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by Bestfriends.org
Jul 2, 2007
/blockquote>
Are you a teacher who’s thinking about keeping a rabbit
in your classroom? If so, here are some things to
consider. First, ask yourself what you want your students
to learn from the experience. If you want them to learn to
treat all creatures responsibly, with respect and care,
you’ll want to ensure th...See More/blockquote>
Are you a teacher who’s thinking about keeping a rabbit
in your classroom? If so, here are some things to
consider. First, ask yourself what you want your students
to learn from the experience. If you want them to learn to
treat all creatures responsibly, with respect and care,
you’ll want to ensure that you provide an appropriate
example for the students. The experience should be
positive not only for the students, but for the bunny as
well.
So, before you get a rabbit, learn as much as you can
about rabbits and their care. The House Rabbit Society
website ([link removed].
/blockquote>
Hello! I had a red eared slider for 5 years, but sold it
to another teacher before I changed jobs. I loved it!!!
That was with 2nd grade. Now, I will be teaching K. I
want something that is different than the "typical" class
pet like a guinea pig or fish. I thought about a
hedgehog, but I am afraid of th...See More/blockquote>
Hello! I had a red eared slider for 5 years, but sold it
to another teacher before I changed jobs. I loved it!!!
That was with 2nd grade. Now, I will be teaching K. I
want something that is different than the "typical" class
pet like a guinea pig or fish. I thought about a
hedgehog, but I am afraid of the spines. I would like
something low maintenance and, from what I can tell, the
best bet would be a beta, rat, or frogs. Any other
suggestions???? THanks!
/blockquote>
You said:
"First, you generalize that all teachers give up their
pets to whoever may want them or that all teachers hand
them over to a pet shelter at the end of the year. Many
teachers take their pets home at the end of the year and
during long breaks."
My reply:
Please read my post again. Th...See More/blockquote>
You said:
"First, you generalize that all teachers give up their
pets to whoever may want them or that all teachers hand
them over to a pet shelter at the end of the year. Many
teachers take their pets home at the end of the year and
during long breaks."
My reply:
Please read my post again. The adjective "all" is not
used--even once. "Frequently" and "often" are the the
adjectives used in the post.
Unfortunately, although many teachers accept full
responsibility for the classroom pets in their care, there
are also many who do not. I have first-hand knowledge of
horror stories of classroom pets who have suffered
untimely deaths due to poor planning and/or neglect and/or
failure to seek proper veterinary treatment. Moreover, the
plight of classroom pets is a significant enough concern
that non-profit organizations such as the Humane Society
of the United States (HSUS) and the American Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)allocate a
portion of their precious limited resources to educate
parents and teachers about the issues surrounding
classroom pets. See [link removed]
[link removed]
You said:
Second, pets are pets. I can honestly say I do not see an
end to caged pets such as hamsters, guinea pigs, fish,
turtles, etc. Sad? Yes, but true. I applaud your fervor
on this subject and encourage you to discuss your point of
view with your students; however, everyone is entitled to
an opinion. Your students may not agree with you and you
probably will have many students who do have caged pets at
home. Perhaps discussing responsible choices and
consequences of bad choices would benefit children and
prove to be a more realistic lesson.
My reply:
I do not understand what you mean by "pets are pets." Many
people did not see --or,more accurately, did not want to
see--the end to such injustices as slavery, inequality of
women, etc...in the past. Just Because a wrong is deeply
entrenched does not mean we should accept it, or even
worse, to teach that the unjust behavior is OK.
According to the famous anthropologist Margaret Mead,
human societies teach their children the difference
between acceptable and unacceptable killing by teaching
them acceptable behaviour toward animals. The larger and
more anonymous a society, the more likely it is that
children will not be taught the proper cues without an
organized program. Thus she argues that appropriate
behaviour toward animals be part of school curricula.
The link between violence against animals and violence
against humans is supported by conclusive evidence. It is
alarming that animal violence perpetrators are younger and
their crimes are increasingly violent. While the first
signs of violence tend to manifest themselves against
animals, they often snowball into acts of violence against
humans.
The FBI has recognized the link for some time. In addition
many legislatures acknowledge the importance of preventing
animal cruelty. In fact, thirty-eight states have upgraded
their animal cruelty laws to felony status. While
the passage of these stronger laws is an important step,
efforts are needed to prevent violence before it begins,
to foster the traits of respect, responsibility, and
empathy in today’s youth towards all forms of life and the
environment.
Education offers an effective vehicle to accomplish this
objective. Education professionals are encouraging
teachers and parents to teach kindness and respect
towards all beings, because if children “live with love
and compassion, they learn to be loving and compassionate.
But if children live with a disregard for the welfare of
other living things, they are likely to become callous and
uncaring.” Humane education not only provides knowledge
about animals and their care but develops empathy,
respect, sensitivity, responsibility, self control and self
esteem. Including humane education as part of the regular
school curriculum makes sure all children learn
appropriate behaviours, not just those fortunate enough to
come from stable, caring home environments.
You said:
Next, I believe that classroom pets are good "tools" for
teaching life science. You mentioned that there are other
hands-on activities to teach about life science and
responsibility. Yes, but how authentic are they? Please
share the hands on activities that allow children to be an
eyewitness and chart daily feeding habits of different
species of fish or witness and chart the life cycle of a
butterfly?
My reply:
Animals in the classroom are sentient beings—capable of
awareness, feeling, and suffering—and humans have an
ethical obligation to refrain from behaviors which
inflict suffering upon these animals. Sentient beings
deserve an environment and conditions which allow them to
fulfill their natural behaviors and achieve a state
of well-being--a key life science lesson to for us and our
students to learn as our earth faces impending
environmental ruin!!!
There is a wealth of excellent hands on activities that
teachers can choose from. Here are just a few:
*Free online lessons and activity sheets by class subject
at [link removed]
*Humane Education Advocate Reaching Teachers Resources
[link removed]
*National Association of Humane and Environmental Education
[link removed]
*Share the World
Suggested Age Range: Ages 8-10
Item Type: Curriculum, teachers’ guide, video, worksheets,
poster
Description: Six-page teachers’ guide, 28-minute video,
nine reproducible worksheets, and a 17”x22” full-color
poster
Price: Free
Suitable for the Following Subjects: Ethics, health,
language arts, math, science, social studies, Spanish
Share the World is an educational program that is designed
to help your students better understand and appreciate the
animals with whom we share our world. The program promotes
compassion and empathy for animals while allowing students
to practice their reading, writing, and math skills.
• The Amazing World of Animals introduces students to the
unique and complex world of animals by demonstrating some
of their spectacular characteristics and abilities.
It also shows the many ways in which humans and animals
are similar.
• Worksheet 1 PDF, html, Answers
• Animals and Their Feelings reveals the variety of
feelings—including love, pain, and sadness—that animals
share with us. Activities and reading assignments are used
to build empathy in students.
• Worksheet 2 PDF, html, Answers
• Worksheets 5-8 (Reading) PDF, html
• Changing Times, Changing Minds allows students to
explore the ways in which the use of animals has changed
over the years and the ways in which technological
advances have made the use of animals unnecessary.
• Worksheet 3 PDF, html, Answers
• Making Humane Choices encourages students to follow the
Golden Rule in their interactions with animals by
presenting five situations and asking students how they
should respond to them.
The poster reads, “Everyone Matters: Share the World” and
includes a full-color drawing of a variety of people and
animals, holding hands, fins, paws, and wings and
dancing in a circle on top of the Earth. View the poster
here. For more information, visit [link removed].
*ASPCA Animal Land
[link removed]
*Institute for Humane Eduction-offering workshops and
certificate & master degree programs
[link removed]
You said:
Finally, I like to think that all teachers are caring
individuals and do not leave all daily care
responsibilities solely to the discretion of their young
students. Pets are living creatures that should be treated
humanely and cared for with the highest level of
attention. A really good, caring teacher will TEACH his or
her students these values and responsibilities AND will
act as a guide to ensure the safety and well-being of the
class pet(s). A good teacher uses any responsible means to
make learning interesting, engaging, and meaningful.
My reply:
Amen
/blockquote>
Here's a good article from the Humane Society with
information on choosing an appropriate classroom pet.
/blockquote>
I just got a hamster and I am thinking about taking it to my
class this fall. Anyone have any tips? What about the weekend?
/blockquote>
I am thinking about a millipede as a classroom pet. Does
anybody know anything about them.
/blockquote>
We have a red beta that seems to be doing ok, but the
water turns to a rusty red color after a couple of days.
Any ideas? We have had betas for almost 3 years now, and
this has never happened. Yes, we do have the plant in a
vase with the beta.
Has anyone seen this before?
/blockquote>
I am thinking about rats for my classroom but I would like
to set up a really interesting environment for them. Any
suggestions? What else do they need for proper care? Can
they be handled well?
/blockquote>
Would a lizard of some sort make a good classroom pet?
What are the pros and cons of this type of animal?
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Teacher Chatboards
On 7/02/07, Bestfriends.org wrote:
>
> Are you a teacher who’s thinking about keeping a rabbit
> in your classroom? If so, here are some things to
> consider. First, ask yourself what you want your students
> to learn from the experience. If you want them to learn to
> treat all cre...See More