Class pets add a dimension of fun

English+teacher+Alexandra+Rosenboom+keeps+rats+Tyrone+and+Clarissa+as+classroom+pets.+In+addition+to+chameleons%2C+geckos%2C+and+tarantulas%2C+animals+on+campus+provide+unique+elements+to+the+classroom.+

English teacher Alexandra Rosenboom keeps rats Tyrone and Clarissa as classroom pets. In addition to chameleons, geckos, and tarantulas, animals on campus provide unique elements to the classroom.

A lone being sits in Nichols Hall, blinking quietly as early-arriving students and faculty members trickle into the Atrium in the morning. It shifts slightly from the position it has settled down in, expecting its morning meal: a live cricket.

From its perch in the Atrium, the veiled chameleon is among several animals that serve as pets around campus, ranging from baby crested geckos to avicularia versicolor tarantulas.

The chameleon in the Atrium is not the only one of its kind; its female counterpart is under the care of chemistry teacher Dr. Smriti Koodanjeri, who offered to adopt one when chemistry teacher Andrew Irvine’s original chameleon gave birth to around 50 babies. To take care of the pet, Dr. Koodanjeri makes sure the light in its cage is on each morning and gives its water. Every other day, Irvine brings sustenance in the form of crickets sprinkled with calcium.

Dr. Koodanjeri believes that keeping animals as classroom pets adds to the learning environment.

“Having an animal in the classroom is really beneficial to some of the kids, especially the quieter ones. They love to interact with the animals, so sometimes we take them out and we play with them,” she said.

Irvine’s passion for acquiring and raising animals has made him the supplier of chameleons to many teachers around campus.

Besides the chameleons, Irvine keeps several tarantulas at school, as well as a scorpion that spawned at the beginning of the year.

“I go through spurts of interest in animals,” Irvine said. “Sometimes it’s good that I have my wife around because she’s the voice of reason, otherwise I’d probably have a Noah’s ark at my house.”

While Irvine has arachnids and reptiles, warm-blooded animals can be found in English teacher Alexandra Rosenboom’s room. She houses two rats, Tyrone and Clarissa.

“Last year was really tough for a lot of people, with a lot of emotionally challenging distractions, so I thought it would be nice to have a joyful distraction instead,” Rosenboom said.

The rats, both female, have been in the classroom for about eight months.

“I think the rats are really cool,” Safia Khouja (10) said. “It makes the classroom cozier and warmer.”

To many students and faculty alike, class pets add another interactive dimension to the classroom.