CAL classrooms welcome guinea pigs to teach re-spect, responsibility

Fuzzy friends give CAL students lovable lessons in responsibility.

Earlier this year, three CAL classes welcomed guinea pigs to the classroom as a reward for meeting Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports (PBIS) goals. PBIS challenges students in a number of areas, including respect and responsibility, in order to make school a friendlier environment for staff and fellow students.

If classes complete their PBIS goals by the end of each quarter, they are allowed to choose their celebration, such as popcorn parties or an extra recess. The second graders and the fifth graders both decided to go a different direction instead and elected to welcome a class pet.

CAL Principal Abby Meyer said the guinea pigs, food and supplies were purchased through a Petco grant that provides schools with funding for teachers to support class pets.

Arianna Knutson, whose second grade class watches over the white and brown spotted Rosie, said that the guinea pig immediately proved to be a positive addition to the classroom.

“The children are always so excited to see Rosie when they get to school in the morning and they always check on her to make sure she is doing okay and has food and water,” she said. “They talk to her in the mornings during our ‘free time’ and enjoy just watching her be full of energy. They also check on her before leaving school and usually say their goodbyes.”

Kelsey Enslin added that her fifth grade class, which actually takes care of two guinea pigs – Bella and Bubbles – also have latched on to the pets and even went as far to establish “Holding Bella and Bubbles” times throughout the day.

“We have designated times where they know they are able to ask to hold one, such as independent work, during number talks, reading to themselves or morning arrivals,” she said. “They actually came up with these times based on times where they thought they could do their best learning while holding a guinea pig. They also know they cannot hold t hem twice if not everyone has had a chance.”

The teachers said that they had little hesitation about bringing a live animal into the classroom as a pet. In fact, Enslin and Knutson both said they identified several areas where a pet would benefit their classrooms.

“I’ve seen the way students have reacted having animals on the (CAL) farm and I knew it would benefit them,” Enslin said. “One of the most important things to me is that students are happy, healthy and having fun when they come to school, so having a pet in our room is just one more reason for them to love coming to school each day.”

One of the major benefits of having the guinea pigs in the classroom, Knutson said, is their calming presence they have on students. The pets are not just fun to watch and play with, she said, but they’re a source of comfort and emotional support for students who may be having a bad day, especially in the current COVID-19 world.

“Right now when students are struggling because their day isn't going as planned they can have the option to work at the back table, which is where Rosie is, to get their work done,” she said. “The students know it still means they have to do their work but having the comfort of the pet right there makes them feel better.”

Along with the comforting element also comes another aspect that falls in line with the mission of PBIS goals. One of the main focuses of PBIS is teaching responsibility. Students must feed the guinea pigs each morning and night, clean the cages on Friday and make sure the animal is generally happy and comfortable.

“Having a pet in the classroom is teaching the kids how to be responsible, which is something our whole school works for. The kids have to feed it and care for it everyday,” said Knutson. “They seem to enjoy this type of responsibility and think it's a big deal to have a pet to take care of each day. It also teaches them about animals and how they grow and develop in life (as we talk about this in science).”

Enslin added that as the year progresses, she hopes to have students take turns bringing Bella and Bubbles home on the weekends, which would add to the sense of responsibility.

“This would be a huge lesson in responsibility especially because the class is depending on you to do your best,” she said.