fernandejackson: Green Chimneys' Experience with Pets in the Classroom

In a recent blog post, we discussed the involvement of Pets in the Classroom with Green Chimneys, a nationally renowned, non-profit organization that helps children with emotional, behavioral, social and learning challenges with the aid of animals. Our previous post told how the Pets in the Classroom grant program helped provide aquariums for the organization, but we would love for you to hear more about the experience from Ryan Johnson, the Therapeutic Intervention Specialist at Green Chimneys:

It wasn?t long ago that I realized in my personal experience with my own fish tanks, that fish had quite an impact on me. I found myself feeling quite a bit calmer and less anxious when viewing or in the presence of my fish. My idea to get fish tanks into the classrooms began.? My mission was to create a calming and therapeutic environment for the children of Green Chimneys. In my experience with our young people, an intervention that isn?t spoken often has more of an impact on the young person. Fish tanks create a calming environment with no use of words.

My first test was our Quiet/Intervention Room and in the Learning Center. Both of these spaces are used to help calm young people down, when in a state of crisis. Both tanks were set up with the help of children on campus and the children loved the experience of being able to put something together start to finish. All were excited to have their own input on how the ?Home? for the fish should look. While both tanks were in the process of being set up, many of the young people became engaged in the process of ?taking care? of something. Both tanks were established, and immediately created a focal point of therapy within each of its spaces. Children became attached to and highly engaged with the multi-colored fish, and fascinating background and landscapes. They would ask questions, and became quite involved in learning more. Both of these campus spaces had carried a negative connotation with them but they have now taken on a new identity with the addition of the Fish Tanks.

Green Chimneys is identified by its animal-assisted activities, and I thought no better place than here to add animals to our therapeutic team. Fish, although unable to be touched and held, are very valuable to helping our young people. With the help of Dr. Ross, Petco and the Pet CareTrust foundation we were able to receive a grant to purchase fish tanks for the classrooms. Ten classrooms participated in this project and the classes were involved in the process of picking out their own tanks; picking out what it would look like inside, and ultimately which types of fish would be swimming in their classrooms. Our children vary in capabilities, and vary in their ability to calm themselves down. The addition of the fish tanks in the classroom helps young people who cannot actively or effectively express their emotions to find a way to channel that energy. I firmly believe that the therapeutic benefits in these classrooms will be great. It is not every day that young people can take care of something, let alone start a home and take care of a home for something that they call their own.

It?s been several weeks now and the fish tanks in the classrooms are up and running. The process was one that all classrooms were involved with. Each class had the opportunity to fully ?outfit? their own tank and the kids in each room were extremely excited about setting them up. It took some time getting the water and filters in each tank up and running, but it was a success.

The next obstacle we encountered was, ?When can we get fish?? Almost united the kids were about putting new friends into their new homes. The process went well, as staff explained in detail how a new ?Home? for fish takes time. The greatest part was the interaction with each young person was how they shared their own stories of their homes and if the home wasn?t good, the fish wouldn?t live. Without knowing it, these young people were engaging themselves and their peers in therapy sessions, all because of the fish tanks.

After a couple weeks the fish arrived; a very exciting day, indeed, as the new ?classmates? were added into the tanks. A variety of fish were chosen, though the consensus of the kids was to get fish that get along with each other. It was funny listening to the young people wanting to get fish that all could swim together and not fight. It went as far as hearing one very young student ask, ?What would happen, if we all couldn?t get along?? Again, the tanks were creating conversation and helping students model the behavior that was ideal and wanted by each of the young people.

This has been such a wonderful experience and I receive daily questions about fish. We have set up ten ?therapeutic fish tanks? in various classrooms, and now more classes want them. It is so great seeing young people relax and smile in their classrooms due to their new little friends. The process couldn?t have ended any better when ?We have babies!!? was the exclamation from the students of one class. One of the fish that had been purchased was apparently pregnant. This fish gave birth to what we all counted as about 20 baby fish. All classes involved rallied together to make sure that the new babies were taken care of. Many of the kids stopped by daily to check on them, as if they were at the hospital visiting babies in a nursery. This amazing adventure which has just begun has provided so much enjoyment ? I am proud to be a part of it.

Source: http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/2012/03/green-chimneys-experience-with-pets-in-the-classroom/

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