The disabled York teacher says that Dog is “rescue buoy” in her scientific laboratory

While Cheryl Alexander teaches his students the atoms and the elements, special help is on site in his scientific laboratory.

York professor from York High School is joined by his help dog Tyrian, who has been his canine partner for the past eight years.

As a wheelchair user with physical and sensory handicaps, Ms. Alexander says that she often needs Tyrien’s help to do manual activities.

“He is my hands, it’s almost an extension of myself,” she explains.

The 44 -year -old man, who lives in York, says that a day in the life of a teacher is never dull, with two days – or two minutes – the same.

Although his class can be a little different, with an adjacent closet that has become an office for the Tyrian, Ms. Alexander says that having a dog in a science laboratory is not as difficult as people may think.

“When I go around my room, I drop things down,” she explains.

“We make stamps as awards and I drop them all the time and he knows as soon as he hears a hit the ground, he picks it up and gives it to me.

“He will stay in the closet if I ask him. If we have a practice, I don’t want him to bring me bottles of sulfuric acid or anything.”

Tyrian also helps to collect things with students and bring them to Ms. Alexander, whom she says they like.

At school, his office has a bed, toys, water, food and a fresher fan for the summer months and he likes frequent walks at breaks.

“It is a good dog for this type of work because it is calm and calm when it needs to be and active and directly to get things differently,” said Ms. Alexander.

“If I have something I need in my bag, he can open it and find something and bring it to me, rather than having to get it.

“It is a very large lifeline.”

Ms. Alexander has other adaptations around her class, such as microphones to pick up what students say because she is fatal.

“I spent all my life for adults on this chair, so I don’t know what it is not to be,” she said.

“Many young disabled people never see a disabled adult going to their business and living their lives.

“I think it’s very easy when you don’t have anyone to look for you, to think that there is nothing for you and that you are alone.

“Even for students who have no handicap, they look at me and think” she can somehow present herself every morning, maybe I can also “.”

The teacher says that she explains her condition to each new class and what they have to do differently.

“I am certainly treated as if I am only another member of the staff and the students really do not see the difference,” she adds.

In recognition of Ms. Alexander’s teaching and exceptional plaid work for students confronted with adversity, she was honored with the Educators’ Trust Awards 2025.

She attended an evening of awards ceremony at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London, where she received the Master Educator’s Award for the management of the exceptional school.

“It’s a bit overwhelming because I don’t feel like I’ve done much in particular, it’s just my daily life,” she said.

“One of the things that I am most proud of is to invest in students and invest in them as people and to be the” village “.

“You need a village to raise a child and I have the impression of collecting the price in the name of my village, the people who helped me.

“Teachers were incredible models for me when I was at school. I had a lot of trouble growing up and they pushed me to be my own cheerleader and be proud of my own success.

“I hope I am part of this village for the students I teach now.”