Prized Pets

Many years ago, as an eager young teacher in my first post, I volunteered to look after the school guinea pig when other older and wiser members of staff chose to decline the opportunity. The role was a dubious pleasure, partly because my animal preference is not for small to medium sized South American rodents, but also because the poor old thing had the guinea pig equivalent to piles and often had to have help in that area.

A few years later, in another teaching job, I decided to embrace my apprehension and suggest to the head that my class of young children would benefit from embracing a new member of the class – a hamster. My enthusiasm was encouraged and so off I went to adopt Harvey the Hamster who arrived in style, complete with shiny new cage and whirling wheel, in front of a class of six-year-olds, all excited to meet their new friend. Harvey and his classmates had great fun together – perhaps my wonderful teaching assistant and I, less so. As adoptive parents, we had a few worried nights when Harvey made a great escape, eventually being found behind a cupboard, making some sort of nest.

Nevertheless, these early intuitive moments in bringing children and animals together in a school setting proved to be positive, in so many ways. Not only did all the children learn about caring for something or someone smaller and more vulnerable than themselves and to take responsibility, but it soon became obvious that those who were less able to communicate confidently with their human classmates were able to quietly bond with their new friend.

It is now well documented that simply by stroking a furry friend, heart rates slow and blood pressure reduces. Today, in our Laidlaw Education classrooms, we teach and support many anxious students of all ages. On occasions, we have welcomed a calm puppy or a family dog in with an anxious child or young person; this has always had a calming effect and aided the initial integration into our setting.

Therapy dogs are becoming increasingly popular in classrooms, particularly in SEN settings, and it is wonderful to witness the benefits that these specially trained dogs can bring to all children, especially to those with special needs and requirements. The dogs are trained to be good-natured, calm and patient. They obviously love human contact and having a soothing, calming effect. Sir Anthony Seldon, the well-known educator, has said: “The quickest and biggest hit that we can make to improve mental health in our schools, and to make them feel safe for children, is to have at least one dog in every single school in the country.” This wonderful natural “therapy” has a great deal of scientific backing, although none of it is new. Sigmund Freud would often have his own dog, Jofi, in his psychotherapy sessions, as he observed that patients were comforted by her presence. Research by Dr Boris Levinson, in the 1960s, formalised these scientific ideas.

More recently, psychologist Alan Beck and psychiatrist Aaron Katcher have followed through on the scientific validation.

So, from the poor old guinea pig that I looked after, to the scientific research of the present, it is very clear that the presence of animals in schools can have huge benefits.

Sue Laidlaw

Founder of Laidlaw Education

For more information call 02084879517 or visit laidlaweducation.co.uk