Recess for Chester

Last year Chester met a special friend. There are times , and there’s no explainin’ it, when Chester and a special someone have this unique friendship connection.

This special someone happens to be a little treasure with Downs Syndrome. And from the moment these two met, it was love at first site.  It doesn’t matter what Chester is doing, whenever this sweet girl walks through the doorway, he stops what he's doing and trots over to his friend. The two are like magnets. Hugs and kisses abound.  And the way this little blonde cutie pie  says “Tester”…..melts my heart (and his) every time.

During our school day, we have built in recess times for Chester.  In between classes he gets 15 minutes to play and recharge. A little alone time is important for him, when he gives out all morning long inside classrooms.  We do this outside, away from the playgrounds and crowds.

  

Guess who gets to be my helper on one of Chester’s recess breaks? You guessed right.   It's built right into her Education Plan.  Sooo, two mornings a week Chester and i have a wonderful little helper  ~~ she walks Chester, throws the tennis ball for him, takes him for a short run, gives him a snack, encourages him with kind words,  of course makes sure he has a potty break, and on rainy days wipes his paws, and dries the wetness. She is a superstar at caring for her furry friend.

Today, when it was time for recess, we went to meet our helper.
 She and her Aide were swaying and singing....

“WHO LET THE DOGS OUT??? Woof Woof Woof.”  

Cracked me up. 

This recess time is joy in our day  ~~   No doubt about it.

Habit of the Week - Observation, Gathering Data Through All Senses

As Principal, Mr. B says ---- BE SENSATIONAL LEARNERS!!!

                      

Because some of the best learning takes place when we incorporate all... or most... of our 5 senses,  IT MAKES PAWSITIVELY PERFECT SENSE that Chester's presence in  a classroom can bring increased opportunity to learn.  And a whole lot of fun.

From 1st to 4th grade this week, The Sensational AACA Students learned some amazing facts about Chester.  I did too :) 

Chester's 5 Senses

SMELL: A dog’s strongest sense is his sense of SMELL.  

He  can SMELL 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans?!   
Wowser Bowser!   

HEARING: Dogs have a great sense of HEARING.  They hear sounds that are too quiet, too high, too low, for people to hear.  (That's why Chester is calmest in a quiet classroom.  That's why Chester can hear fireworks and thunder from far far far away)

TASTE:  To my surprise, this is a dog’s least developed sense. The sense of taste and smell are closely related , this is why foods that are SMELLY taste the very best to them!

TOUCH: This is the first sense a dog develops.  A mommy dog licks her pups and nuzzles them as soon as they are born.  Because a pup is born with eyes and ears closed, touch is their first way of communicating   (Chester likes ear massages and neck rubs the very best!).

SIGHT: A dog’s eyes are made differently than the human eye. Dogs  do not see color as humans do, they see shades of colors in black, white, and gray.  Dogs have great night vision, and side vision~~ much better than humans!  And, humans see distance much better than dogs.

Chester learns best and fastest when I integrate ALL of his senses into the learning process.   

When I use: 

·         My voice – he hears

·         My hand signals – he sees

·         A treat to reward – he smells and tastes  (peanut butter, bacon, fish, are his FAVORITES!)

·         A neck rub and ear rub to encourage and reward –  touch

In each classroom I demonstrated a few command, such as....sit and come. The students watched closely, making sure Chester used all 5 senses in the learning process. 

In one 4th grade classroom, two very brave students made human-bridges so Chester could demonstrate Over and Under.  It took a few tries and a lot of laughter, but Chester eventually remembered these commands like a champ (after incoporating all of his senses)!   (Take a peek at the post 4th Grade Moments  if you'd like to hear the rest of the story in 4th grade...and learn about a flattened cubscout :)  )

The teachers  had some SENSATIONAL writing prompts for their students.  Such as....

·       +  Close your eyes and pet Chester.  Describe how he feels.  Describe how he smells.

·       +Use your 5 senses to describe Chester. 

·       +  Describe a situation in which Chester would need to use his 5 senses.

             

     It was my delight to listen in as students enjoyed reading their discoveries and ideas to their soft-as-bunny furry friend, Chester.

                                              Sensational!!!

Habit of the Week ~~ Striving for Accuracy

  

Strive: to make great efforts to achieve something 

Accuracy: correct, precise, hitting the target

Striving for accuracy is working hard to accomplish my personal best.  Striving for accuracy takes patience, persistence, hard work ~~ as well as a willingness & humility to receive instruction from someone who knows more than I do. 

  

I thought back to when I was learning to train Chester.  I told the students about my friend named Jill, a dear friend, and superstar dog trainer. 

I clearly remember the day Jill was giving me some tips on how to train Chester to ‘heal’ close by my side.  I had given Chester the  heal command  and obediently my buddy scooted in pretty dog-gone close to me. He had made a good effort and was about  12 inches from my side    I told him “good boy!!!” and started to treat him.

Jill interrupted me, and in a very firm AND calm voice said,  "Wait a minute!" ………”Is that really what you want?  Is he really close enough to you?”

I shook my head, and showed her where I really wanted him.  I really wanted him so close to me that his fur almost touched my leg.  

“Then don’t settle for anything less,” she said, “ask him for his very best….he can do it.”

And so, I patted my leg and told him, “Closer!” After a few trys, and a few failed attempts, Chester at last got it and scooted right next to me in dazzling heal position.

“Yes!” I told him, and treated him.  It was a proud moment for both of us. Actually all 3 of us --Jill included.

I learned much in that moment. About myself. About training Chester. 

Expecting the very best of Chester  has served us both well. It’s definitely harder than taking the 'settle for less' path.  Takes incredible patience, persistence, and hard work, extra time, but, worth it. 

In fact, Learning to Strive for Accuracy  while training Chester to “come” actually saved his life on one occasion.  There was the time Chester saw an –oh-so-tempting- squirrel across the street. He began to chase squirrel.  I saw mini van coming on fast approach. I yelled, "CHESTER COME!!!"  He took a nano-second to look at squirrel and look at me. Thankfully, he chose me. Had we not put in hours of hard work, teamwork, consistency, training   ~~ he probably would not be here today to tell you this success story!

In the classrooms...we talked together how learning for Chester can be such hard work, takes lots of practice, and how he has to try  over and over to get good at something. It isn't always easy for him. We also talked about how Chester's best, does not look like another dog's best --- because dogs are all made differently, so unique, with different strengths and weaknesses! A Basset Hound can not run as fast as Chester --- but both dogs can run their personal best and feel proud of running a great race!

These stories opened the door for students to be courageous, sharing and writing  about things that were hard for them, areas where they needed to Strive for Accuracy.  From math to reading, from riding a bike to ice skating ~~ students shared with Chester how they struggled too....and how they would work hard and practice just like he does.

PS....Just gotta add this 1st grade story.  So, I brought Chester's favorite stuffed squirrel to class. I put the squirrel on one side of the classroom, placing it in a spot where we all could see fuzzy gray squirrel. Chester and I went to the other side of the room.  I began to tell the story..... when I got to the part about Chester seeing the wonderful, amazing, furry, and dazzling, squirrel on the other side of the busy street.....  I kid you not, Chester let out this big ole bark, looked at me, then started trotting across the classroom to get his squirrel.  He is such a silly boy, and a ham. And the kids just love him. Laughter is good for the soul :)

Habit of the Week: Listening with Understanding and Empathy

Listening with Understanding and Empathy ... one of Chester's specialties.

Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Understanding: sympathetic awareness

Listening: Give one's attention to a sound

I thought back to the first time I noticed this incredibly sensitive side to Chester.  How he could sense how people were feeling and be so present with them. 

I told the students about when Chester was just a little pup. Lapsize, probably 12 weeks old, a little bundle of fur! We went to visit our friends who lived down the street from us, Sherm and Jackie.   We walked into their home, and before I knew it Chester had nestled in, right next to Sherm’s chair, leaning into his knee.   Then… Chester  placed his big puppy paws on Sherm’s leg, wanting a boost up onto his lap.  I asked my friend, who was almost 80 years old, how he was feeling.

“Actually, I’m not feeling so well," he explained, " I am having back surgery tomorrow and I am in a lot of pain.”  

Somehow, it seemed that Chester knew……. and remained close to Sherm's side for our entire visit. Often, no words are needed to convey kindness, understanding, and empathy.

From puppyhood to last week.

Last week, Chester and I were in the office, ready to head to 1^st grade.  As I often say,  the most meaningful moments can happen while you're on your way....     In walks the school secretary, gently holding the hand of a little kindergartner who was having a very rough start to his day.  We’ve all been there :( . Big ole tears were streaming down his little face, giant sobs erupting.  You know those gasping sounds that leak out when you're crying so hard that you can hardly find a breath...well that's where this little guy was stuck.  

No words seemed to help. No hugs seemed to quiet his pain.

“Would you like to pet Chester?” asked the kind woman holding his hand.

He shook his head, NO...but did not take his eyes off of Chester.

Chester waited. Patiently.  Very close by.     

…..I knelt down next to Chester, and waited.

Slowly the  boy drew closer and placed his little hand atop Chester’s soft furry head.  Giant tears were sliding down his face. Deep sobbing breaths.   He looked so little. And so sad.  He wasn’t much taller than Chester.

 “I ……. h-h-h-a-v-e……a……..d-d-d-o-g-g-g," he sobbed. (It is hard to talk when you are sobbing)

“You do?”  I answered softly.

Chester stood, not moving a muscle…. Except for a gently swishing tail.  

Slowly the tears subsided, breathing calmed.  Whatever was the source of the great sadness, began to fade. Chester's love became bigger. And for the next few minutes, while the entire office staff watched jaw-dropped at this unfolding miracle,  a little boy gently massaged Chester’s head and whispered tales of his own dog at home into soft listening ears.

The sun came out………… tears were dried …… and off we trotted to first grade.

A New Season ~~ School Days

A New Season ~~ School Days

Chester and I have a new assignment. As of January 2017, we are a part of the staff at Almond Acres Charter Academy.  How fun is that?!  We’ve been volunteering in Kai's (granddaughter's) class  since she was in kindergarten. Now here she is in 3^rd grade…..where oh where does the time go….and it really is amazing to think we’ve been getting to know students and staff at AACA for almost 4 school years.  Chester is definitely most popular dog on campus --- a kid magnet.

Long story short.  In the fall I met with the Principal, Mr. B.  He invited Chester and me to come on board, and pilot a new program with Chester (registered therapy dog), and me (teacher/ therapy dog handler), working in classrooms on a regular basis, and just being on campus for those unexpected moments where Chester can work his doggie love in a child’s heart.  Mr. B’s vision for his school is honoring the whole child: heart, mind, body, soul.  He thought Chester and I would fit in perfectly. What an honor and privilege for us to be given this opportunity at Almond Acres.

Of course….we felt this was rather like a dream come true. Not only do I get grandtreasure hugs 2 days a week in 3^rd grade,  we also are blessed to visit 4 different classrooms each day, from 1^st to 4^th grade.  What takes place in each classroom looks a little different, but my desire is always to come alongside & support the teacher, enhance learning for the students, and bring a whole lot of joy and tail wags.

Each week Mr. B chooses a Habit of the Week for students and staff to focus on.  Habits such as….integrity, kindness, sacrifice, patience, persistence….   One of the super-fun things Chester and I often do is to teach about these character- building-habits. I tell a Chester story relating to the habit, Chester is the best visual aide ever,  giving an unforgettable-hands-on learning experience.  Students journal about our visit, then read to their furry friend about their thoughts and ideas.  I call it a win.win.win. For Chester, for me, and for the students.

So, that’s our latest news.  Pretty exciting.  As time goes on…I’ll be writing about our school days, and the Habit of the Week as it relates to Chester Tails, I mean Tales.  As always, the teacher learns the most……..and I will be keeping up here, journaling about the nuggets I’m learning, and my days at school. Honestly, mostly, I write so I won’t forget the moments  ~~ but if you’d like to peek in from time to time and keep up with our school days, you are most welcome.

Pet Therapy Information--- I am  registered with my dog, Chester, as a pet therapy team through Alliance of Therapy Dogs,  ATD.   The purpose of ATD visits is to provide service in a volunteer capacity. While under the employment of AACA, I am not volunteering through ATD.  I continue to do volunteer visits in the community and test/observe other pet therapy teams for ATD.

DREAM JOB

This year for Halloween, Chester dressed up in his DREAM JOB Costume.

Official Taste Tester for IN-N-OUT BURGER.

You can tell by the picture, he takes his work seriously.

On Halloween, first we  visited our favorite 3rd Graders

 at Almond Acres Charter Academy. 

The students, who were in their favorite fun costumes, 

eagerly greeted Chester when he pranced through the doorway. 

They oohed and awed at  his costume.

 He wagged at theirs. 

 After giving Ms. Chase bazillions of smooches, 

and Ms Chase giving Chester bazillions of tummy rubs, 

he settled into visiting the students at their desks.

He listening intently as each one shared with him

about the latest writing project ~~ autobiographies. 

Great work 3rd grade!

After school it just seemed appropriate

 to take my buddy to IN N OUT BURGER.  

After all, besides pet therapy at Almond Acres, 

this is 

HIS DREAM JOB.

And I'm about helping dreams come true.

Maria and Ethan, superstar employees, 

 were eager to make Chester's dream come true.

In fact, they offered him a job ....

 

Ethan beamed,

"This is my best day at work ever!"

Maria agreed.

Chester too.

A Little Pawsitive Puppy Motivation

I never quite know what will unfold on Friday mornings in 2nd grade. Plan A is reading together with the students, but often there are unexpected treasures and surprises.

There is a little sweetheart in my granddaughter's 2nd grade class whom Chester is especially fond of. I can't explain it. I just enjoy it. This precious little girl with Down syndrome has BIG LOVE for Chester, and no doubt he feels the same about her. When she enters the classroom, no matter what we are in the middle of, Chester looks up, thumps his tail, and heads to greet her. She delights in expressing her love for Chester with abandon. I kid you not, the door could open 4 or 5 or 6 times and Chester doesn't move, but when this little blonde cutie walks through the door, it is a whole different story. 

On most days when Chester's special friend arrives, after doggie hugs and kisses, she easily settles into the classroom routine, then takes her turn to read with Chester. However, on this day, from the moment she entered the room it was clear that she and her support teacher were frustrated. Chester's little friend did not want to do her work today. Apparently the entire morning had been a struggle for teacher and student. Sigh, I understand from experience days like this in the classroom.

Hmm.

After a bit of time, I whispered to her teacher. "Though it's clear there's not time for reading with Chester, IF she finishes her work, perhaps she'd like to walk Chester to the office with me?" The teacher smiled. Chester winked. Honest, he did. 

While pointing to the blank paper on the desk, this kind teacher gently said to her student, "If you finish your work, and do it well, would you like to walk Chester to the office?" The little girl's face softened, her blue eyes focused on Chester, then me. We smiled.

Sometimes, sometimes, the right motivation is all that's needed, especially when it comes wrapped in four fuzzy paws and a waggy tail. Chubby little fingers reached for the pencil, and with determination Chester's buddy began to write. Before you could say bibbety bobbety boo her work was done. And done well. Her teacher breathed a happy sigh of relief. And, with a giant smile, this sweet girl reached for Chester's red leash, and off we trotted to the office.  
......another great day in 2nd grade :)