I wanted to acknowledge a very special person who has facilitated our Canine Comprehension program this Term.
We have been so lucky to have Leesa and Lollipop attend our school. The impact they have had on our students has been truly immeasurable, with Tuesdays quickly becoming their favourite day of the week.
During their final session, Leesa received gifts of gratitude from students and their parents, as well as tears from some of our students as they said goodbye. It was a beautiful reflection of the meaningful connection she has built with our students and the positive impact she has had on them.
We are incredibly grateful to Leesa for her time, dedication, kindness and for sharing Lollipop with us. They have certainly left a lasting impression on our school community and will be very dearly missed.
Thank you!
We were so lucky to have Cooper and Sam come weekly to our school and help the children embrace changes in their life and use the zones of regulation with the support of Cooper. WE LOVED IT!
Canine comprehension was such a brilliant program for our students they thrived on having Cooper during the day at school as it made something to look forward to if they were having a bad morning. Samantha was brilliant !!!!! She was such a great educator and really made a point of getting to know the children which made such a beautiful impact
My daughter started sessions in 2020 when she had a massive spike in her anxiety. The canine comprehension sessions quickly became a highlight of her week and really helped reduce her anxiety. She has always loved dogs and so these sessions are perfect to help her recover from a stressful week.
Students have been more comfortable in discussing friendship and communication experiences with each other. They are far more accepting of each other now than at the start of the program.
I have noticed a significant difference in the students’ abilities to identify feelings and express them. They have used different strategies, taught in the program, to understand and regulate these feelings. The activities and feelings strategies were so cleverly weaved into the program that it didn’t feel disjointed or forced.
One student I work with in wellbeing sessions recently came to me following feeling dysregulated and said he used the three Cs to regulate himself. This student has found it difficult to express his feelings and has punched a classroom wall out of frustration in the past. I have had a few students who participated in the program mention that they have used the three Cs to check and change their feelings.
Our school has been privileged to have worked with Canine Comprehension for the past 2 years. I highly recommend the program as it complements the other wellbeing programs we have in place at our school. The tutors and their amazing dogs have done wonders with our students and there has been significant positive change in their abilities to self-regulate and recognise the emotions of others. Thank you so much!