Read to Roo is a local subgroup of the Reading Education Assistance Dogs program, or R.E.A.D.
With Read to Roo, my handler and I go to the local elementary school and work as literacy mentors
for children. What does that mean exactly? Well, what it means is that we work with the children,
teachers and administrators to help encourage literacy skills, improve self confidence and offer
a friendly hand (or paw as the case may be) to those who might benefit from our program.
My name is Rooney, or Roo for short. I'll be your guide through this website that will help you learn more about
the Read to Roo program. Ready to get started? Great!
We work with children one on one, that way we can offer each student focused attention and a sense of privacy from reading aloud in the presence of their peers. During the session we allow the child to select a book from age and level appropriate reading materials. The child settles in with me, sometimes choosing to sit on a step or often cuddling up with me on the carpet, and begins to read their book. I listen patiently and with great interest, as I love the attention they give me and the stories they share! My handler is there with us in case the child gets stuck on a word and we can all sound it out together.
At the end of our session, I am very grateful that they have taken the time to read to me and share a wonderful tale I might never have heard about without them. My handler and I thank them, taking a few moments to discuss the book and asking them questions to help spark their imagination. Just before we say our goodbye's for that day, the child is allowed to give me a treat in return for a trick. My handler shows them one of my commands in American Sign Language, instructing them on the correct way to form the sign. It always brings a big smile to their faces when they see that I understand exactly what they are asking me to do!
I love my time spent with the children and only hope that I can make even more friends who would like to share in this wonderful program. If you would like to learn more, please be sure to check out the Therapy Organization information page, A Letter from Tina page, our Donor and Sponsor page and more. Thank you for stopping by!
