Spirit Doing Reading Dog at Tongue River Elementary School
10/17/22
I didn’t even have a chance to set up for Reading Dog before the principal came in with a reporter from Sheridan Media, saying she wanted to interview me.
Spirit and I rose to the challenge, though I was worried how I might sound on the radio because the pain meds I’m taking for a fractured vertebra make my mouth dry and feel full of cotton. We ended up sounding okay, so I was relieved. That will also explain the back brace I’m wearing.
Cynthia Vannoy was the reporter. She generously shared all her photos with me so that I could put them on this page. I have the link to her interview at the bottom. I thought she did a very nice job. Thanks, Cynthia!!!
The teachers decide which students would benefit most from Reading Dog, and the office staff set up a schedule. For all but one child, we’re in the teacher workroom. For that child, I go to his room.
Spirit does the first half of the morning, and Hopeful does the second half. Cynthia was there for most of the first half.
When the kindergarten kids come, they have a choice to either read a very simple book, or to pick a more difficult book and have me read it to them and the therapy dog.
A couple of the older kids have participated in Reading Dogs for two or more years. Last year, one of the fifth graders began coming in each week with a joke – the kind of joke that makes you groan. The kids had so much fun with the jokes that I found a couple of joke books for their level, and that’s what they want to read each week. We do a LOT of laughing (and I groan a lot) when it’s their turn for Reading Dog.
Since I don’t know how long the interview will be available on SheridanMedia.com, I put all of Cynthia’s great photos on this page. You’ll see some photos twice.
to Spirit’s page