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    Use of wild and domestic animals to stimulate interest and motivation for learning

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    Use of wild and domestic animals to stimulate interest and motivation for learning

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    7 views11 pages

    Animals in Therapeutic Education

    Uploaded by

    Raftor
    Use of wild and domestic animals to stimulate interest and motivation for learning

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 11
    Children and Nature Psychological, Sociocultural, and Evolutionary Investigations Edited by Peter H. Kahn, Jz and Stephen R. Kellert ‘The MIT Press Cambridge, Mastacusets London, Ealand \ \7 | Animals in Therapeutic Education: Guides into the Liminal State ‘Aaron Katcher ‘and mimals in thecapeatcsetngs. In the presence of animale highly aggressive children behave more cooperatively, home ess antagonistic, and display greater social competence (Kaye, 1984; Rosset aly 1984, Karcher 8¢ Wikis, 1993, 2000). Children with a wide varory of diag: noses who are nonverbal or wihdeawa in the presence of adults become ‘ore socially tractive and ae abe to engage in dialogue more fely ‘with Iss physiological arousal (Fine, 2000). The findings sugges chat the presence ofthe animal permits a favorable redefnicon ofboth the self and adult caregivers. This season in social atracivenss esis in many respects co that seen when normal adult interact in the pres nce of pets (Fredisann, 2000). While the biopilia hypothesis night explain why animale bold chldre’s attention and lowee arora, and ideas centered around neotoay of domestic animale might preict the decrease in aggression, there is no good explanation ofthe favorable | aleason of social perceptions. This chapter explores an explanation of tose eee in terms oft eae: Victor Turner's des of iinality fom the domain of anthropology (Tuenes, 1982) and D. W. Winnicn’ idea | ofthe transitional object fom poychoanalyis(Wianicot, 1971) | “This chapeer seks to explain the resls of interaction between chldcen | | | Asinls, Childe, and Therapy For the past 10 years Dr, Witkins and have buen studying the elects of therapeutic education stractaed arouad eare of animals snd nature study inthe residential reatment of children with autism, developmen: tal disocdees,atention deficit hyperscivity disorder (ADHD), conduct 180 Aaron Katcher isordes, and oppositiona-defant disorder We have also observed che ‘les of smile programs in thee publicschoos with chien in special ‘edvetion who are usually diagnosed as seriously emotionally dstarbed (SED) or Isening disabled (LD). Chideen have been studied in nine settings, and the resus have been documented with controlled clini- ‘al el atone residential treatment cenes,coceational studies at the Same cents clinical cae histories, nd analysis fecal incidents fanec- otal information) at all nine centers, "The model forthe treatment method was developed for resdensial teearment of sere ADD, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct, fisoeder and then Inter applied to childven with otber diagnoses Although the treatmenc methods and rests have been reported elsc- where [Katcher &e Wilkins, 1993, 98,2000, it i necessary ro describe them bel to juny the theoretical analysis offered below. In al of the sine diferent sites the enter of acivity was a building ora clascoom housing a collection of animals that was referred ro a8 a “companionable 200" and tat was administered by peocedues outlined in @ manual of opeatons (Katcher & Wilkins, 2001). The animals common to al the companionahle zoos inloded rabbis, gerbils, guinea pigs bitds most often parakeet, conatiel, and parrot), ferrets, chis- hills, gnanas, trl, frogs, and tropical Sth. nsx facies thee was tlso.a barn and an outtoor paddock area fr seal fam animal. These included miniature horses, dwarf gous, porbelliel pigs, sheep, and chicken. Some 2008 had more exodc animals suchas wallabies o sugar sliders eis our impession that che kinds of animals were not sga- ant although thir number may have been, in thatthe 2005 nceded ‘hough animals ro create an enviconment cha was distinct different from an ordinary classroom. It wa also important that most students ‘ere uafaniliar with ¢ least some ofthe animals as fear and novel played cols in directing and shaping the childens responses. In add tion to che cages, fb, sd tanks for the animal, the rooms contained space for storage of fed and bedding, a table fo conferences and di ‘ssons small Bbrary of mature magezines and fl guides, and com= puters for working with the many compact diss devoted ro animals, cology, aid natural histor. There was sufficient wall and shelf space for the display of extwork and “Eound objects” from natuee was. In Avinale Terspentic Bduesion 181 the classrooms there was coletion of plants in the windows, andthe 200 buldings bad gardens nearby. ln the six cesdenialsesags and the private day school the childcen ‘ame to the onsite companionable 208 for ewo t0 five hours a week tring regular school hours, ding which ime specially ened instruc tors dneted their activites. In the publis schools, the snimals were housed in he special education dassrnoms, but insrtion centered of the animals or ieratcion wi th animal algo occupied about 1wo to five hours a week. The regula special education teacher was responsible for the 200 progeam. On staring the 200 program the cidsen fest leaned general mot cvientation toward the animals and natural seins. They were told ‘atthe anioals welfare i central concern chat takes precedence ores teaching or recreational actives. They were abo given swo prime dice: tives tall softly and move gery around the animals and respect the animals, other student, and staff, Having students sign contacts reinforced che overarching moral structure of the 200 program. One contract commited rudent fo genealcreof al f the animal, another rmore specific contract was signed when a child adopted an animal and third was signed when a sudent wished te bese an animal and pledged to finda place for any offspring. The 200 was the ony place in the insti- ‘ation hat had purpose and moral clits tae was not ently focesed con ce individual tudes. In the 200 the animals had prorgy over ater concerns, and the child was expeceed to do moze than not break cules He or she was expected to participate in the work of animal cate and actively suppor, through cooperation wih pees and staf, the welfare ‘ofthe animals. The students responded to this demand by peccising the ‘work ofthe z00 co be ral and meaning "lewhez in che ination the children's behavior was contol by 1 poine system, Such systems give students point for good behaviors (a defined by the insition} and subtract points for bad behaviors. The points can be exchange for goods or privileges. The systems are usally heavily weighted toward the avoidance of had behaviors s that time ‘without antisocial behavior earns the mos poins. Helping othe sie ‘dents with homework or chores usually doesnot ca pat. In genera cooperative or peosocal behavice is poorly sewarded. As 9 rele the 182 Aaron Katcher sendent is focuid most exclaivly on earaing points for his own henefc and has no responsibilities for the welfare of hs pecs. His behav- toris ealuable only whe i eens him rowaeds, Morality is reduced to onomic sefnterest. The stadentsrecogalzed that the reward syst ‘Sos ecirary and ado meaning ouside of che instwion, Tenning ia the 200 prograis was broken up into smal nits, Most nite centred on an anita inthe 200 and contained both ast of skis to be mastered (leaning a cage, changing food and wate ot holding an ‘himl proper) and a knowledge ser cat contained some general state thents about i biology and behavior and explained the reguizements forthe animal care. Other units explored actives suchas gardenings ‘aking sat packs, visting pet stores, camping, fishin, fire sfey dete ‘fying posonous plants and isees, and gathering food in the wild “These iss acrites combined sll, factual information, and moral “The moval istrcton was offered in asscciation with the tasks per~ formed a the 290 or the demande ofthe places being visited, The units tf lowed described proper social lehavir in pet stores a stat em xpos in sate and national pas, on camping expeditions, and Srotker schools or istttions during demonstrations of thei animals Inthe 0 cides were frequent reminded ofthe prime injunetons ro behave gem and respect others. Where problems wit aking tims oF pattie insu arose they were talked through thei outage and asked to consier the others point of view: ‘During the period of abseration 200 animals became the reference point for moral reasoning. Stadene were asked co think about shit Chiml needs, want, hts, and staze of ing a a preliminary step for Texsoning aboot the condition of ote peopl. The cil’ socal pet Spective was fst directed roward the animal, which could be reasoned hour becuse dhe child didnot deploy 2 set of somatic negative defer Sine ations co explain the animal’ behaviors. For example hires ‘Ge not become angey when bit, as they were with some ffequency by the small rodens in the z00% coletion. They explained the biting tr defensive: “He was frightened,” “T hld him co tightly.” *Y reached J the cage t00 quickly” Nor did hey inexpret the animal's defensive Animole in Therapie cation 183 cctiriy as sk. [fan animal responded to ther attempts 0 old ie by struggling or accvelyattempsing to escape is behavior was legitimized in tems of some need of the animal o¢ error in approach by the child, ‘One child who was permitted o adopt an iat adule chinchilla pee sisted in tying to gentle the animal for to months before giving up, saying early, “I ig’ that Y dont like him. 1 think bes ast mean,” While “being mean” was immediately offered as an explanation for hhuman behavioy, ic eguiced several months of testing befoce thie boy vas willing eo atebute iro an animal. The concept of respect was dif- fut forthe children to grasp a purely human context, where for them it denoted only dhe recognition of dominance, bu they could appeehend it when applied tothe animals because 20 salient competition exited becween child and animal. Ths, afer establishing some consensus with the instructors about what the "imate" wants, neds, and moti tions of animals entailed, the children could then begin to reason about people This moral easonng that maved from contemplating the animal to developing new ideas about people wae failtated hy thee lay in ‘hich the animals took on a varity of different identities and played fout a set of human roles, The imaginary society of animals playing human roles was always more benign than thee own working model of human society. The roles thatthe animals played as bearers of human anributes were noted by the school psychologists. They observed that evens inthe 200 lke births and deachs were talked about a therapy sex sons and thatthe discussion then moved to previosly repressed reac- sonst similar event in the chills family if "The we of animals as characters in moray plays was part of the Jnstruction, bur the chidzen spent as mach of more te playing with ‘heir animal. That play could be pure fantasy, with the animals as ‘characters and with piping and seraps of wood as prope to give fancitel purpose and desination to their seuteying, Whea cai tcned a rave walk into an ephemeral pond, the childcen brought the cles and iguanas outside and played Jurassic Park. They drew plenues of thet animals in various roles and guises that could be renked along an. axis ranging from realistic to anthropomorphic to moastous. They wrote stores about this pts chat almost always lined the author and the pet 106 Aaron Katcher in joint action or shaced identi. Tec play combined whac they learned feom thei sons and expesience about the animal's reality with all he axcibates of animale in folk tle, Ss, cartoons and fey eles ‘Although the quancatve dats have bean gatbeced largely fom chil dion with atention deficit disorder and conduc dsoedes, the results of enistnen in the activities ofthe 200 have been consistent across all diagnostic eategois. Contact wit animals and natural stings was an ‘ellective means of entrsining and holding the children's ateotion. The Alicecion of etetion was also associated in inhibiion of rapid physical responses problem in these children, especially when the situation was novel or the chldwen were anxious or uncertain, Te inhibition of phys jeal responding in ten was ssociated with inceasng time for rection fand more verbal behavior in the form of questions about the animal “Those quetons generted a teaching dialogue where the knowledge colfered matched the children’ need to now. The teacher, che animal, and the student created & zone of proximal development (in Vygosky’s terminology, 1986), where the social phase of learning could ake place (Tharp & Gallimore, 1990). The capacity of animals or nature to focus stcention extended £0 the lessons formally stucured around animals. ven children wih quite limited imteligenceor capacity to follow verbal Aicections persed in leaning the skills and information necessary for them o handle the animals. "When the cilcen entered the program, there was an ieumediate crease in hose and aggresive bebavior: In the campus where the con trolled srudy tok place, Bghts or aggessvecnsodes requiring physical restrain of students wore daly eecurcencet. Inthe fse six moaths of the controled sudy we would have expected 35 physical resraincs ring the time the chien were inthe 200 program, but we observed ‘one Inthe ane years since the conclusion ofthe study thas never been ecesaty to retain a child in any ofthe residential programs. Any prob- ems with aggression chat ocerted were managed by brief periods of “ime out” from 20 atvtes, Since thece have been 11 instructors over the yes inthe 2008 and none of ehem have had to se physical estan ive are confident thatthe decrease in aggression isa rae eee of the rogram and not real of the exteanedinary personal skills of a few teachers Aviv n Thorpeie Bavcotion 185 Cooperative behavior beeween peers was mach more obvious in the 200 program than anywhere in the rst of the isttutions. Children bpd each other with cleaing cage, the 200, ofthe grounds. They worked with the 200 instructors to gather and stack firewood, which asa means of earning money forthe 200. They helped each other ina variety of ways on camping, fishing, and hiking tips. Angry rauncing provocative behavior was not absent by any means, but it was subdued, ‘old be controlled by verbal interenson fram the instructors, and did ot escalate. ‘The change in behavior towatd pers was dramati, but the children response t9 adults in the 200 was perhaps the most distinctive aspct of the program's ambiance. The children's relationships with the 200 ingcuetors had qualities noe sen in the zest ofthe ingtation. The cil dren acceped the authority of the 200 instructors as legitimate and ot imposed by force or insttational contol. They approached chem foe Information, accepted heir decisions and gave them the status of experts Jn domains that were both important ro them and part of what they

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