ANIMALS The power of pets


The educational and therapeutic effects that an animal can bring are well recognised, but what about their potential in the secondary school environment, especially with hard-to-reach students? Teacher Isobel Durrant takes a look


T


eaching in one of London’s rougher schools, I used to fantasise about having a dog – a collie to be precise – with me in the classroom. It would have had the dual role of keeping children in their seats and on task and giving comfort and affection to


those whose home lives were less than happy. Although that dream was never realised, I have


witnessed the positive reactions from secondary pupils to dogs visiting classrooms. Sullen, silent teenagers transformed into sociable young people; withdrawn children into happy smiling children. And I am not alone in remarking on these benefits. Increasingly, the educational and therapeutic effects


that an animal can bring to a school community are being recognised. In London, Marion Jones, from Battersea Dogs


and Cats Home, has been involved in a pioneering project. For 10 weeks, she has worked with a small group of pupils aged 11 to 15, all of whom have been excluded from classes in their mainstream school. The pupils have studied animal law and looked


at learning styles for both humans and animals. Ms Jones does not even take a real dog with her, just a life-sized cuddly toy called Stuffy, yet results have been more than encouraging. The pupils, who include those with learning


difficulties and chaotic home lives, have responded well to learning about animal care and animal behaviours, developing skills of empathy and understanding. She hopes the pupils will be able to visit Battersea, and plans that they will take a Good Citizens mock exam, one of a range of tests developed by the Kennel Club to promote socially acceptable dogs and responsible owners. Elsewhere, at Southampton’s Cantell Maths and


Technology College, a real dog has worked his magic. Oscar the labrador slotted perfectly into the school philosophy of mutual respect and restorative solutions. He was welcomed by the whole school community. Parents were as delighted as their children, seeing it as a great way to introduce city children to pets. Just two out of 160 staff voiced misgivings, saying they would be uncomfortable around a dog. The school ensured they would not have any contact. The school did its homework thoroughly before


adopting Oscar. Terry Baudains, the school business manager, explained: “We spoke to dog owners, the RSPCA and looked at American and Canadian models.”


Moral support: Teacher Support Network Do you know what stress is?


The Ofsted chief inspector says that teachers do


not know what stress is. Julian Stanley knows of at least 5,000 of you who would disagree


TEACHERS AND headteachers “too often make excuses for poor performance – it’s just too hard, the children are too difficult, the families are too unsupportive, this job is far too stressful”. These comments from Sir Michael Wilshaw at a


conference in May caused outrage among teachers, unions and led to substantial coverage in this very newspaper. The Ofsted chief went on to elaborate: “Stress


is, I’m sure, what many of the million and a half unemployed young people today feel unable to get a job because they’ve had a poor experience of school and lack the necessary skills and qualifications to find employment.” Is he right? Are teachers making excuses or do


they really not know what stress is? Teacher Support Network figures suggest they do. In 2010 and 2011, we received nearly 5,000 calls


and emails from teachers suffering from anxiety – 4,256 teachers indicated that they had a low mood when contacting the charity while 3,293 felt overwhelmed. This could just be the tip of the iceberg, however.


Recent research estimates that as many as 40,000 teachers could be struggling with anxiety, depression or stress, while sickness absence figures for teachers across the UK are high. The Scotsman recently reported that 7,000


teaching days had been lost to stress or similar mental health conditions in the last year, with stress and depression accounting for almost a third of all long- term sickness absence among staff in city schools between 2011 and 2012. A survey by the Welsh Conservatives revealed


that stress leave taken by teaching staff in Wales had increased by 14 per cent in 2009/10, while it was


reported that teachers in Suffolk took almost 10,000 days off sick as a result of stress. The truth is that many teachers are stressed.


Indeed, it is likely that most teachers in the course of a long career will experience stress that is non- productive. For some it will deeply impact on their professional and personal lives. Like it or not, teaching, though a deeply rewarding profession, can also be very challenging. To suggest otherwise flies in the face of the reality expressed by thousands in the profession. One teacher when asked in a Teacher Support


Network survey how workload impacted on their health and wellbeing said: “Due solely to pressure of teaching I have been having anxiety attacks and suffering from stress to the point where my life was greatly affected. I have been signed off work for three months and am only just beginning to feel better. However, I know I have to face all the pressure and work again when I return.” Another respondent in the same survey: “Always


feel stressed, often tearful. My family and social life has suffered immeasurably.” We know that teachers are not making excuses.


Teachers are not whingeing; they are expressing genuine concern and they should not be made to feel fearful or at risk of being singled out as poor teachers simply because they express their vulnerability when the going gets tough. Asking for support is a sign of strength and investing in and supporting the workforce is a core principle of effective management. We must listen more to teachers at the chalkface,


and to those headteachers, teaching unions and others directly involved in education to truly understand the impact of low morale, stress and depression, not only on teachers, but also on their pupils. Consequently, the charity is actively working


to establish a review with teachers, educationalists and those who work with them, that independently identifies and measures teacher wellbeing, its impact on pupil outcomes, and how teacher health and wellbeing can best be improved. In the meantime, we feel that the teaching


profession needs to be better recognised and valued. It is time to celebrate the teaching profession – the vast majority of whom are deeply committed and do an excellent job day-in, day-out. How else will we attract, and just as importantly retain, the best candidates to teach our children?


• Julian Stanley is chief executive of the Teacher Support Network. Visit www.teachersupport.info or call 08000 562 561 (England), 08000 855088 (Wales).


The school followed advice to take on a


larger rather than a smaller dog, aged around 12 months. One teacher adopted Oscar, and gradually the dog was inducted to the school and his new role. Mr Baudains continued:


“First, he was gently introduced to the environment with no children present. Then he was with children, but not working with them. Over time, he built up to being with the children.” It was important that one member of


staff adopted Oscar for the school, and took overall responsibility for him. “Being in school full-time would be


too much for most dogs,” Amy Watson, also from Battersea, explained. “Dogs need an owner who takes responsibility for caring for them, and with whom they form a firm bond. They also need a suitable environment – space, a bed, toys, appropriate food and water – and time to rest and relax.” Often it is the more


challenged and vulnerable children who benefit most obviously from a dog’s benign presence. One counsellor, working with bullied children, started to take her dog to sessions. Children who had been previously u n c ommu n i c a t iv e opened up, talking more to the dog than the counsellor. That positive effect spins out into the rest of the school community. Barbara Mills, school


secretary at Sacred Heart School in London, where two semi-feral cats regularly share her office space in the reception area, agrees. “It changes the atmosphere. It’s unusual. People


comment. Some children come down to see them, and they always report if they see the cats outside and notice something wrong with them.” Such noticing builds community, as well as


promoting responsibility towards animals, and creating understanding of their needs. Back at Cantell, children of all abilities make


time for Oscar, reading to him or just enjoying his company. Staff also make time to visit him. The teacher responsible for him is not at the school at the moment, so Oscar has resumed other duties by his master’s side. His presence is missed. In the long term, if Oscar does not return,


the school hopes to have another dog. To other schools thinking of following Cantell’s example,


atmosphere. It’s unusual. People comment. Some children come down to see them, and they


‘ 14


always report if they see the cats outside


and notice something wrong with them


Mr Baudains offers this advice: “Think it through from start to finish and consult everyone – parents, children, staff, the local authority. As long as you get the right dog and are prepared to allow it time to bed in, it works really well.” For those schools unable or unwilling to


’


undertake such a commitment, visiting dogs may be the answer. Animal charities are often happy to bring dogs into schools for assemblies or class visits. Such visits allow pupils, some of whom may be fearful of dogs, to meet relaxed, confident animals with no history of aggression or anxiety, and learn about safety around dogs as well as responsible dog ownership. So both the dogs and the pupils gain.


It changes the Taking this idea a step further, Paws for Progress


has matched inmates at Youth Offenders Institution Polmont in Scotland with rescue dogs. Working with Dogs Trust, the offenders follow a dog training course. The project is mutually beneficial; the trained dogs stand a better chance of being rehomed, and the young people receive vocational and educational training, improve their employability, develop social skills and self-confidence. The project’s blog page speaks volumes. Here,


the trainee dog handlers have written descriptions of their dogs. Each is a vignette of pride, hope and affection. Meanwhile, back at Battersea, three older


teenagers are carrying out their community service. They do not get to do the most glamourous jobs; there is a lot of cleaning kennels, and filling “kong toys” with wet dog food. Around adults, the three have poor interpersonal


skills, make no eye contact and a shrug is the most common response to a question. This changes when the dogs are present. “They smile, laugh, look you in the eye and show


real warmth,” reports a staff member working with them. “The dog removes pressure. It doesn’t judge them; they don’t have to prove themselves with it and they become more relaxed. The dog elevates their confidence. They’ll talk about the dog and show real empathy.” Of course you would expect Battersea to be


evangelical about the power of animals – but when schools like Cantell cite a 40 per cent reduction in poor behaviour following Oscar’s arrival, it might be time more schools sat up and took notice. And maybe not just schools. Staff at 10 Downing


Street say the arrival of Battersea’s most famous graduate, Larry the cat, has made for a friendlier office. He may not be the mouser they had hoped for, but as the press office says: “Larry brings a lot of pleasure to a lot of people.”


• Isobel Durrant is a teacher and journalist.


Further information • For information about visits from Battersea Dogs and Cats home, email education@battersea.org.uk or call Amy Watson on 020 7627 7875, or Marion Jones on 020 7627 7874.


• To visit the Paws for Progress blog page, go to http://pawsforprogress.wordpress.com


• Information about National Pet Month can be found at www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/schools


• Teaching and learning resources for all key stages are available at www.peteducationresources.co.uk


SecEd • June 14 2012


SecEd


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