Tends to be a social and casual way to use the program to help kids have a positive experience with books, reading, dogs and the library
Can be short term
Sessions run about 20 minutes.
Success is measured by enthusiasm and attendance
School settings: Considered AAT (Therapy).
Children are specifically referred to program by their teacher for a reason. The child may be diagnosed with ADHD. English may not their first language. The referred child could be a victim of environmental or emotional neglect at home (no books, lack of learning supports and parental guidance or the home might be plagued by violence and/or impoverished conditions)
There is implied or specified goals set by the teacher for the child.
Sessions run for half an hour.
Time is spent : Repoire building---work (reading)- warm down and play
Success is measured by increased test scores & confidence
Angel Ears Teams-- Left to Right:
Ken with Shelby, Christine with Shasta, Terri with Kimoa and Breton with Dashiell
Angel Ears Teams work with children by appointment and in drop in sessions at Antioch Library.
They also visit with patients and residents at extended care and retirement facilities, and are certified to work in hospital settings. Visiting with patients is a rewarding experience, since many of them miss their own pets badly. The teams spend some time chatting with the patients as they pet the dogs and feed them treats-- telling the handlers of their own pets.
"I love it when the dogs visit me at Diamond Ridge because I am so far away from my home and my own beloved pooches. It is comforting to talk to and pet Dashiell. He's such a ham!"-- Emma Claire, Diamond Ridge Extended Care Facility
Touched By A Furry Angel
Is there something magical about your dog? You bet! As his human, you know your fuzzy buddy's charming quirks, and their instinctual ability to interact with a range of people and situations. Maybe you have decided that your Tex the Wonder Dog needs a job or that he would be a natural in working with the disabled, senior citizens, or as an up close and personal reading assistant for kids. H.A.L.O. Angel Ears welcomes certified therapy teams to participate in its programs.
The current Angel Ears Teams were trained by Therapy Dogs Incorporated (TDI); however, there are many other preparatory programs available. For a listing of class dates, times and requisites, consider some of the following agencies:
In 2006, four H.A.L.O. volunteers and their canine pals, all rescues with stories of their own, committed to becoming certified therapy teams and R.E.A.D. trained. Since that time, Shelby, Shasta, Kimoa and Dashiell have provided their own warm 'n fuzzy brand of empathy and nurturing acceptance to children, the elderly and the disabled as part of H.A.L.O.'s new program called "Angel Ears". The Angel Ears therapy teams have been active at the Antioch Library, Concord School of Karate, Memorial and Contra Loma Parks working as reading assistants and at Diamond Ridge Rehabilitation Center as visiting therapy dogs. The enthusiasm that greets their visits confirms what we always suspected:
Animal Assisted Therapy has been used for many years in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In 1999, a charming program entitled Reading, Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) was launched by Intermountain Therapy Animals in Utah. It was incorporated into schools and libraries to assist children who had difficulty learning to read or found it to uncomfortable to read aloud. Using their experience as a launching pad, the overall goal of Angel Ears has been to enhance children's love of reading through the use of therapy animals, thus laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning and higher quality of life. More specifically, it is a creative way to battle illiteracy by having children read aloud to their very own therapy dog.
DOES IT WORK?
A mother of twins, David and Sarah, Donna Lack had enrolled her daughter twice into a summer reading program at Cal State East Bay to improve her reading, without tangible results. Nor did a computer- based reading instruction course do much for Sarah's comprehension. But Lack persisted, and when she heard about Angel Ears she wasted no time in signing up her daughter. Sarah began to do an about face at the first meeting, and on the drive back she wanted to read the book she'd tackled with Kimoa, first to her brother and mother and then to the family dog.
For more information about our Therapy Dog program, please contact Terri at nuanua@sbcglobal.net
Sarah Knights reads to Kimoa
Jaleh tells Shasta a tale.
Jake reads about the Navajo Indians to Kimoa
Shelby with her handler Ken at Antioch Library
Sofi reads as Dashiell listens attentively.
Therapy Dog Program
The H.A.L.O. Angel Ears Therapy Dogs of Kimoa, Simon and Dashiell Have Their Summer Schedule Set and Are Ready to Listen if Your Kids Are Ready to Read!
Our Next Sessions are: Our Angle Ears Team will be holding sessions at the Oakley Library on the following Dates:
Saturday April 21, 2012 --- 10:30am - 11:45am
Saturday May 19, 2012 --- 10:30am - 11:45am
Saturday June 16, 2012 --- 10:30am - 11:45am
Saturday July 21, 2012 --- 10:30am - 11:45am
Therapy Dogs Know that Love
is Contagious
WHAT IS ANIMAL ASSISTED ACTIVITIES AND THERAPY?
"Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) provides opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational, and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance quality of life. AAA are delivered in a variety of environments by specially trained professionals, paraprofessionals and/or volunteers, in association with animas that meet specific criteria."
"Animal Assisted Therapy (ATT) is designed to promote in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. AAT is provided in a variety of settings and may bb group of individual in nature. This process is documented and evaluated."
--(From Standards of Practice for Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy
Bring a favorite book, if you’re ready To read, they’re ready to listen !!
