Feb 20, 2020, Oklahoma City, News4 TV: Oklahoma school district brings therapy dogs into the classroom to ease anxiety https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-school-district-brings-therapy-dogs-into-the-classroom-to-ease-anxiety/ …Every other week, district officials say students get a visit from Tiger Tails, Broken Arrow High School’s therapy dog program. “Therapy dogs are here to make us feel good, help us to be less stressed, have a peaceful moment,” said Karen Holman, Tiger Tails founder and Broken Arrow High School teacher. “They are great at helping us practice relationship skills. We’ve taken them into special ed classes, AP classes, you name it. We take our dogs there.”… Researchers say therapy dogs can have a positive effect on students and lead to gains in confidence, decreased anxiety, improved motivation, and an increase in school attendance…. Holman is hoping to get more licensed dogs and handlers to help with requests for visits.
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Loss of Brain Trust features over 9,000 news stories published worldwide since January, 2017
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