Paws In Practice - Mentor Dan

Upon my arrival at University Park Primary School, I met up with Dan and Bubbles in the car park. Bubbles was her usual joyful self and was rummaging through the grass as we made our way into the school. Being off-lead, Bubbles displayed her enthusiasm for her work when Dan, standing at the school gate, called her. She immediately responded, obviously, eager to see the students. 

Entering the library where the sessions are held, Bubbles quickly sniffed around before settling patiently on her mat, awaiting the students' arrival as Dan set up and wrote the day's learning objectives on the board. A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps filled the room, and Bubbles sat up eagerly, greeting the students as they found their spots on the floor.

Dan began the session by checking in with the students, asking how they were feeling, and reflecting on the previous week's session, which focused on ‘Celebrating the Wins’. One student proudly shared his achievement in a tennis tournament, a significant win for him. Other students talked about helping with chores at home, and to our delight, another student who had not previously spoken in any of the sessions, shared his ideas about chores, highlighting the positive impact of our work.

The session's focus then shifted to "Looking for Challenges," a complex topic for the young group. Dan offered some great suggestions to help the students understand challenges and the motivations needed to overcome them. His manner with the children is very supportive, encouraging each student to contribute their ideas.

To reinforce the learning, Dan took the group outside for some fun with Bubbles. The students were eager to race with Bubbles, so Dan used this opportunity to demonstrate motivation using Bubbles' favourite hamburger toy. The students lined up at the end of the basketball court, and on Dan's command, raced to the other end, with Bubbles enthusiastically participating. After six races, everyone was ready to return inside to conclude the session. Once back on the mat, the students reflected on the races and recognised the link between Bubbles' motivation and their own efforts.

Dan then demonstrated the tool used to file Bubbles' nails. Since Bubbles is uneasy with the sound of the file, Dan asked the children to help calm her by brushing and soothing her. This activity allowed the students to observe Bubbles' fear response and how she managed to endure the nail filing with their support. It also provided a calming opportunity for the students after their active time outside.

The session finished with Dan going through the learning intentions on the board and ticking off what they had completed. Thank you, Dan and Bubbles, for allowing me to share in this wonderful session.