Overcoming the Im(paw)ssible

Something is roaming the hallways of Zeeland Christian School (ZCS), and it’s not students eager for spring! This January, West Michigan Therapy Dogs visited the classrooms of ZCS to assist students who have difficulty with reading among other areas. This idea comes from Sherri Tibbe, Elementary Reading Support teacher, who believes that dogs can have a calming effect on students as they work to improve their reading skills.

Sherri always wanted to be a teacher at a Christian School to spread the love of God to children and bring them closer to their Savior. When her children became students at ZCS, she found herself with the opportunity to begin a teaching position at the school. She admired the excellent education at the school, particularly in the reading program and felt excited to become a teacher to support students as they grew their reading awareness. 22 years later, she has found a furry solution to the everyday stressors that learning can bring on.

The idea to blend therapy dogs with reading had been in Sherri’s mind for a while. When a ZCS parent connected her with an Area Coordinator of West Michigan Therapy Dogs, she was able to transform her idea into a reality for students. West Michigan Therapy Dogs is a non-profit organization that partners with schools, hospitals, and the like to give support while promoting healing utilizing furry friends. Soon after, the Ruff Readers program was born, and seven teams visit ZCS the first-grade classrooms twice a month for two hours, sitting with students as they read stories of all kinds.

As student reads to Cookie, a West Michigan Therapy dog.