Children tend to show natural curiosity and fondness towards small living creatures whenever such creatures are around. In recent days an increasing number of schools in Shenzhen are bringing some furry friends into students’ school lives, in an effort to incorporate natural and life education into their curricula. Such popularity started as early as 2018 when the Huanan Experimental School in Longhua District was under construction and some construction workers adopted a stray dog. Upon completion and after being opened to students, the school took over the dog and named it Kiki. In addition to Kiki, the school has also adopted two other stray dogs named Huahua and Diudiu. The three dogs are featured in writing and painting classes to inspire students in their work. Teachers take students to visit the kennel and tell them stories about the dogs and provide dog-raising facts. The school also organizes educational activities on animal protection and care for life. Recently the Qingxiu Kindergarten in Luohu District welcomed four geese as its new members. The school encourages inquiry learning by dividing kids into groups to observe geese, learn their behaviors and habits and record what they have learned. “By raising small animals, teachers are helping kids develop the capabilities of discovering and solving problems, and cultivate reverence and gratitude for life,” said Guo Qiong, head of the kindergarten. Liwan Primary School introduced rabbits into a series of events and lessons. Students learned how to feed the animals, as well as their living habits and ways of communication. School instructor Xu Qianhui believes that raising animals on campus opens new doors to students. Some experts are also supporting the new trend. Wang Qiuying, deputy head of the Shenzhen Instruction Center for the Mental Health Education for Primary and Secondary School Students, said “raising animals helps children connect with living things and ultimately benefits them as they grow up.” Yang Rui, a deputy to the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress, praises it as a good move to diversify school curricula. But Yang raises concerns about the professionalism and management of animal education. Yang suggests that schools should set up a comprehensive system integrating management, supervision and inspection of teaching contents. Schools are following strict safety and sanitation guidelines to raise animals. For example, teachers at Qingxiu Kindergarten clean up the goose house at regular intervals every day. Huanan Experimental School had the dogs undergo thorough physical examinations and gave them rabies vaccinations. Additionally, the dogs are carefully kept in the kennel and are walked only after school. (Yang Mei) | 