ìThe bunnies are coming! The bunnies are coming!î
Those are the words Jacquie Linton, Ecole John Wilson Elementary School Grade 4 teacher, hears when Ley-Anne Mountain, of Naturally Nurtured Family Wellness, is scheduled to come to her classroom.
ìThe kids just love it when the bunnies come to the school and they get to interact with Einstein and Willow,î said Linton. ìThe students calm down and focus.î
Mountain has been going to John Wilson elementary school for the past three years to present her wellness program to every Grade 4 class. She said the program teaches children about gratitude, Mother Earth, and relaxation.
Last week, she was speaking on gratitude.
ìWhat words do we use when we want to express gratitude?î asked Mountain.
The children were quick to respond with please, thank you and you're welcome.
While Mountain had the rapt attention of the students, the bunnies were clearly the stars of the show.
Students gathered around the two animals and could not resist petting the animals, enjoying their presence immensely.
And each child has different reasons for liking Einstein and Willow.
ìI like bunnies because they have big teeth,î said 10-year-old Dylan Shlen.
Kayla Thibeault, 10, liked the bunnies because they are soft and cuddly.
Linton had good comments about Mountain's involvement with her students.
ìShe is great with the kids and they respond so well to her therapy animals,î said Linton. ìThey relax and open up to her. She is an important part of our Grade 4 class.î
In the meantime Mountain said she has the ìbest job in the world.î
ìI get to take animals to children in classrooms and the rabbits take it all in stride. They take all the cuddles and attention students give them,î she said. ìI continually marvel at the ability of animals to teach us lessons about life. They are natural teachers.î
She added combining kids with animals is a perfect mixture.
ìWe will be going to Chinook Center School for our second year there in April,î said Mountain. ìI really do love my job.î
