Hawthorne Children Read to Canine Companions

12/7/2012

First grade students at Hawthorne Elementary School are especially excited about reading this year because they once again have the opportunity to interact with canine reading buddies. The program helps pupils gain confidence in their skills as well as themselves. They also learn how to treat animals with respect. “It can be intimidating to read to adults, so giving children the opportunity to read to an animal, such as a dog, allows them to read to a great listener in a calm and comfortable environment,” said first grade teacher Becky Limes. “The students look forward to reading time with their buddies.”

The Reading Therapy Dog program is in its second year at Hawthorne and is expanding due to the efforts of Limes and the support of Instructional Coach Cindy Baker. Handler and dog teams come from Acme Canine and Therapy Dogs, Inc.