West Elementary students showcase 'Rough Readers' therapy-dog reading program

Principal John Wonderjam introduced third-graders and volunteers from West Michigan Therapy Dogs to the Grandville Board of Education to demonstrate the school’s Rough Readers program, a reading-engagement initiative launched this school year for third graders.

"We started Rough Readers because we wanted to keep that engagement up and foster a love of reading," John Wonderjam said, explaining the district-level goal of making reading “more comfortable” and lowering the stress students may feel when reading aloud.

Pam, a handler with West Michigan Therapy Dogs, told the board that handlers and their dogs complete an eight-week training to be certified before participating. "Rough Readers is one of our main programs," she said, describing training that includes handlers and dogs learning to sit calmly with a book and work with children in a low-pressure setting.

District staff described the logistics: sessions run every other Friday in the school library; teams of handlers and dogs rotate so that all third graders participate; rotations are typically 8–10 minutes and the program has expanded from an initial three-to-five teams to eight or nine teams, allowing every student to visit each session.

Students spoke directly to the board about why the program helps. Third grader Owen said, "I enjoy reading with the dogs because you have somebody else to read with and pet while you read," and several classmates named favorite dogs and described feeling more comfortable reading aloud when a therapy dog is present.

Administrators said the practice supports fluency, comprehension and confidence by creating positive associations with reading. The presentation concluded with the board thanking students and the volunteers for the demonstration.

The program did not require board action at the meeting; administrators said they plan to expand volunteer participation and continue coordinating handlers and sessions with building schedules.