Ed Source – Ashley Hopkinson
“Like many class pets, Maurice symbolizes a classroom feature that has long been common in schools. But now, in some classrooms, class pets are doing more than helping children learn about animals. They are being integrated into teachers’ efforts to help young students learn social and emotional skills, such as self-awareness, self-management, responsibility and relationship building. Social and emotional learning helps children understand how to show kindness and compassion for others, learn to manage negative emotions like anger or sadness or how to recognize their strengths and limitations. For instance, a teacher explains to a student who was unable to complete a task as quickly as another student that everyone learns at their own pace.” (more)