Mosley and Standardized Testing

I told my students that I would be puppysitting Mosley last week, so several students contributed to a welcome sign on the white board for him. After only two school days, Mosley is now the most popular student in my classes.

This is the second week of state core standardized testing, so my students are less than enthusiastic about coming to my class. Can you blame them? I hate to teach during standardized tests because all I do is sit at my desk and stare at my students filling in bubbles all day.

Mosley has made all the difference for core testing this year. Students who always stagger into my class at the last minute are showing up early to pet the puppy. Others’ sleepy eyes wander towards my desk where Mosley is tied down; then a grin literally spreads all the way to those same eyes. It is amazing to watch the instant transformation.

On a side note, every year art students make sculptures of themselves out of packing tape. Today students walked the halls taking pictures with their sculptures in different locations. Two students I've never met before noticed that it was my preparation hour, so they came in and took a picture of their sculpture sitting on a chair with Mosley at its feet.

Hopefully Kyle is as well received next week as Mosley has been thus far this week. Several students are so excited about the idea of training guide dogs that they are already talking to their parents about raising their own guide puppies. We’ll see if any end up attending puppy classes. Kyle might have puppy friends at school next year.