Wow, I learned so much today about classroom pets!
My question is focused on how teachers can effectively incorporate pets into their teaching, and I definitely found many uses in this regard, but I also found lots of necessary background info when wanting to get a class pet. This information included some safety guidelines, such as teaching children how to properly wash their hands and being sure this is done after handling the pet, the pet's food, or anything from their habitat. Also found were concerns about being sure you know what will be done with the pet during weekends and breaks as they can't be left alone for weeks or months!
I am very excited about what I am learning about using classroom pets during lessons. I've found examples of teachers using pets in almost all subjects, including science (units on habitats and nature), reading (as children become very excited about reading to a class pet) or writing (students can write stories about the pet, or even write letters to them). I know this is only the beginning of what I will continue to find.
I knew this is a topic I was interested in, but I was shocked when I looked at what page I reached of the research article that I had found... I read up to page 20 without even realising it! It didn't feel like a chore, or an assignment, but I was genuinely interested in what I was doing. And if I can become this excited just about the idea of a class pet... imagine the difference it can make in a child's learning when they actually have one.
From here I will continue to read more articles and find more research. My main goal will be to find more first hand experiences from teachers and different ways that they used the pet to motivate students, or to teach lessons.
No comments:
Post a Comment