Sasha and I believe in creating a relaxed, supportive environment where children can grow their confidence in reading.
Sasha, a friendly West Highland Terrier, has been volunteering for a few years now. She has been a wellbeing dog at Murdoch University and spent time in a local CaRE school helping teens to co-regulate, Her favourite job was listening patiently as Year 2 kids read aloud, offering a non-judgmental, calming presence. With no pressure or criticism, children felt free to explore reading at their own pace, building both skills and self-esteem in a nurturing setting. Our goal as a human-dog volunteer reading team was to make reading a positive and enjoyable experience for every child.
Sasha and I used to volunteer with one of the larger reading dog programs in Australia but we found the requirements were very restrictive around which children could read, how the sessions were run, the need to fundraise/pay etc. As an experienced educator and someone who has researched many of these programs, I believe it is important to adapt to the individual needs of the child and the setting. That means we are having a break from reading dog duties at the moment.
Melissa Smith 