We missed hearing from Coco last week. Her Mom, Michelle, assistant principal at Melican Middle School in Northborough, Massachusetts, was sick for a few days, so Coco was absent, as well. Fully recovered and back on the job, here’s a full report on the meaningful work this Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team as been up to this week. In addition, Coco let’s us know what her pal Molly, a Bright Spot Therapy Dog, too, is doing to help the students at the school.
Here’s Coco…
This is a quote from Julie, Molly’s mom, to my mom, that sums up Molly’s and my work at school: I love how Coco and Molly just come to work every day and do their thing. Even though it has only been a couple of months for Molly (and longer for Coco), it seems totally normal to have dogs walking around the school. How long did we “dream” about doing something like this, and now it’s just a totally normal, regular thing?!?!?!?! I also love how on the few days they have both been in school together, they can be together in the same room and just hang out and be with kids and no one thinks twice about it. They are so well behaved and calm, and loving their jobs. Anyway, that’s a random thought but it is such a cool thing. They are just part of the school community and it’s a really great thing!
This week, I went to school with Mom Monday, Wednesday, and Friday because Mom and I missed one of our days last week. Molly came to school on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Monday, I took several walks with students and met with many students in Mom’s office. I also spent time in the behavior specialist’s room with students who were completing work or taking a break from the stresses of their school day. At times throughout the day, there are two or three students in there, and at other times, there are ten or twelve. Students snuggle with me while they complete work, take me for walks, and include me in their conversations with one another. I really enjoy my time in that room. After school, I attended the faculty meeting with Mom. There was a presentation that evoked some anxiety in staff, and after, many teachers came up to pet me. One teacher said to me, “I could really use a therapy dog of my own,” as she petted me.
On our way home, we stopped at a nursing home to visit with residents. Even though we go there to see one man in particular, many other residents want to visit with us. I love all the attention I get there. The man that we are there to see seems to enjoy “sharing” me with others: Hey – this is Coco. She is my date today… He always has treats for me, which I also love.
On Wednesday, both Molly and I were at school. One student just started having a regular check in time with Julie (school guidance counselor), and Molly helped convince him to do this. Julie had wanted to check in with him every Wednesday, but wasn’t sure he’d want to do that because he is shy and he gets nervous in a one-on-one situation. The first time Julie called him down, she didn’t have a dog with her, but when she asked him if he liked dogs, he said, “YES,” with a big smile. Julie said, “How about I call you down next week to see how things are going, and we can bring one of the dogs for a walk. How does that sound?” and he immediately said, “OK!” This week, when Julie called him down, she said, “Molly is here today. Still want to go for that walk?” As soon as he saw Molly, he lit up and they headed out for the walk. The student talked non-stop the entire time. He was like a totally different kid! Julie asked him if he wanted to do a short walk or go all the way around school, just in case he was feeling uncomfortable. He chose the full walk around the building and they talked the whole time. It was awesome! Molly had so much to do with helping the student’s comfort level.
On Wednesday morning, Molly and Julie took a walk with a student who has a regularly scheduled time with the dogs. She has already told Julie that she never wants to stop walking the dogs, even when it’s cold outside. She said, I don’t care if it’s snowing or raining – as long as I get to walk the dog, I’ll go outside any time! She and Julie talked about how much she loves dogs. She talked about how she thinks dogs can really sense our emotions, and how her own dog knows when she is sad. When the student is feeling sad, her dog comes close and just sits next to her and makes her feel better. Julie says, I know Molly is really helping me connect with many kids in a way I couldn’t do alone.
Molly and I spent a few periods together Wednesday in the behavior specialist’s room. There were many students and two dogs in there at times, and it was just “natural” – students were interacting with us and getting work done. Mom says we are very important to the success of that program.
I also met with many students on Wednesday throughout the day. Mom and I spent a study hall with two boys who tend to get distracted and who distract others in their regular study. They were very focused, helping each other with work, and petting me. Mom and I are going to try to offer that small group study to them each week. After they worked for most of the period, Mom showed them the video they were in of the therapy dog program at Melican. They were both so excited to see themselves in the video.
After school, Mom and I went to Greenfield for our weekly visit with our friend in a nursing home. We also visited with other residents. After that, I slept in the car while Mom helped with a dog training class at NB Productions.
Friday was another full day for me. I spent homeroom in the behavior specialist’s room like I always do with a small group of boys. They include me as part of the “gang” and take me for walks and pet me while they settle in for the day. Mom and I met with many students, some for the first time. One student, who is new to our school and is homeless, met me on Monday briefly. He is very shy and seems sad to me. Mom called him down again on Friday, and he smiled and beamed as he petted me. He was very friendly and chatty as Mom talked to him. Mom says it is because of me and his love of animals that he opens up to her and talks with us. Mom and I are going to implement a program for him, giving him a job to do with me to help him feel more important and valued. Starting this Wednesday, Mom is going to ask him to brush me twice a week (Mondays and Wednesdays) as a job to capitalize on his strengths and his love of animals. After he brushes me, we will also go for walks. Mom is hoping to help him feel more connected. No one else at school brushes me. It works for me – I LOVE being brushed!
I also spent some time in the Transitional Learning Center, participating in the social skills group. Students in this program have specific and complex learning profiles. Some of them have Autism, and others have other disabilities that are debilitating enough that they are part of a class that is somewhat separate from other students. One of the students was having a hard time concentrating on his social skills work, and he said (about me, as I was sitting next to him), I am so distracted by all this cuteness… Mom thought that was pretty funny. He said it a couple more times. Later in the day, I spent more time in the Transitional Learning Center, listening to students practice their presentations to me, using their iPads. I was very impressed with their willingness to share with me. They all enjoyed some one-on-one time with me, and I enjoyed their presentations.
Mom and I also ran a sixth grade lunch group on Friday because the guidance counselor who usually runs the group was on a field trip. We know the boys in the group because we normally come at the end of their lunch so they can spend some time with me. This was new to Mom and me – we actually RAN the group. Usually there are five boys in the lunch group, but on this day, there were nine! I lay at Mom’s feet under the table as the boys ate their lunches and talked about scary dreams, their plans for the weekend, holiday traditions, and I-don’t-know-what-else because I fell asleep. They were so chatty and loud that they did not hear my snoring. After they ate and returned their trays to the cafeteria, they had five minutes to spend with me. They sat in a circle around me and talked about their dogs and how neat they think it is that we have dogs in school. They begged Mom to take some pictures of them with me, which she did. After they left to head to class, Mom and I were exhausted – talk about energy!
On Friday afternoon, Julie and I took a walk with a student who sees both dogs regularly. He has had a particularly difficult year, with his parents separating, moving to a new town, having to give up his own dog, and lots of other things that have been tough for him. He always has something nice to say about the dogs. Out of the blue, he asked Julie, Do you think dogs are the best animals in the world? Of course, Julie said, Yes, I think so. He said, Me too. Then they talked for a minute about how dogs can make people feel better, make people laugh, and are always happy to spend time with people. He looked down at me, pet me on my back, and said, You are such a great dog. And you always have been. It doesn’t get much better than that!
On our way home, Mom and I stopped at a nursing home again to visit with some residents. Both of us enjoy our time there, and visiting gives us a burst of energy to start the weekend.
On Saturday, Mom and I went with other Bright Spot teams to visit with residents at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke. The residents were very happy to see the dogs. One man said, Thank you so much. The dogs really make a big difference for us here. He went on to say that the days (especially the weekend days) go by slowly, and seeing the dogs makes people very happy.
Mom says I am making a big difference for people at her school and for residents at the nursing homes we visit. The really awesome thing is that the work has also made a big difference for Mom and me. ~Coco