Classroom Programs
Humane Education, or using animals as a vehicle to teach empathy and kindness, is the cornerstone of compassionate communities. AWS offers unique and interactive animal-based curriculums to teachers, homeschool groups, and educational organizations.
One-Time Lessons & Presentations
One-time humane education lessons and presentations can be presented in person to a small cohort, a classroom, or even a school-wide assembly. Each lesson or presentation is customized to fit into the classroom or cohort’s curriculum or school’s learning model. We often use companion animals as a catalyst for understanding. Lessons and presentations will target important educational components: literacy, empathy, social-emotional learning, and animal advocacy.
Multi-Session Lessons & Programs
Humane education school programs are multi-week, semester-long, or even year-long programs depending on the individual curriculum and the school’s learning goals. One of our most popular is a semester-long program called Muttigrees.
Muttigrees is currently on hiatus.
What is Muttigrees?
Using a curriculum established by the Yale University School of the 21st Century and the Millan Foundation, Mutt-i-grees uses companion animals as a vessel to teach and social and emotional skills to students in all grade levels (individual curriculums target different grade levels). Each lesson includes a visit with a pet and presents lessons to build empathy, compassion, and community amongst students. We will present the semester-long classroom program in five units:
- Achieving Awareness
- Finding Feelings
- Encouraging Empathy
- Cultivating Cooperation
- Dealing with Decisions
Why have Muttigrees in your classroom or school?
Muttigrees supports schools’ social-emotional learning requirements and helps faculty and administration achieve their SEL goals. In fact, Muttigrees is the only classroom-based program of its kind in the state that uses companion animals as a vessel to teach social-emotion learning!
Using humane education to teach SEL is a natural fit, as humane education in its essence seeks to build empathy and compassion to animals and the world around us. Additionally, many children can relate easily to animals, particularly companion pets like cats and dogs. The use of animals in SEL can achieve the learning techniques more quickly and more successfully, as children can see how animals mirror their own emotions and work together to build relationships not only with each other, but with animals as well.
Students have expressed how much they’ve enjoyed their furry friends and how it has improved their social emotional wellbeing. Does this program hold value? Absolutely! Enriching our children’s lives with this type of social emotional program will not only teach them resistant qualities but create healthy habits and connections going forward.”
Educators:
For more information on how we can bring these humane education programs to your classroom or school, please reach out to email or telephone (207) 985-3244 ext. 109.
Follow Us!
A very sweet Happy Homes! 🐾
"Charlie is doing great in his new home! After having to say goodbye to our last dog in September `23, we met Charlie in February and fell instantly in love. He’s a big, smart, playful, high-energy pupper! It took a few months for him to really get comfortable with us, but now he’s happy and settled in. He loves playing fetch in the yard, keeping watch for squirrels and pedestrians, and snoozing with his people. We’re so happy that this sweet, beautiful boy is part of our lives!"
Visit our profile to read more Happy Homes stories and submit your own!
This active guy just LOVES his new toy! Bronx is an energetic dog who loves his walks and being outside. He’s also been known for great snuggle sessions on the couch! Visit our profile to meet Bronx 🐾
Teaching your dog to walk with you comfortably is an all-important step if you want to take your dog with you anywhere. Whether it’s a walk on a hiking trail or around a busy city, knowing you can easily walk your dog without worrying they will pull is important! That’s why we teach loose leash walking. A loose leash walk is defined a walk where there is no tension on the leash.
Enjoy this photo from today’s basic class and visit our profile to learn more about loose leash walking!
Vada Faye sure loves her toys! And she`d love to find a new home full of love and toys 🐾
Visit our profile to meet Vada Faye!
Hopping into a home near you!
Penny and Winston came to AWS on their own paths, both looking for a new family. Despite being in separate kennels, one fateful night they decided they would stage their own meet cute! The rest is history! These two are ear-resistible and couldn’t get enough of spending time together. No-bunny loves like these two!
When Penny met Winston, a bunny story showing now at AWS!
Visit our profile to meet Penny and Winston!
