Animal-assisted education
The Animal-assisted pedagogy builds on the experience in animal-assisted therapy on.
history
In the 1960s, the American child psychotherapist Boris M. Levinson accidentally discovered the effect of his dog during a therapy session, which mediated between him and a child and thus gave Levinson access to this child for the first time. Levinson often dealt with children in his practice who exhibited disorders in their group behavior . He noticed that children were much more responsive when his dog, a retriever , was around. This experience prompted him to include animals in his treatment concept.
Since the late 1970s we can speak of worldwide research in the field of animal-assisted therapy, and in recent years animals have also established themselves as therapeutic helpers in Germany. It is known that animals are used as co-therapists, for example in dolphin therapy, therapeutic riding, as assistance dogs for the disabled and in visiting services in old people's homes. In the last few years animals have established themselves as therapeutic helpers in Germany. Animal-assisted education, which is still in its infancy in Germany, is based on this scientifically sound approach.
Content
Animal-assisted education uses the positive and unique effect of animals in upbringing and education . The link between animal-assisted pedagogy and environmental education has as yet untapped potential to build more environmental awareness in future generations and to guide them to sustainable action. The connection with the promotion of physical activity includes the chance to inspire children and young people for physical activity. Youth farms have been doing educational work with animals since the 1980s. Small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs, but also chickens, ducks, geese, sheep and goats, as well as dogs, horses ( therapeutic riding ) and donkeys offer the children closeness and a home, as well as the opportunity to learn and practice responsibility and social behavior.
Examples
School dogs are regularly used in schools to provide targeted support to teachers in their educational work with their students.
Language dogs are used to actively and emotionally support children in language learning. The language dog is accompanied by an educational language supporter.
Reading promotion with dogs shows great success in motivating children with reading difficulties to read (aloud).
Cane pedagogy is based on a curative pedagogical concept and offers so-called behavioral children and adolescents help to educate them about the pedagogically supported handling of dogs.
In contrast to other dog-assisted educational offers such as B. Therapy dog , school dog , visiting dog or reading dog (Lesehund® -READ®) do not use specially trained dogs, but only use untrained dogs.
Special educational vaulting encourages children and young people through the horse medium individually and in a resource-oriented way, especially in their personal development.
See also
literature
- Theres Germann-Tillmann, Lily Merklin and Andrea Stamm Näf: Animal-assisted interventions: the multi-professional approach . Hans Huber Verlag, Bern 2014, 352 pages, ISBN 978-3-456-85416-8 .
- Andrea Beetz: Dogs in everyday school life , basics and practice, Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3497023196
- Corinna Möhrke: Canepädagogik: Help for education with and through the dog , 2nd, corrected and supplemented edition, Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-8442-3318-6
- Monika Vernooij, Silke Schneider: Handbook of animal-assisted intervention. Basics - Concepts - Fields of Practice , 3rd corrected and updated edition, Wiebelsheim 2013, ISBN 978-3-494-01550-7
- Katrin Wiedemann: Animal pedagogy , Association of Youth Farms and Active Playgrounds, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-9810096-3-7
- Lydia Agsten: HuPäSch: Dogs in schools - and everything will be fine !? , BOD, 2009, ISBN 978-3837035049
- Sylvia Greiffenhagen: Animals as Therapy: New Paths in Education and Healing , 1991
- Kimberly Ann Grobholz: "Tammy tells ... my life as a reading dog", Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-656-10082-9
- Theres Germann-Tillmann, Bernadette Roos Steiger: "Animal-assisted therapy in deprivation of liberty". Pabst Science Publishers, Lengerich 2019, ISBN 978-3-95853-451-3