ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) - Oscaar, the chocolate brown Bernedoodle, a cross between a Bernese mountain dog and a poodle, napped quietly on the cushion as the children watched a movie.
Normally, this might be a scene in a family room, but 3-month-old Oscaar is a therapy dog enlisted to have a calming effect and motivate at-risk students in Anderson Community Schools’ COMPASS program. COMPASS is an acronym for Community Organizations and Mentors Partnering in Anderson Student Success.
Trotting through the classrooms and hallways at the school since shortly before Thanksgiving, officials there said they already see the dog’s calming effect on students. In addition, Oscaar’s presence has empowered and motivated the students and taught them responsibility, planning and persuasion, they said.
“With our at-risk population here, I felt there was an opportunity or need for lessons in responsibility and compassion that can be hard to teach without an experience like this,” said Oscaar’s handler, Kristal McCorkle, lead teacher and reading teacher for grades six through 10.”I just feel like there have been so many life lessons raising this dog.”
Many teachers have classroom pets, birds or fish or lizards that have contained living environments. But having something as big and active as a dog may be a first in ACS and maybe the county.
McCorkle said she always tries to come up with new teaching strategies to reach students. She first came up with the idea of a therapy dog for the school a while back, in part, because of stories she heard from her grandfather about how he went into nursing homes for animal therapy, and the residents’ faces would light up.
“Honestly, the original idea came to me because of prisons that do it, and it’s had a great impact on that environment,” she said.
McCorkle started considering the possibility more seriously one day when her own Labrador retriever, Otis, cocked his head at her and looked like he wanted to go, too, as she headed out to work. On another day, she actually did bring him to the school to see how it would work out.
“Immediately, the kids said, ’Can you bring him in every day?’” she said.
Because they kept asking, McCorkle allowed the students to research emotional support and therapy dogs, looking for those that have the best personalities. Knowing that school officials and members of the ACS board of trustees might have concerns, the students tried to anticipate those and research issues, such as which types of dogs might be suitable in case students or staff have allergies, what to do if the dog bites and how to care for him.
McCorkle, who received a $1,000 grant for the project from the ACS Education Foundation, bought the puppy from a local breeder, Best Doodle Puppy.
Coming up with a name was a group effort, with more than 50 name possibilities submitted. In the end, students settled on the name OSCAAR, an acronym for Our Students Can Achieve Any Reality.
McCorkle admitted she also was concerned about the distraction of having the dog in the class and the effect it would have in her reading instruction. But the students were up to the challenge.
It was the students who came up with the rules for the care and interaction with the dog, rules that are written on a chalkboard wall.
“They said, ’We’ll have to share and have to focus, and if we don’t, you can put him in the kennel in your office,’” she said. “When they’re sitting next to him, it’s like they’re more focused.”
Sadly, many of the students in the COMPASS program haven’t had the kind of care children deserve at home, McCorkle said. Having Oscaar helps them learn how to treat others.
Oscaar’s impact at the school hasn’t been limited to the students, McCorkle said.
“I expected a positive impact with the kids, but I am astounded by the impact it’s had on our staff,” she said. Some make their way down to her classroom for some puppy love at various points throughout the day.
“It is sincerely the best thing I have ever done as a teacher. He has completely changed our environment here,” McCorkle said.
Sophomores Alicia Amos, 16, and Kris Scott, 15, said they love having a dog at school.
For instance, Amos, who has no pets at home, said she finds she wants to complete her homework so she can play with the dog.
“It’s been kind of motivating. It’s like a privilege to have him around,” she said.
Scott, who had a dog at home till he was 12 years old, said even though he has cats, Oscaar replaces some of what he has missed.
“He would also help with our mental stability in that we have a friend to play with,” he said. “Nobody’s that angry. Usually, we have a lot of disagreements in our classes. But when we get to Ms. McCorkle’s classroom, everybody has calmed down.”
Lead teacher Kim Cleaver said she was concerned at first about bringing a dog into the school environment.
“I thought he’d be way more of a problem, but he’s actually less of a problem than I thought he would be,” she admitted.
Cleaver said she also has seen a clear improvement in the behavior of students.
“I think he’s been a benefit to the kids. I think it’s the worst behaved kids who have had the most benefit,” she said.
Brian Lane, dean of students, agreed.
“The students definitely have taken ownership of the dog. It gives them a sense of being and belonging,” he said.
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Source: The (Anderson) Herald Bulletin, https://bit.ly/2hE7ZTM
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Information from: The Herald Bulletin, https://www.theheraldbulletin.com
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