As teachers, you have the unique opportunity of being a human role model when it comes to your classroom pet.  This includes consistently providing required care for your classroom pet, establishing clear rules for humane treatment of your classroom pet and diligently supervising your students in their interactions with the pet.

As a teacher with a pet in the classroom, you have the ability to show students how to properly care for pets and to develop skills that will last a lifetime.  You can also play a role in offering your students all of the benefits that come along with a classroom pet – increased self esteem, learning responsibility and developing stronger social skills.

Participating in the daily care of a classroom pet teaches children responsibility, and with you as a role model you can be sure your students will leave your classroom with a strong commitment to caring for any pet. Helping to take care of a pet gives a child a sense of pride and accomplishment, especially if the animal is able to return the affection.  In fact, studies conducted by the Waltham Centre have shown that children with pets have higher levels of self-esteem than those without pets.  Many types of classroom pets love human contact and can become a child’s best buddy. Kids can even develop strong human animal bonds with non-responsive animals such as fish or turtles. These relationships help to strengthen a child’s social skills, giving them the potential to do better in a school setting.

Not sure what type of pet to obtain for your classroom?  Researching various types of classroom pets makes a great research project for your students.  You can divide your students into project groups and assign each group a potential classroom pet to research – small mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians.  Have each group research the various types of pets within their classification that might be appropriate pets, and allow them to either present the class with options, or choose one “finalist” that they recommend.

Each project should include general information on the pet (origins, size, habits, etc.), cost, habitat description, basic care for the animal, handling and training information, and how the group decided on the winner.  Projects could include an informative poster or an organized presentation to the class.  Each group could also submit a written summary, and all summaries could be incorporated into one information booklet.

A classroom pet research project incorporates several different valuable learning skills, such as working within a group, researching, analysis of data and coming to a conclusion, as well as writing and creative skills.  Your students will find out things they didn’t know about all of the animals researched, and the classroom will have enough shared information to make a group decision on which pet would be best for your classroom.

Once the presentations are completed, plan for a classroom vote to choose your new classroom pet!

Many teachers wonder about the benefits of adding a pet to their classroom – will it really stimulate learning and provide emotional and developmental benefits?  The subject of children’s bond with pets has been studied repeatedly over the last fifty years, in an effort to learn more about this special relationship.

To the casual observer it might seem obvious that children walking into a classroom would be excited by and gravitate to a live creature.  Children are naturally curious, and seeing something new is exciting.  But studies have shown that the bond between children and pets goes far beyond curiosity.  In a 1998 study of the emotional bond between children and pets, Sandra L. Triebenbacher concluded that “The benefits of pet ownership and attachment to animals include minimizing emotional trauma, helping to alleviate some emotional problems as well as fear and loneliness, to lessen anxiety during times of stress, to promote good mental and physical health for both children and adults, and provide noncontingent unconditional love and opportunities for affection.”

Triebenbacher found that children conveyed their love to animals through touch and through care-giving responsibilities such as feeding.   In his 1995 paper on classroom animals, Craig Naherniak concluded, “If there is one thing that is most important for children to realize, it is that they share a world with other beings who have needs similar but not identical to theirs.  This understanding helps to develop the child’s confidence, empathy and respect for others.”  Having a pet in the classroom allows teachers to provide children with ways to develop these valuable skills.

For more information on how teachers can provide thier students with the opportunity to develop through a classroom pet, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.

In the February 17, 2011 edition of  The Yorktown Press, Kris Berry, a fourth grade teacher at the local elementary school, was mention in the article “Yorktown Stars” as a recipient of the Pets in the Classroom Grant.  Congratulations Kris!  We hope your students enjoy their new classroom pet!

The excerpt from ”Yorktown Stars”:

YES (Yorktown Elementary School) fourth-grade teacher Kris Berry is a recipient of the Pets in the Classroom grant sponsored by The Pet Care Trust.The $100 grant will be used to purchase a small animal for her classroom as well as all the needed food and supplies for the animal’s care. The Pet Care Trust offers this grant to teachers so that they can use small animals in their classrooms to help enhance the curriculum and provide an enriching classroom experience for their students. Students will learn not only how to properly take care of the animal, but they will also learn about responsibility and how important it is to be responsible when you are a pet owner.

Click Here to view the article online!

Mandy is a Kindergarten teacher in Ohio. She has her own blog and wrote about her experience  with Pets in the Classroom. Here is her story…

“This summer via Twitter I learned about a grant, Pets in the Classroom.  I’ve had pets each year I’ve taught.  It started out with fish.  Then I added a guinea pig.  Then a second fish tank.  Then I added a turtle.  I’ve had parents help with materials and supplies with donations but I always spend my own money during the year.  As you may know parent help also varies each year.  I had a moment that summer day and I am so thankful I went to pursue this grant further.  The application is done all online, it really took me 10 to 15 minutes and glancing over my curriculum standards.  I hit the submit button and two weeks later I was notified I received a grant and it was $150.00.

Pets can help foster learning in all academic areas.  Pets help students learn responsibility.  Pets help students feel better.  Pets are interesting, fostering wondering.  Pets have brought a lot of projects for learning during my years of teaching.

Yesterday my daughter A and I went to a local pet store to purchase fish for each tank and to improve the living quarters for my painted turtle.  We learned a lot about caring for my painted turtle to make it better for him.  I decided to do the upgrading with my students first thing this morning.  We did a water change, removing a little muck.  The fish filter I was using had died right before break.  Today, Chica (named after the turtle in the book, Nim’s Island) got a new reptile filter, and a new, bigger and better climbing “toy” which allows his water to be deeper.  This creates a better swimming environment for him.  I found it interesting to have the girls take an interest in adding water to Chica’s cage.  I learned he should have half his tank filled with water.  I got everyone involved to help figure out how much half would be.  We used unifix cubes and two made equal groups to determine half.  We also got reptile serving tongs so I’m not dangling earth worms over a popsicle stick to feed him.  These tongs are steel and 12″long.  I have no interest in a turtle nibbling my fingers!  Enjoy these photos and we will be doing more projects with our pets.”

From Mandy’s blog enjoy-embracelearning.blogspot.com.

Pets in the Classroom is dedicated to teachers who wish to have a classroom pet. As Mandy says, pets help students learn responsibility, students feel better about themselves. Simply put, pets enrich our lives. To apply for your grant to have a classroom pet, visit www.petsintheclassroom.org.