Q: My son's second-grade teacher wants me to bring our dog Bella to class to "listen" to students read. Bella, a tranquil 8-year-old Labrador retriever, is a trained guide dog whose owner died recently. The teacher says Bella can help some kids read better. The principal has approved, and my son is excited. Is this a crazy idea?

A: No, not at all. The folks at Intermountain Therapy Animals have certified Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D) and their owners throughout the nation for more than a decade. R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals that volunteer with their owners or handlers as a team. They work in schools, libraries and other settings as reading companions for children. The research results show gains for many young readers.

R.E.A.D teaches the dogs to look at the book while a child is reading it, focus on the reader and tune out classroom distractions. To learn more about the training and guidelines, go to therapyanimals.org/R.E.A.D.html.

You wouldn't want to take a dog like Marley from "Marley & Me" to class, but many schools welcome pets that are certified as "Good Citizens" by organizations such as R.E.A.D. and Pet Partners (petpartners.org) and their local affiliates.

Because Bella is a trained guide dog and comfortable in social settings, she will probably fit right in the classroom and have no problem listening patiently as a child plows his way through "Captain Underpants."

Double-check with your principal to make sure that there are no children with serious allergies whom Bella might encounter. You'll have to provide a certificate from a veterinarian that Bella is in good health and has had required vaccinations. Also, inquire about insurance. (Some training organizations offer it to owners of certified dogs.) Work with the teacher to set a specified time that Bella will be with students, and remain with her during this time.

"I can totally understand why this teacher would want Bella to listen to second-graders," says Kristen Ball, a Connecticut fifth-grade teacher who often takes her Tibetan terrier, Livvy, to class. "The elementary school years are critically important in the lives of young readers. They need lots of practice to become fluent readers, yet many are still nervous when reading aloud to peers and adults.

"Dogs relax kids. They just start reading and don't worry about making a mistake. Plus, reading to a dog is fun! Even my fifth-graders become more animated and confident because they know the dog won't care if they stumble over a word."

Ball said that Livvy helps kids with high energy because they can pet her throughout the day. During one school year in particular, Livvy gave a daily boost to a boy in Ball's class who had a serious medical condition.

Ball has noticed something else dogs can do for kids: help them focus.

"Some students are very distractible, but when Livvy is relaxing at their feet, they focus on their tasks better," she says. "There is something magical about a dog's presence that calms kids and makes them very happy."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: My son is failing ninth grade. For years, I've reminded him to do his homework, and then checked with his teachers. When I back off, he slacks off. His teachers say he can still pass if he shows effort. He admits he's lazy. I've grounded him and removed digital devices, but it's always the same old pattern. So I'm going to let him make the decision to fail. Am I doing the right thing?

A: This is tough. I gather that you've worked with his teachers to rule out learning disabilities and determined that he isn't an under-challenged student who needs acceleration. And I assume you've checked to make sure that he has mastered the necessary skills for high school work.

"Assuming you've pulled out all the stops -- consulted with teachers and counselors and they're as perplexed as you -- I suggest one more thing: Let's call it the positive consequences system," advises says Jane Bluestein, Ph.D., a New Mexico educator who coaches teachers and parents on student behavior.

This works by replacing threats ("If you don't do your homework, you're grounded!") with positively framed statements ("When you have completed your math homework, you can shoot baskets with your friends for a half-hour," or, "You're almost finished with your report? Great, finish it, then you can have your phone back.").

You're still tying privileges to responsibilities, but you're switching the dynamic, says Bluestein, author of "Parents, Teens and Boundaries" (HCI, 1993).

"Threats provoke resistance, passive-aggressiveness and flat-out defiance," she says. "Emphasizing positive consequences helps avoid negative reactions, and it puts all the responsibility back on your son."

For this to work, de-stress his after-school time. Make it friendly, neutral and nonconfrontational.

"Kids need a transition after school," says Bluestein, "and many teachers give more homework than is reasonable. Without babying him, be sympathetic. Some students can start homework once they've had a snack; others need a longer break.

"Since scheduling is a skill he needs to develop, give him a chunk of time and ask him to allocate blocks of time within it that he'll need to finish each assignment. Weave meaningful positive outcomes into his schedule if he meets his goals."

What if this doesn't work? Parental encouragement and engagement are just two factors in school success and you've given those a good shot, says Bluestein.

"Kids learn much from the outcomes of the choices they make," she says. "I can't think of many things harder than watching a child 'choose' to fail, but ultimately, despite your best efforts, he may be fighting you for power and this is his way to prove you can't control him. If it's a power play, you may want to seek the help of a family counselor to learn how to break destructive win-lose (or no-win) patterns."

Have a very frank discussion with him about the consequences of failure.

"Ask him how he will feel and what he'll do if he finds himself next year sitting in the same classes again," Bluestein advises. "In the same discussion, be very clear about which privileges come with improvement and success."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: I'm looking for an Earth Day project for our after-school club (kids ages 9 through 11). This year's theme is "Climate Change." Depressing! Kids can't really do much about that. Should we just plant trees for Arbor Day?

A: Celebrating Arbor Day (April 26) is a terrific option, especially if kids learn to care for trees and understand their vital role in cooling homes, communities and our planet. Find excellent age-appropriate activities at arborday.org.

But don't avoid this year's theme for Earth Day (April 22). "We can give kids a sense of power about their environment and help them see that our everyday actions impact our environment," says educator Cathryn Berger Kaye, author of "A Kids' Guide to Climate Change and Global Warming" (Free Spirit, 2009). "Some climate change is natural. Earth's climate has cycles and patterns. Temperatures rise and fall. However, most scientists agree that human actions have made these changes bigger and faster. Kids can learn that our actions can also help slow down these changes."

Explain that greenhouse gases build up in the air and make our planet warmer. Carbon dioxide is a common greenhouse gas. "When we burn oil and coal to run cars, factories, electrical plants and farms, we produce a lot of carbon dioxide. Some of it stays in the air and some of it goes into the water," says Kaye. "We can all do our part to reduce greenhouse gases. This is especially urgent because our oceans absorb up to half of the carbon dioxide that we produce. That's too much for our waters."

Build kids' awareness that everyday decisions can have a big impact. Organize your project around activities that promote the idea that every day is Earth Day, suggests Kaye. She offers the following suggestions:

-- Promote walking and bike-riding. Great exercise and no carbon dioxide!

-- Turn off and unplug. Do energy audits at home and school. Where can lights be reduced to save energy and dollars? Teach others to unplug electronics when not in use.

-- Recycle, reduce and reuse. Help others learn how to sort trash. Do a classroom or home inventory to find ways you can use less. Look for ways to reuse items before throwing them away. "For example, want to make clever Earth Day T-shirts? Take used ones, turn them inside out and add your message," suggests Kaye.

-- Compost. Composting reduces waste and greenhouse gases in landfills. A school composting project educates the whole community!

-- Fight litter! It gets into storm drains and into our oceans. "Convince others to tackle litter by staging a play based on the hilarious book 'The Wartville Wizard,'" says Kaye.

-- Spread the word! Kids' words can create a strong ripple effect. In her book "Make a Splash! A Kid's Guide to Protecting Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, and Wetlands (Free Spirit, 2012), Kaye encourages young people to turn their words into persuasive letters and videos to influence others.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)