An interview with Eden Gold
I wish I knew that every obstacle is just a way of confirming that I am doing great because I am trying.
The landscape of education is undergoing a profound transformation, propelled by technological advancements, pedagogical innovations, and a deepened understanding of learning diversities. Traditional classrooms are evolving, and new modes of teaching and learning are emerging to better prepare students for the complexities of the modern world. This series will take a look at the groundbreaking work being done across the globe to redefine education. As a part of this interview series, we had the pleasure to interview Barbara Vokatis, PhD.
Barbara Vokatis, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Elementary Education and Reading at SUNY Oneonta. She is also involved in voluntary work in the area of Animal-Assisted Intervention, innovation in this field, and publishing about it.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the “backstory” behind what brought you to this particular career path?
Over 10 years ago, my daughter was diagnosed with autism. I was devastated. I started looking for ways children with autism can have less anxiety and stress in educational settings. In my search for ways, I couldn’t find the resources I needed, which then led me to certify my dog as a therapy dog and start visiting children in school. In this process, I also began innovating with my therapy dog to help children who have difficulties with learning even more. As a result, I discovered that therapy dogs can help children learn many subjects, including writing and math. These simple but creative ideas could start a new approach to education because we need a change in education. We need education that cares about children’s well-being.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I have been an educator all my professional life. But some time ago, when I was still living in Europe, in Poland, I decided to take a break from working as a teacher and became a translator of the English language in a big company. After working in such a different environment, I went back to teaching within a year. At that time, I thought that this drastic change was a very bad idea and regretted it. Now I think that this was the best move I made because this move allowed me to see where I truly fit and where I did not fit. Every action we take is a lesson that helps us understand something and learn. The truth is there is no learning without mistakes, trying new and different things, failures, and obstacles and that is exactly what I learned from this experience over time. I also learned that having a fulfilling profession does matter to me more than earning a lot. I am so glad I had a chance to learn these powerful lessons earlier in my life.
Can you briefly share with our readers why you are an authority in the education field?
I am an expert in innovative Animal-Assisted Intervention in educational settings for several reasons. First, I have been volunteering with my therapy dog in educational settings for 6 years. In the last three years, I have been innovating in this area as well as presenting my research findings locally, nationally, and internationally. My latest book, “Teachers and Therapy Dog Teams: Innovative Collaborations to Make a Difference for Children,” describes my innovation in this area. I am also a member of the Association of Animal Assisted Intervention Professionals. In addition, I am an educator with 30 years of experience internationally who understands how children learn and what contributes to as well as what hinders their learning and socio-emotional growth. Moreover, I have an understanding of learning difficulties among children who are autistic because I have an autistic child. Because of this understanding, I have a unique insight into many difficulties these children face in the educational system and what teaching approaches are useful to truly help and empower neurodivergent children.
Can you identify some areas of the US education system that are going great?
Recently, I have seen more focus on teaching social and emotional skills. These skills are very important because we want our children to be kind to themselves and others, develop resilience, and build social awareness and other skills. I have also seen more focus on teaching children how to collaborate and build knowledge together about a subject.
Can you identify the key areas of the US education system that should be prioritized for improvement? Can you explain why those are so critical?
In my opinion, the US education system should focus on considering approaches that do not only focus on new technologies or new strategies for teaching reading, writing, math, and other subjects. These are of course important. However, in the classroom, teachers face children’s growing anxiety and other issues, and sometimes these issues prevent children from fully engaging in learning. Therefore, in the education system, we should ask new questions: Do we have any teaching approaches that can help children reduce their stress, anxiety, and other issues as well as make learning more engaging? I see such a potential for responsible and appropriate inclusion of therapy animals in the classroom. Some children can open up and engage only in the presence of animals in the classroom. In addition, this experience connects to learning all subjects because children want to learn eagerly if learning has a connection to the therapy animal they love.
Please tell us all about the innovative educational approaches that you are using. What is the specific problem that you aim to solve, and how have you addressed it?
I am innovating in the area of animal-assisted intervention. Currently, together with my dog, I visit a small group of children learning math. Usually, the therapy dog would just come in and children would just pet the dog, which is great. But we are doing more. For instance, my dog picks math facts for children to do by touching a token with a math fact. She also checks children’s answers by either sitting down or wagging her tail. She assists the teacher. These young children have weak math skills and are not engaged in math. In the presence of my dog, they love math activities, are engaged, and put in much more effort. They are even entertained.
In what ways do you think your approach might shape the future of education? What evidence supports this?
This approach has the potential to do two things in one. It has the potential to both lower children’s anxiety and stress and engage them in transformative learning, the type of learning that builds on their curiosity and natural interest in animals. Both my collaborating teacher, Lucinda Ormiston, and I, as a therapy dog partner and researcher, see evidence every time my dog is in the classroom and beyond. Even when I am not there every day, children make references to my dog. We also have data from interviewing children. In these interviews, children not only said that they loved to interact with my dog, but they also stressed that they loved learning when my dog was present. At one time, children who had trouble writing one sentence created their biography books because my dog inspired them.
How do you measure the impact of your innovative educational practices on students’ learning and well-being?
There are different ways of measuring/investigating such an impact. I study my practice systematically by analyzing data collected during these visits such as observations, interviewing the teacher, and interviewing children. These analyses point to consistent patterns of these benefits. For instance, when we interviewed children, they all responded that they liked both interacting with my dog and creating books because they were inspired by my dog. But even beyond systematic data analyses, evidence is clear that this practice is very beneficial. Before we included my dog, many children had trouble with writing. When we included my dog, writing engagement went up. More writing engagement leads to more writing. More writing leads to becoming better writers.
What challenges have you faced in implementing your educational innovations, and how have you overcome them?
There are many challenges. First, I work full time, so I cannot visit with my dog very often. But I strive for at least one visit a week. My dog’s well-being is just as important; therefore, we visit when my dog is willing to do it. I make sure she has also other activities, such as walking, swimming, and interactions with other dogs. There are also scheduling issues because schools are very busy places. If we have to cancel a visit, we have to. But overall, I am blessed to work with amazing teachers and administrators who always look forward to having us.
Keeping in mind the “Law of Unintended Consequences” can you see any potential drawbacks of this innovation that people should think more deeply about?
The only drawback would be if including therapy animals was done irresponsibly. In such activities, both well-being of children and therapy animals must be understood and considered. Therefore, it is important to educate ourselves before we introduce this practice in schools. I encourage readers to reach out to the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals for questions about resources.
What are your “5 Things I Wish I Knew When I First Started”?
1 . I wish I knew that it is not about an outcome but is about enjoying every single day.
2 . I wish I knew that every obstacle is just a way of confirming that I am doing great because I am trying.
3 . I wish I knew that failure is just a lesson to learn something important, which means we need failures.
4 . I wish I knew that worrying about things we cannot control is a waste of time.
5 . I wish I knew that therapy animals are very beneficial in education.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
In a world where you can be anything, be kind.
We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
I think it would be Oprah. Oprah has an incredible presence. People listen to what she says. If I had a chance to chat with her, this could inspire many people to think about education differently.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I am on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Threads. Readers can also connect with me through my website: www.barbaravokatis.com .
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
You are welcome! It is my pleasure! Thank you so much for such wonderful questions! I hope your readers will find this information inspiring.
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold
Education Revolution: Barbara Vokatis On Innovative Approaches That Are Transforming Education was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.