Newly certified Bright Spot Reading Buddies Team: LILLY and John in After-School Program at Sunderland Elementary
What a huge success our Bright Spot Reading Buddies Program has been in its first full school year! What started out at the Westhampton Elementary School (WES) in Westhampton, MA, as a pilot after-school program in the spring of 2012 , and moved into the regular school day at WES this academic year, has snowballed via word-of-mouth to other area elementary schools. Requests are coming in to start Reading Buddies Programs in a number of these schools. Midway through the school year, we started a Reading Buddies Program at the Hilltown Charter School in Haydenville, MA. There, two Reading Buddies Teams work with children in grades K-3 on a weekly basis. Sunderland Elementary School in Sunderland, MA, asked to start an after-school Reading Buddies Program like the one started at WES. This commenced after April school vacation. All programs will continue next year, as we add on more schools.
James demonstrates proper positioning of the Reading Buddy. James is always interested in looking at the pictures in the book. He’s a great listener.
As interest in our unique Reading Buddies Program grows, the need for more Reading Buddy Teams is critical. With the help of a grant from the Charter Oak Foundation, we were able to create and implement a training program to prepare other Bright Spot therapy dog teams interested in learning the skills needed to be a part of our Reading Buddies Program. Just as not all dogs make therapy dogs, not all therapy dogs make Reading Buddies. It takes a dog with a certain temperament and skill set. Therapy dogs used to moving around a lot and visiting several people during a visit, such as at a nursing home or mental health facility, might not enjoy sitting or lying down in one place for an extended period of time while each of [usually]three children reads his or her books one-on-one to the Reading Buddy. Reading Buddies have a very calm, quiet temperament. They enjoy just hanging out in one spot. My therapy dog James is a perfect example of the laid-back style of our Reading Buddies. He’d rather stay in one spot than move around. He will listen to children read to him for hours!
HAAS and Leslie receiving their Reading Buddies training at WES.
Through our specially created training process, dogs and handlers are carefully screened, trained, and evaluated on an individual basis right in our school setting. Only Bright Spot Therapy Dogs are considered for the Reading Buddies Program. These dogs have already been through our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Training Program and evaluated by our experienced Bright Spot evaluators. The individual training that candidates receive to become Reading Buddies gives them an additional certification. The school children have loved meeting the new dogs coming in for training. They enjoy having the chance to read to the different dogs.