A fluffy new classmate is hopping into the hearts and minds of Susan Brackett’s fourth grade class at Raymond Elementary School. Since October, Peaches, a 15-month-old Red Flemish Giant rabbit, eagerly greets the students each morning, spending time with them during quiet classroom moments and at the end of each day. The students, in turn, welcome the bunny with even greater enthusiasm.
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| Taelynn Smith reads to Peaches, the therapy bunny, during a class at Raymond Elementary School. The rabbit helps students enhance social skills while alleviating stress and anxiety. PHOTO BY SUSAN BRACKETTT |
“I noticed that children these days face many stressors that they have not had to worry about in the past,” she said. “As a result, students are dealing with more stress, anxiety and depression than ever before, and attendance rates are dropping. These are some of the reasons why teachers are seeing a lot more disruptive behaviors in the classroom.”
She said that she felt more needed to be done to engage students that were struggling the most, so she started researching some alternative ways to help support the kids.
Brackett discovered that engaging with therapy animals can enhance social skills, while alleviating stress and anxiety.
“Their presence also helps children feel more focused and confident during learning activities,” she said. “For children developing their reading skills, therapy animals can ease shyness and build their self-assurance.
Students have experienced these benefits first-hand.
“When I’m sad or don’t want to be at school, Peaches makes me feel better,” said Sebastian Shamaoun.
Another student, Ella Moreau, said she must get up extra early because her mother is a teacher.
“When I feel tired and don’t want to go to school so early, I think of Peaches and then I get a boost of energy,” she said.
For one student, she gets more than a little energy boost from the classroom rabbit.
“Peaches is a great addition to our class,” she said. “I’ll be super honest; I forget everything and I hate it. I feel super stressed and I cry and become a mess. And then I look at Peaches and I forget everything [about what upsets me] and get calm and get back to my work.”
Beyond emotional support, Peaches motivates academic engagement.
“I noticed that kids who sometimes might be upset or angry, it will typically ruin their whole day,” Brackett said. “When they sit with Peaches, it turns the day around. I’ve seen a huge benefit in that way. When kids are doing work around the edge of the pen, they are less distracted and can get their assignments completed. It gives them an incentive and something to look forward to.”
One student admits that Peaches helps him to focus.
“It makes working on homework fun,” Shamaoun said. “It’s a privilege to get to sit with the rabbit while we work and if we don’t work, we have to go back to our desk.”
There are other ways Peaches makes a positive impact on the students and the classroom environment by being incorporated through weekly activities such as the “Wednesdays Lunch in the Classroom.” On those days, the students get the opportunity to share small parcels of food.
“We discovered that fruits and vegetables are her favorite snacks,” student Malia Borrayo said. “We hide little bits of food under little cups, and she sniffs to find out if there is food under there and if she likes it, she flips the cup over and eats it.”
Peaches also provides good humor and levity.
“We have a lot of favorite moments when Peaches makes us laugh,” Borrayo said. “One day, she grabbed her blanket with her mouth and pulled it into her cage. That made us laugh, but she was telling us that she needed some alone time.”
The rabbit has become such an integral part of the classroom that her absence leaves a noticeable void.
“When she stayed home sick the other day, the classroom felt empty,” said student Willow Bolstridge. “It was lonely without her.”
Loved by both students and parents and approved by the school board, Peaches isn’t going anywhere soon.
“As long as there are no bunny allergies, Peaches will always be my co-teacher and my students’ furry friend who sparks the love of learning,” Brackett said. <
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