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KARLSRUHE, Germany (AFP) - – After rescuing stranded people in mountains and hilly terrain and guiding the blind, dogs are now being used in German schools to boost performance in the classroom.
Despite a grainy, grey September morning, the mood is upbeat in a class in Karlsruhe in south-western Germany: and that's largely because Paula -- a six year-old Golden Retriever -- is here.
"Paula, come here," the students cry out one by one as she brings them question papers strewn on the floor. The papers have cork caps so that the canine can access them easily.
Each student pats Paula when she fetches them a paper and rewards her with a croquette.
"Its a pleasure to go to the blackboard, even for maths," said Meryem, a 12-year-old.
"We are all responsible for the dog," added Sergen, 13.
"We cannot disturb her when she is in her corner, we cannot throw things on the floor because she might eat them and we have to see that there is always water in her bowl," he added.
Some parents were sceptical at the start, said teacher Bettina Brecht who has been bringing her dog to the classroom for the past five years.
"Some would ask whether their children would learn anything at school and others were scared their children would be bitten."
But Paula has convinced the doubters, she said.
"A dog breaks the ice between teacher and pupil," Brecht said, adding that she had also helped boost the students' confidence.
Dogs are being brought into some German schools since the end of the 1990s and there are about 120 institutions welcoming canines. They range from primary schools right up to high schools, said Lydia Agsten.
Agsten, who teaches handicapped children at a special facility near Dortmund, however said the figure was an estimate as this phenomenon was not officially recognised in the German educational system.
But some say there is no clear link between canine presence and better grades.
"For the present there is nothing to definitely show that dogs have an impact on students' progress," said Susanne Wille, who is doing a doctorate on the subject.
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Source:[url]http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100922/tls-germany-animal-education-school-dog-aeafa1b.html[/url]
Seems like Germany beat me to find this new creature.
My class only had hamsters and guinea pigs. Fuck, I want a dog as a class pet!
...Hey, if it works, good for them.
If the dog is trained, if the teachers can "use" the dog, then the class would get better, if you get a dog in the class room, everyone would "wahh cool here boy" stuff, however if the dog is trained it would..
Christ, calm down with the bold.
You know,i would purchase this 'dogs' and train them to be North Korean Missionaries :v:
When I looked at the title I imagined scare tactics. Luckily, I was very wrong.
North Korea is worst Korea. :v::respek::fuckyou:
[QUOTE=poopsicle;25000075]Christ, calm down with the bold.[/QUOTE]
its used to label what it says in the news,sorry for that though
My class only had spiders and cockroaches :ohdear:
[QUOTE=Kim_Jong_il;25000125]its used to label what it says in the news,sorry for that though[/QUOTE]
It's better to just use quote tags, usually.
My class had a Nintendo. That's right, an old school Nintendo. Shit was cash.
[img]http://www.uaeprison.com/images/dog_facing_Iraqi_prisoner-prison_abuse_442x345.gif[/img]
Expected this. Not that I encourage it or anything...
Seems like an interesting idea for little kids considering they all love pets, but doubt it'd work up in higher education.
Great idea, not so practical considering a lot of people are allergic to dog fur...
I want a lion as my class pet :(
I got to bring home to class pet one time. We had named him Haverty.
I forgot to feed him.
Sorry guys.
Every time there was a dog that came to our primary school, everyone would spazz the fuck out and cheer around it and it would shit itself then run away.
I wonder how they got the kids here to not go crazy every time the dog was around?
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