Sun, the dog helps students in difficulty “

The recreation ringing sounds. Laurence Erhart plans to enter Sun in the classroom. “Madam, can we pet him?” Asked a few students. “Next time. There, it is her break from her, ”calmly replies her mistress who wants to remove the animal from the cries of the court of the establishment.

Since November, Sun, a 3-year-old Golden Retriever female has been coming every day at the Françoise-Dolto college in Sierentz (Haut-Rhin). Some students have not yet had the chance to approach him. The dog especially frequents the Ulis class (localized unit for school inclusion) in which Laurence intervenes as an accompanying students with disabilities (AESH).

The presence of Sun appeases them

This January Thursday, Magay Landauer, coordinator of the system, planned a lexical revision with Sun. In exchange for a croquette, the dog brings a white box in which there is a word of vocabulary to explain. The lesson takes a turn that is both serious and fun.

“We must rework the educational supports by integrating the dog, recognizes the teacher who has already changed his method since September to adapt to the needs of middle school students. The presence of Sun appeases them because they know that they should not cry so as not to frighten him. »»

According to Laurence Ehrart, “students appreciate when they take her to join the other students in inclusion. »»

“Students learn to assert themselves thanks to the dog”

A few hours a week, the animal is also going to be in progress with Estelle Dangel, her second referent and teacher in mathematics. “We are going to make revisions by group and one of the workshops will take place with Sun,” she explains to her fifths. At the foot of her office, the dog waits wisely on her cushion. Madame Dangel goes to the bottom of the class. Sun joins her, excited. Each young person must give him the order to push a paper cube and reward her with a kibble.

Students must then solve the problem presented on the cube. Pauline tries out to exercise, but she whispers. “We must speak louder,” advises her the professor. After Léa, Raphaël and Thomas, the college student sends and succeeds. “Students learn to assert themselves thanks to the dog,” explains Estelle Dangel after the course.

Training with Handi’chiens

The teacher had the idea of ​​the project thanks to her daughter, who introduced him to the Handi’chiens association. This last form of assistance dogs for hospital services, police, judicials … for people with disabilities or epileptics. Estelle Dangel thought that students could take advantage of such a classmate in their learning. She talked about it to the principal, Didier Berkati, who welcomed the idea favorably.

For her part, Laurence Erhart wanted to resume a dog following the death of his. By discovering the project, she proposed to deal with it. And after a presentation to the parents, a fundraising of more than 6,000 euros and training with Handi’chiens, the experience took shape in a year.

Aid to fight against dropping out of school

Only a few weeks after the arrival of Sun, the profits are already visible. The popularity of the dog indeed has multiple repercussions. “She brings happiness for the students of the Ulis class … Now that she is with them, we pay more attention,” says Tom, 12, in fifth.

Yves, one of the students in the Ulis class, adds: “I am going to German with Sun and the teacher told other students that it was thanks to me that the animal came in their class. They are grateful and look at me differently. »»

The mistress of the Golden Retriever finds that he also gave visibility to her Aesh post. “Students greet me now, when before I was invisible in college. Younès, he refresses when the dog looks at him. “She does me good. »»

His presence even transforms the atmosphere of the establishment, according to the testimony of Alice, a college student crossed in the courtyard: “Since Sun has been there, the students are more nice, there are fewer arguments. The animal also accompanies Estelle Dangel in its interviews to fight against dropping out of school. “His presence reassures the student who approaches his difficulties by caressing him. »»

The establishment plans to extend the presence of the dog on other school times so that it can help as many people as possible.