Teaching second grade is always a challenge. Each student arrives at school with his own needs and difficulties. One year a student called Billy 1me with his behavior as well as his academic requirements. He struggled daily with his 2emotions and often became angry or violent. I knew that, to make 3progress,his emotions needed controlling.
One 4I tried to help Billy was to have him come directly into the classroom when he arrived at school. Billy's mom would 5me to alert(警告) me to a particularly emotional morning at home. Then, I would focus on 6his anger and calming him down before the other students arrived.
One week our class was studying 7.I thought one way to bring learning into the classroom was to bring my dog Rocky to school for the day.
That day began as normal. I was preparing activities focused on dog themes 8I was told that Billy had a 9morning at home and I might need to get him 10. As I was talking to his mom,Billy 11into the classroom. To Billy's12, Rocky immediately ran up to his new13, wagging his tail and licking Billy's face with doggy affection. Billy couldn't 14Rocky's charm(魅力)and began laughing as his anger melted away.
Throughout the day,Billy never left Rocky's side, feeding him, being gentle with him and even 15the other students while Rocky was sleeping.
Billy was known for doing anything he could to avoid16, but on this day he found a good dog story, “ Clifford's Puppy Days”, and read it to Rocky. How 17I was at the sight of Billy reading happily! My little dog was able to 18Billy's day from one of anger and frustration to one of laughter, gentleness and 19.
That day Rocky more than helped me with my20; he helped to change the life of a child!After that Billy's behavior definitely improved.