. Their connection was instant.

One beautiful girl was scared to death of dogs before meeting Stouie. Now her mom brags on her she meets and greets all the dogs she can.

Although they read a variety of books, we mainly read "Help Me, Mr. Mutt," a book I read every year with my students. At the end I give them a prompt to write Mr. Mutt a letter and then give them to time to write to me or Mr. Mutt with any of their problems or concerns. At the end of reading in the schools day so many students wrote Stouie a letter that we are thinking of starting a pen pal program with him.