There was Eddie, a 13-week old brown and white Basset hound with ears so long he stumbled over them, and Marley, a 10-month-old Lhasa Apso, who ran and played non-stop for an hour, then suddenly flopped down on his belly to take a break.
Life’s tough. Who couldn’t identify?
The antics of these pups and three others brought smiles and plenty of laughter to 50 teachers and teacher assistants gathered last week in the gymnasium at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. The late-start school day accommodated early morning hours for what the school calls “Whole Teacher” staff development.
Whole Teacher activities are intended to reduce stress and have included scrapbooking, card games, meditation, reading, candlelight yoga, basketball, weightlifting, and more, but on this day, it was ‘Hug-a-puppy.” The pups, all owned by staff members, were teaching the teachers how to relax.
“There’s a lot of pressure for teachers with meeting the demands of improving test scores and addressing the emotional needs of kids who struggle academically,” said Eric Briseno, principal at Eisenhower. “A lot of people say teachers only work 10 months a year, but many work on Saturdays and during the summer just to keep the kids on track. We have to do this if we are going to close the gap.”
Eisenhower High School employs approximately 150 teachers and serves 1,800 students in Blue Island, Robbins, Merrionette Park and Alsip.
Eighty-four percent of students live at the poverty level, according to the school’s state report card, and many reside in households with just one parent, Briseno said. “Both of these factors make inspiring students to learn more challenging for teachers. Plus, students’ personal challenges often weigh heavily on teachers’ minds.”
Education efforts are further hampered by new concerns such as vaping, opioid addiction, and marijuana use, which can inhibit cognitive development, he said.
More Top Picks Best Calligraphy Sets For Beginners
“Teachers seem to be under the most pressure about four months out of the school year — October and November, and February and March,” Briseno said, adding that these months involve preparation for high school achievement tests and college entrance testing.
“We see the dogs as a way of providing good stress relief,” he said, turning the morning’s lesson over to his own dog, Ivy, an 8-month-old German wire-haired pointer.
Ivy tussled momentarily with Ollie, a 1-year-old mix breed who likes to chase balls. The two came up from the scrum, beaming with tales wagging. The scene brought a warm response from nearby teachers seated on the gymnasium floor.
“I feel just seeing the dogs frolicking and playing with each other is a great way to start the day,” said Karen Krueger, Ollie’s owner and the school’s director of curriculum for foreign language and English language learners.
Orla, a 13-week old German shepherd, gave a lesson in willpower after being told to hold off on gobbling a treat offered by her owner, Mike Ryan, assistant superintendent of human resources for the district. He signaled the dog to start eating and one of the teachers said, “That a girl!”
“It’s great seeing the staff in —his environment,” Ryan said. “It goes a long way toward helping them get comfortable and feel relaxed. There’s something about dogs that just brings the tension down.”
“I don’t think any student can upset me today after seeing these puppies,” said Cheryl Sansone, a forensic science and biology teacher at the school for 20 years.
“We have a good retention rate for employees, Briseno said. “People who come to work here generally don’t leave, and I think it’s because we do things like this.”
Susan DeGrane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
