Playing with Numbers: Therapy Dog Helps Students with Special Needs Learn Math in a Fun and Relaxing Way

A furry visitor at Key Center School is helping students with special needs learn math skills in a fun, interactive way. Micah the golden retriever and his trainer Kris Campesi help the students practice counting, compare numbers, and learn addition through games and activities. The animal assisted instruction is just one part of their visits. The pair also focuses on relaxing with students, practicing motor skills, and communication. 

Many of the students at Key Center in Springfield are non-verbal, use wheelchairs, or have severe intellectual disabilities. The center, which serves students up to age 22, has welcomed therapy dogs for the past eleven years, and the results have been incredible, Campesi says. 

“There’s such a huge range of things we work on with the dog. The dog is a facilitator,” she explains. “You can't make someone walk if they don't want to walk. But if they take the leash and they are excited about walking with the dog down the hall, they pay attention and focus on walking. He motivates them to do things they normally wouldn't want to do.”

21-year-old Vincent DiBendetto’s favorite activity to do with Micah (aside from giving him treats) is playing with the large foam dice. To begin, Vincent tosses one of the dice, watching closely as it tumbles across the floor and lands on the number four. Then Micah takes his turn, picking up a foam die in his mouth and setting it down to reveal a three. Campesi shows the numbers to Vincent, who excitedly realizes his number is higher. Campesi then asks him to add up the numbers. After a few seconds, Vincent correctly answers seven, prompting cheers from others in the room. 

“I love rolling the dice,” Vincent says. “It’s tricky to add the numbers but I did good.”

“These activities promote peer-to-peer interactions and academic skills, specifically math skills. They learn to respond to questions,” Campesi says. “We don’t just pet the dog. We work with the dog to accomplish each student’s individual goals.”

Another activity using the dice helps students decipher colors and practice their motor skills. Students roll the dice and whatever number it lands on indicates how many 'necklaces' Micah gets. Students can choose from an array of colored cords, counting to the correct number, then carefully using both hands to place them over Micah’s snout and around his neck, one at a time. 

Students who are unable or prefer not to participate in the organized activities are able to spend time just cuddling with Micah. For some, the goal is to learn to be gentle with animals and practice empathy. For others, Micah’s fur can provide sensory stimulation in parts of the body that have limited feeling or movement. One special moment during a recent visit happened when Micah laid his head on the bare feet of a student with a brain injury. The student reacted with a slight wiggle of his big toe. That may seem like a small feat for some, but for this student it was a huge sign of progress. 

Over the years, therapy dogs have become cherished members of the Key Center community, forming close bonds with the students and staff. Micah visits every two weeks and also attends back to school night and graduation. 

“There was a young lady one year who would not walk in graduation unless the dog was with her,” Campesi shares. “There’s a lot of people and it's kind of scary. She would only go if the dog would walk with her. It was amazing. It gave her a sense of security that she could do something she was afraid to do, as long as he was with her.”

Campesi the Director of Animal Assisted Intervention at Summit Therapy Animal Services, which serves Key Center and other schools within FCPS. The therapy dog is funded through fundraising, community support, as well as ESSER III funds. Campesi says the work can sometimes be challenging, but it’s always worth it in the end. 

“Teachers and staff see these accomplishments more than anyone else. The small changes and the motivation the students have. The reactions we get are just beautiful. To see changes with the students in just a few minutes is truly remarkable.”

Learn more about Special Education Services at FCPS.

Watch the below video to see more of Micah and Campesi's work at Key Center.