SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Reading aloud can be intimidating for children, but a unique program in Central New York is helping kids gain confidence by reading to a non-judgmental audience: dogs.
Cooper, one of the dogs with Paws of Central New York, plays a special role in this initiative. His job is to listen to children as they read, providing a comforting presence that encourages them to practice their reading skills without fear of judgment.
“Some kids will bring books that they wrote, or that they were reading in school, or they’ll pull things off the shelves,” said Beth Tollar, Vice President of Paws of Central New York. “Cooper is into everything from Harry Potter to any of the picture books here.”
The program aims to help children become more comfortable with reading. Tollar explained, “I think the coolest thing was having some readers that have been very nervous to read, and haven’t been doing very well in school, or not reading in school, they come and read with him because he is not going to judge them. He’s going to sit and watch the book and listen to them read. They come back month after month to read to him and you can see the growth. Their parents report that they’re doing better in school, and they’re enjoying reading.”
The program not only improves reading skills but also fosters long-term relationships. “Watching them, they come as toddlers and leave as teenagers. It’s been really cool to watch them grow up,” Tollar said. “They remember his birthday, they bring him birthday cards, they come back and tell him about everything they’ve done in the past couple weeks, and it is just nice to see the growth they’ve made and the relationship they have with my dog. It’s kinda crazy!”
The reading sessions take place once a month on Saturday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30, and more information can be found on the library’s website and Facebook page.
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