Maggie circles the room, anxious that the door is closed and she’s in a strange place. But eventually, she settles down and nuzzles her head into Sharon Storms’ lap.
The five-year-old border collie-Lab has come a long way since she was adopted by Storms’ father.
“She was pretty much a feral dog and couldn’t be handled,” said Storms.
“I moved in and I connected with her and I learned how smart she is. She needed a friend who would provide unconditional love. It’s mind-blowing what she is capable of.”
And Maggie continues to impress as she helps Storms teach kindergarten children the importance of friendship.
“She was scared and timid (when adopted) which many kids are when trying to make friends,” said Storms, the Whitevalley Community Resource Centre’s outreach counsellor at J.W. Inglis Elementary in Lumby.
Maggie was incorporated into the classroom as Storms sought a new approach to promoting empathy and establishing healthy relationships.
Storms teaches a lesson about Maggie weekly.
“All of the stories are about the problems Maggie has had to solve, such as learning to swim. Those feelings and worries are similar to the situations children will face,” she said.
Other animals are also incorporated into the lessons.
“It shows that you can be friends with anyone,” said Storms.
And once a month, Maggie goes to class and visits with the students.
Through her outreach duties, Storms often receives calls from parents who are concerned their children don’t have friends or aren’t familiar with fair-play — sharing and taking turns.
“They may be stressed about lunchtime and recess and what they are going to do. How much learning is there if they are stressed out because of a lack of friends,” said Storms.
If left unchecked, these situations can become more serious as children age, whether it’s bullying, anxiety or depression.
Friendship also provides a support system so a child has someone to turn to if they don’t feel comfortable approaching an adult.
“Kids want to talk to their peers about what they are struggling with,” said Storms.
Storms admits, though, that her program may take time to unfold, as each child is an individual.
“The hope is in kindergarten they will have a core friend or they will enter into Grade 1 with the skills to have a friend.”
Through the program, the students are urged to embrace the community by donating to the local thrift shop and visiting seniors.
“Kindness is a part of friendship,” said Storms.
For more information about the Whitevalley Community Resource Centre’s school-based outreach program, call 250-547-8866 or go to www.whitevalley.ca
