Puppy reading program a hit with Elrod students

First-graders were preparing to transition into silent reading in Elrod Elementary teacher Tiffany Strauss’ classroom last week. After going over the routine of picking three to four books, Strauss told the excited children to grab their puppies.

The young students got up and scrambled over to two shelves lined with black and yellow labrador plush puppies with names like Spike, Lily, Kitten, George and Hiccup.

First-grader Pepper Westermeyer cuddled up with her plush puppy Savanna, reclined on a pillow and settled in to read “Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons.” Across from Westermeyer, Celeste Church flipped through the pages of “Bird Feats of Montana” with her puppy, Samantha.

All 57 first-graders at Elrod are “Learning with Lucky,” a reading incentive program designed to boost student’s literacy, confidence, enthusiasm and achievement.

Strauss said the puppies also serve as pupils where students can play the role of teacher. At this age, she said, children “certainly love to role play.”

Bringing Learning with Lucky to Elrod was possible through an anonymous donor according to Elrod Principal Glenda Armstrong. Armstrong had previous experience with the program at a school in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where the program originated.

Besides reading with a puppy buddy, students earn points for reading at home.

First-grader Bowman Carlson was studiously at a desk reading “Junie B. Jones — Aloha-ha-ha!” with the front legs of his puppy Dollar resting over the rim of a basket used as a dog house. The dog houses are bought by the students who earn points to purchase items for his or her puppy, such as a blanket, collar, treat or “dog food,”

Strauss doesn’t use the puppies exclusively as a reading incentive. Students may buy extra time to spend with the puppies during activities in other subjects such as math or writing.

In teacher Halle Fusaro’s class, some of her first-graders have chosen to read with the puppies as a free-choice activity. Payton Thompson had her puppy Ginger swaddled in a fleece blanket as she looked at maps in “World Atlas.”

Fusaro has seen students find comfort in the plush puppies, which helps them build confidence.

“It adds a lot of comfort especially for struggling readers,” Fusaro said. “It’s a lot less intimidating reading to a snuggly dog. They get a sense of ‘I can do this.’”

First-grade teacher Meg Jones’ class was well into a “pup time” reading block last week as students spread out around the classroom.

“They probably ask 30 times a day when pup time is,” Jones said, smiling.

Jones said the program really helps keep students motivated to read at home, finish a certain number of books or tackle a chapter in a difficult book.

“It really gets them reading outside the classroom,” Jones said.

Last week, the class was rewarded with a pup party after earning points for reading at home.

“We watched ‘Paw Patrol,’ read some dog stories and had pup snacks,” Jones said.

Learning with Lucky encourages students to become more independent readers noting that some students will try and sound out words themselves before asking the teacher, Jones said.

First-grader Conner Mendenhall does just that as he works to sound out the last line of David Shannon’s book “Too Many Toys.”

“It’s the best toy ever,” Mendenhall said, before running up to tell Jones.

At the end of the year the puppies will go home with their owners.

The program’s continuation will depend on if people sponsor a class or multiple classrooms. The cost to sponsor a Learning with Lucky package for 30 students is $750. There can be one or multiple sponsors on a single package.

For more information or how to sponsor a class visit www.learningwithlucky.net.

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.