Friday 8 April 2016
The Weekend Sun
18
A best friend for reading A child sits down with a new reading buddy. Normally they’d be nervous, shy about stumbling on words. But not today – not with Sonic. Because Sonic is a dog. Sonic’s little reading nook is a judgment-free zone; a nonthreatening space where children can practise their reading and develop their love for books.
Boosting confidence
‘Reading with Dogs’ is a growing initiative throughout libraries in New Zealand, and this school holidays it’s coming to Te Puke. On Wednesday, April 20, children can spend 15 minutes
Debbie Tipuna reading to Sonic.
Fixed village fee
FOR LIFE
reading to Sonic the greyhound in Te Puke Library’s first Reading to Dogs experience. “We’ve been wanting to bring Reading to Dogs to Te Puke for about a year, so we’re really excited to finally be doing this,” says team leader libraries community Christine Busby. “Research shows reading to dogs can do amazing things for children’s reading confidence, because they can’t be judged. “Often children can feel nervous reading to other people, afraid to make a mistake or that they won’t be good enough – but with dogs all that goes away.”
Gentle encouragers
Christine is working with Megan Clark, from ‘Greyhounds as Pets’, who is providing retired racer Sonic for the job. Greyhounds for Pets is a rescue organisation helping retired racing greyhounds find new homes. Megan says Greyhounds are the perfect dogs for the programme because they are sweet, placid and love children; and will sit or lie for ages soaking up the attention. “This is the first time Sonic is doing anything like this but we are excited to see how it all goes; he’s such a sweetheart. “Other greyhounds from Greyhounds as Pets have been used for similar initiatives with great success.” Children can read to Sonic for 15 minutes each. Library staff and Sonic’s handler will be close by during each session. If the April trial is a success, Christine hopes to make it a permanent fixture. Registrations for Reading with Dogs is required. Phone Te Puke Library on 07 571 8008.
Shy but snuggly
THE AVENUES. Luxurious living in the heart of Tauranga The only lifestyle village in central Tauranga. Our elegant apartments provide you with access to an extensive range of on-site facilities and social activities. We currently have available a 1-bedroom apartment with a lovely courtyard, 2-bedroom apartment with beautiful views, and a 3-bedroom apartment with two full-sized bathrooms — one of the best in the complex. Call us today to arrange an appointment.
CALL TO VIEW For a village tour, call Jamie on 07 544 7711 or 021 747 638
THE AVENUES residents enjoy access to: Billiards
Courtesy van
Gymnasium
Library & lounge
Cards & crafts afternoon
Dining room
Heated pool & spa
Pétanque court
Cooking club
Garden courtyard
Indoor bowls
Theatrette
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Corner Tenth Avenue & Devonport Road, Tauranga
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The Avenues
This week’s kitten is Ellie. She was abandoned with her brother, who has since been adopted. Ellie is a little shy on first meeting but then becomes very snuggly, loving to put her head on your chest. She has lovely soft fur and is a pleasure to stroke. She plays well with other kittens and is of course desexed, microchipped and fully vaccinated. Please phone Teena on Ellie. 07 552 5028 if you’d like to meet her. ARRC wants to remind people if kittens are abandoned and left to fend for themselves they end up having to find food, sometimes our wildlife, and then breed another generation which makes the problem worse. Please make sure you desex any kitten and cat in your care to help prevent unwanted cats.
ONE MINUTE
WONDERS Coaching the Attitude, with Mary Parker
“It always seems impossible until it is done” – NELSON MANDELA Nelson Mandela applied perseverance and hard work to each situation he was in, no matter how impossible it seemed at the time. When we face an ‘impossible’ situation we sometimes psych ourselves up for failure so it is easier to accept when failure occurs. However, some things only seem impossible because we have built them that way. When faced with a huge challenge we have two choices…work towards the possible or concentrate on how difficult it is and bring about failure. Are you facing an impossible situation? Could you approach it from a different angle, remove those ‘impossible barriers’, as Nelson Mandela did, and cause the impossible to become possible? If you would like to know more about coaching or supervision phone Mary Parker, The F.A.S.T Track Coach, on 07 577 1200, or visit www.coachingtheattitude.co.nz