#RuralEdChat Archive
#RuralEdChat is a chat that focuses on the needs of the rural educator. This chat has been revised by Tammy Neil (@MathNeil), John Martin (@edventures) and Natalee Stotz (@nataleestotz).
Tuesday May 24, 2016
Good evening, We are loving the photos of your pets tonight. Please let us know a little about you and them as we get started.
Calling all my pet friends and their owners. is about us (pets) tonight. It's starting now.
Hi, Presently pet-less Linda checking in from Bainbridge NY.
Linda, so glad you are here.
We're talking about the impact animals & pets have on our lives in edu. Some Qs in a bit but we welcome open conversation!
Here with my 3 large dogs in Beaufort, SC. Author and ed consultant.
My current pet is (yes, she's on Twitter). She's a rescue kitty that we instantly fell in love with.
Tod- librarian, Claremont, NH with Nyah
Thanks, Tammy. is the highlight of Tuesday for me.
We were so petless about a year ago...except for a hermit crab. Have you had pets before, Linda?
It's gonna be fun watching the same pair of hands talk for and Teagan the cat ;)
handsome faces! Thanks for joining us, Angela!
First time here. I love all ed chats!
Always at least dog and cat(s).
What do you mean? I speak for myself. When I want to, that is. After all, I am a cat. No rules for me.
I love how cats love boxes. I think they appreciate our Amazon culture!
Hi ! Julie from Brandon, FL :o)
Welcome, Julie! Thanks for joining us for
aye! True to your nature! Pleased to make your acquaintance ;)
What an awesome name and face!
I think that'd be neat when you have someone from your district in here with you. Wish my folks would come :D
. you should join tonight! Topic is our pets & their impact on our edu lives. 😺
Love this! My Labs are 11 and 12, and I have a Doodle that's 4. Love my old dogs.
I'm looking forward to getting worms for my garden tower compost tube. Does that count for anything?
Hey, Julie. I'm from Branford, FL. Lots confuse our town for yours. LOL
It really can be a great way to grow f2f connections. Not sure any of my district folks r here but always hoping.
Hey! We don't discriminate. All pets, even worms are welcome! :-D
absolutely! just talked w/petstore owner who removed all pocket pets due to issues but carries worms for classes!
Amazon used about 10 yards of crunchy paper in our last package. They are still playing with that!
Most definitely! Pets don't have to be furry or traditional.
Gorgeous merle coat! Love these names!
indeed! comes when she can. EOY Busy for her! Miss her.
I ! :o) especially Shelties, Collies in small packages ;o)
We'll start with Q1 in a moment and you can tag your responses A1, etc. Be sure to use as well.
Roscoe just heard my husband come home from fishing. I just ceased to exit :-|
I absolutely love playing fetch with She plays as long as I bring the ball back to her, which I do until I get tired.
Your cats are amongst my favorite on Instagram. Thinking of you all. Hope you can cuddle in for some rest.
My sweeties are 65 lbs (doodle), 80 labs (chocolate Lab) and 100 lbs (yellow Lab). The are some big cuddlers!
Bet you can't guess a fave old tv show I grew up watching on
oops! I thought we'd already started LOL
fetching cats are pretty awesome! way to be, Tegan! Maybe you could teach our dog??
we have but the introductions are so awesome so we're taking some time! :)
So fantastic! What a dog!
I say we have 5 dogs (my mom & her 3 Cavaliers live w us) & people look at me crazy - but they're all small!
Dogs??? Do they drool? That's what I heard.
Q1 What's something an animal or pet has taught you that surprised you the most?
I just went to out on my jammies, and the girls were already curled up on the bed!
A1: That they can tell time. For real. Did you know cats KNOW when it's time to eat?!
We just adopted teenytiny Chihuahua on Sat. Mostly had big dogs all my life.Loving this adventure!
A1: has taught me to STOP and enjoy petting her. She helps me relax when nothing else does.
I'm watching Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 on tv w my son right now. It's about love - something pets teach us about for sure!
A1: My animals have taught me so much about patience. They are all at my feet on days like today, just supporting me as I write!
Life is all about adventure! It's great to have canine companions on it
A1: Ditto. Roscoe wants to play at the most inopportune times. I always need that break, though
A1: I've taught to set a schedule and stick to it. I expect to be fed ON TIME. Also, she needs to pet ME.
A1: compassion, unconditional love, how to beg for food, and how to get away with everything you're not allowed to do.
A1 Patience and exceptance
My dogs sense when I'm upset or hurting & always come to comfort
That's fantastic, Linda! It's remarkable what animals will do to communicate with us if we pay attention.
A1 Surprising -- how much animals learn by watching people.
A1: Also, if you're tired - sleep. If you're hungry - eat.
A1b: I've also taught Tammy to put away her pens and styli. I love to hide them so she will pay attention to me.
These won't be pets. Strictly working worms.
U & Roscoe have that in common. We're learning to pick up after ourselves ;)
Back to basics! / Live the simple life
Good because naming them all may be too difficult.
Can I just say A-DOR-A-BLE!
That lesson - all my cats have taught me well! They have the right idea about self-care!
A1 I'll never forget when I learned to read & listen to horses differently by studying their communication methods
Does anyone know how one buys worms? by pound, by quart, by "that little with the pink tail is cute, I'll take him?
errr by the pint at the bait and tackle shop..
We say these things and then next thing you know, they wrap themselves around our hearts.
One doesn't HAVE to fish with them. Daddy started a worm bed with bait and tackle worm
Somehow I don't expect Linda to fall in love with her worms. (OMG that sounds bad)
Q2 Beyond the usual awesome things (and challenges!) they bring to our lives, what unique experiences have you had w/pets?
Thanks. Now all I need is a bait shop. You'd think in a riverside community there would be one, but no.
A2: Roscoe has attempted to communicate with us. I've really learned patience and perseverance w/Ss because
When I married my husband, he had 2 cats. They were each well over 20 years old when they passed.
A2b: of his perseverance with getting me to understand Roscoe
business idea for enterprising local students/fishing/wormcomposting enthusiasts?
A2 My Shelties are so smart they need something to do, so I ran agility with them in their younger years
That's funny, Robin. Gives a whole new meaning to heartworm. (ugh!)
It's so neat how having a job or activity is really motivating to some dogs. Fun.
Recommended reading: Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor - I think it's a great handbook for dealing w people in general!
I was also not otherwise ever very athletic, so it was amusing I dove into canine sports.
Hey. We've been known to take an awful long time walking to school b/c of moving creatures off sidewalk.
A2: Fearlessness. This kitten is not afraid of anything - including rolling off a shelf 10 feet up! https://t.co/GZ9TOT3dHa
Running agility is a great confidence builder.
Q3 Great book rec. Any other favorite animal-related reads? https://t.co/5aj0nOdp2d
Recommended reading: Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor - I think it's a great handbook for dealing w people in general!
Could be. I'll add that to my business ideas list
A3: "Let There Be Donkeys" by Jeannie Thompson
A3: No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman is a great book for kids getting into chapter books.
A2: To be comfortable in one's own fur.
5 donkeys tell their story to young and old alike. Sweet fictional book from the viewpoint of donkeys
17 y.o. Crystal is not amused that we are chatting tonight. I'm thinking it also has to do with https://t.co/9fd15FEUss
Actually an overwhelming question! So many over the years..
I have a certification in dog obedience training from in
A2 my dog was pet visitor at a nursing home. I got used to introducing myself and being told " Ithought I recognized the dog"
A3: Fenway and Hattie by Victoria Coe
A3: Marley and Me, War Horse, One and Only Ivan
I used to have a blog "Raising Dogs & Training Children" ;o)
Crystal and I should chat some time. I bet we could start our own and take over the world! bwahaha
Now there's a scary thought... ;)
She said to say she's plotting something to avenge Patrick's arrival in our lives.
A3: Wolf Camp by Andrea Zuill
So much about positive reinforcement in modern dog training is applicable to raising kids.
That's what I was just thinking. I guess it's time to change the router password.
Q3 Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, The "Freddie" books by Walter R. Brooks, Bambi, My Friend Flicka & Thunderhead
A3 James Herriot's books and stories have always been a part of our lives.
Q4 What are some of the biggest challenges you've overcome with animals and pets? What about classroom pets?
A4: Health issues- Newfoundlands have a short life span but big hearts!
A4: Classroom aquariums must be taken down during the summer. No one around to feed the fishes.
Oh yes. Seeing them through to their last moments has been pivotal for me in my life with animals.
A4: Leary of class pets. 2 many allergies. Yet, 1 of our Ts has a room full of reptiles, fur, & fish. Y does that bother me?
I gave a sermon comparing the agility handler-dog relationship to my relationship with God, demonstrations with Max included!
A4 Definitely their aging & health. Tumor scare w Max over Christmas break, but surgery went well! https://t.co/wmhzAqeTzO
Q4 What are some of the biggest challenges you've overcome with animals and pets? What about classroom pets?
They teach you how to deal with life but also how to deal with sadness. https://t.co/BS0NlY957K
Oh yes. Seeing them through to their last moments has been pivotal for me in my life with animals.
There can def b issues! Continuous care & humane treatment are huge. Allergies, too. They do change a space, tho.
agreed. I LOVE going into her classroom. GREAT teaching tools.
my 1st experience was as a jr in hs with our beloved Weimaraner. I missed a physics test to be with her.
Love seeing a growth in therapy dogs & trained handlers coming into learning systems. Huge potential if done well.
A4 Giving neighbor's cat pills was a challenge. I remembered how James Herriot wrapped cats and followed that.
A good book for a non-canine focus: Confessions of a Turtle Wife by Anita Salzberg. Great way to appreciate these creatures
They give so much and ask for so little in return.
Yes. Worked at a vet clinic in college and the cat wrap worked *most* of the time!
it was neat to see all the turtle talk yesterday with International (?) Turtle Day. They are remarkable.
Q5 How have you transferred lessons from pet ownership & animals into your edu world?
A5: Listen more and talk less.
A5: consistency. Roscoe has taught me, like Teagan the kitty has taught TG, that consistency is needed. Ss need it too.
A5 Break things down into small achievable tasks. Positively reinforce the behavior you hope to see.
We bought a house on 5 acres for me to teach agility classes. Now hubby & I have started our own consulting co instead.
A5 Set intentions. Look beyond horse's ears on the trail. ;) Forgive messes. Take a walk: you'll feel better.
On our 5 acres we have - foxes, coons, tortoise, possum, hawks, owls, etc.
We are so glad you all joined us tonight for Please let us know if you have any topics you'd like us to discuss in future chats
Once posted on FB I had severe stuffed nose->good time to pick up poo. Friend commented that must be in definition of optimism
It's time for a last walk here w/Patrick. Thanks for sharing your awesome experiences w/animals tonight.Give them all love from
Wow! It's hard to believe it's over. Went to fast. A lot of good to dig into w this topic.
Great time tonight Thank you!
Yes! And lots to consider with our students, too. Writing, reading & sharing about pets is cool in school! :o
Good night . It's been fun tonight! :)
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you'll join us again soon for
