The first part of the original research I did was an open-ended survey for both the students and teacher with a pet in their classroom at an elementary school. Only one open-ended question was asked for the teacher. “Do you like having a pet in the classroom?” The teacher thought it was helpful for the class to have an animal to help care for, teaching responsibility as well as academic subjects. “The guinea pig helps the students with learning math, science, and even helps the shy kids read aloud.” The teacher was also given a multiple-choice survey. The multiple-choice part had questions like how long have you been teaching? Any pets at home? What lessons students learn with pet if any? The same open-ended question was asked to the students.
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The teacher had a different survey (same as first teacher) than the students did. The teacher was asked questions like what grade do you teach, size of class, choice of pet, have any pets at home/what kind, etc. Students were asked their choice of pet, if they had any pets at home/what kind, if they wanted a class pet, and what grade they were in: kindergarten. I also talked to a teacher who had recently lost a class pet fish. The teacher told me that she used building a fish tank as a class project. Each of the children had a special job: filling the tank with water(several children), decorating the tank, finding a spot in the room for the tank, putting the fish inside the tank, etc. After the fish died, the teacher incorporated a lesson about the life cycle and coping with loss.
1. Which grade do you teach?
• Kindergarten
• First grade• Second grade • Third grade• Fourth grade• Fifth grade
2. How many students do you have in your classroom daily?
• 0-10• 11-20 • 21-30 • 31-40 • 41-50 • 51-60 • 61-70 • 71-80 • 81-90 • 91-100 • 101+
3. How long have you been a teacher (years)?
• 0-3• 4-6• 7-10 • 11-13 • 14-17 • 18-20 • 21+
4. Do you currently own a pet in your home?
• Yes• No
5. Which type(s) of pet(s) do you have in your home? (Check all that …show more content…
How do you plan to use your classroom pet? (check all that apply)
• Teach formal lessons utilizing the pet• The pet is there to interact with, but there is no formal teaching plan involving the pet• Use interactions with the pet as a reward for the students• Other
8. Approximately how much interaction does your classroom pet receive from your students on a daily basis?
• 30 minutes or less • 30-60 minutes• 1-2 hours• 2-4 hours• More than 4 hours
9. If you had to choose only one, which of these is the main/primary benefit your students receive from having a classroom pet?
• Learn empathy• Learn responsibility• Learn social skills• Learn animal care and compassion • Learn about science and nature• Other
10. Complete this sentence: “My classroom pet helps my students __________.”
• Learn empathy and respect for others
• Learn responsibility• Learn social skills that improve their interactions with others• Learn animal care• Learn self-care• Learn about science and nature via animals
• Get excited and happy about school• Feel comfortable in the
The teacher had a different survey (same as first teacher) than the students did. The teacher was asked questions like what grade do you teach, size of class, choice of pet, have any pets at home/what kind, etc. Students were asked their choice of pet, if they had any pets at home/what kind, if they wanted a class pet, and what grade they were in: kindergarten. I also talked to a teacher who had recently lost a class pet fish. The teacher told me that she used building a fish tank as a class project. Each of the children had a special job: filling the tank with water(several children), decorating the tank, finding a spot in the room for the tank, putting the fish inside the tank, etc. After the fish died, the teacher incorporated a lesson about the life cycle and coping with loss.
1. Which grade do you teach?
• Kindergarten
• First grade• Second grade • Third grade• Fourth grade• Fifth grade
2. How many students do you have in your classroom daily?
• 0-10• 11-20 • 21-30 • 31-40 • 41-50 • 51-60 • 61-70 • 71-80 • 81-90 • 91-100 • 101+
3. How long have you been a teacher (years)?
• 0-3• 4-6• 7-10 • 11-13 • 14-17 • 18-20 • 21+
4. Do you currently own a pet in your home?
• Yes• No
5. Which type(s) of pet(s) do you have in your home? (Check all that …show more content…
How do you plan to use your classroom pet? (check all that apply)
• Teach formal lessons utilizing the pet• The pet is there to interact with, but there is no formal teaching plan involving the pet• Use interactions with the pet as a reward for the students• Other
8. Approximately how much interaction does your classroom pet receive from your students on a daily basis?
• 30 minutes or less • 30-60 minutes• 1-2 hours• 2-4 hours• More than 4 hours
9. If you had to choose only one, which of these is the main/primary benefit your students receive from having a classroom pet?
• Learn empathy• Learn responsibility• Learn social skills• Learn animal care and compassion • Learn about science and nature• Other
10. Complete this sentence: “My classroom pet helps my students __________.”
• Learn empathy and respect for others
• Learn responsibility• Learn social skills that improve their interactions with others• Learn animal care• Learn self-care• Learn about science and nature via animals
• Get excited and happy about school• Feel comfortable in the