Animals have been proven to provide positive benefits to humans in a variety of ways. But did you know that animals can also help students learn?
Animals play a vital role in making our planet run smoothly. Our lives, our ecosystem, and the environment depend heavily on animals. Animals are often used in educational settings to help students learn. They can provide children with a sense of responsibility, teach them about the natural world, and even help them to develop empathy and compassion.
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How do Animals Help Students Learn?
There is a wide body of research that demonstrates the positive impact of animals on children’s learning and development. So how can animals help students learn? Professional essay writers described a few ways:
Animals Help Students Learn Social and Emotional Skills
They provide comfort and support, and can help reduce stress and anxiety. Animals can also teach responsibility, empathy, and compassion.
Interacting with animals has been shown to increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone that is associated with happiness and stress relief. Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the “cuddle hormone” because it is released when people hug, touch, or sit close to someone else.
Several studies have found that having a pet can help reduce anxiety and stress in children and adults. One study found that students who had a classroom pet had lower levels of anxiety than those who did not have a pet.
Another study found that people who had a dog or cat were less likely to experience depression than those who did not have a pet. Pets can also help people feel less lonely and isolated.
Animals Can Teach Us About Cooperation and Teamwork
Many animals live in groups and have to cooperate in order to survive. By observing how animals work together, students can learn about the importance of cooperation and teamwork.
They Teach Responsibility and Empathy
Caring for a pet can teach children responsibility and empathy. They learn how to take care of another living creature, and how to deal with the challenges that come with it. This can be a valuable lesson for children, who may not have had much experience caring for others.
Language, Literacy and Communication Skills
Animals can help children to develop their speaking and listening skills. This is because they provide a non-judgmental audience for children to practice their communication skills with. In addition, animals can also help to teach children how to pay attention and listen carefully, as they will need to do in order to understand what the animal is trying to communicate.
Physical Development
Pets can also help to support children’s physical development. Caring for a pet requires children to use a variety of fine and gross motor skills, such as pouring food or water, stroking and brushing fur, and walking a dog on a lead. These activities can help to develop children’s hand-eye coordination, as well as their strength and dexterity. Playing with a pet can also encourage children to be active and get regular exercise, which is important for their physical health.
Emotional Development
Pets can offer companionship and unconditional love, which can be beneficial for children’s emotional development.
Cognitive Benefits
In addition to the emotional benefits, there are also many cognitive benefits to having pets in the classroom. Studies have shown that children who interact with animals have better reading comprehension skills, improved problem-solving abilities, and increased attention spans.
Pets can also help create a more positive and inviting learning environment. When children feel comfortable and relaxed in their surroundings, they are more likely to engage in learning activities and be successful in school.
A Dog for Every School
A living corner is not a new idea, but how many schools have one nowadays? Meanwhile, British scientists have proven that animals in the classroom have a positive effect on children.
Students can sometimes struggle to cope with their stress levels while studying. So, writing a research paper or essay can be a big source of stress for many students. What can help them? Of course, socializing with pets! You may have had a petting area at your school, but that initiative was always left up to management. What about turning it into a widespread pedagogical practice?
In March 2019, the University of Buckingham’s Well-Being in Education conference was held. The main theme of the conference was to discuss how to respond to stressful situations in adolescents. Participants made an interesting suggestion. What if we provide every school with a dog so that a student could forget their problems while playing with a pet? Anthony Seldon, vice chancellor of Buckingham University, stated that this solution would be “extremely effective and help children feel calmer at school.”
It is possible that in the near future the presence of at least one dog in every school in Britain will become obligatory. The initiative was also supported by the Minister of Education of Great Britain, Damian Hinds. He believes that special attention should be paid to the mental condition of children at school, because they are growing up surrounded by images of ideal life from social networks. No more blindly chasing academic achievement!
Anthony Seldon argues that children tend to share experiences with animals much more easily than with humans, which is why every school in the country should have at least one dog: “It’s hard to think of an easier and more effective method.” Interestingly, some institutions in Great Britain already put this idea into practice: pets often appear during exams to reassure students.
The United States is not far behind the UK. Many schools in Norwich, New York State, have so-called therapy dogs. They help new students adjust to their new surroundings, and petting a dog before an exam has become an obligatory ritual, because how can you be nervous when there is such support.
The San Andrea School in Malta employs several dogs. They are specially trained to listen attentively and patiently when children read books aloud to them. This has a positive effect on children who have trouble reading.
In the above article, we have discussed the benefits of having pets in the Classroom as well as how animals help the students in many ways. If you like it, please share it with friends and family members.