Dr. Barbara Vokatis discusses innovative education and therapy animal programs – 2025
When we talk about transforming education, we often default to technology, policy reform, or curriculum changes. But in this episode of The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast, the conversation takes a different, and deeply human, turn. Dr. Barbara Vokatis is a professor at SUNY Oneonta. She is an advocate for innovative teaching. She joins Tracy Rigdon. They explore how animal-assisted education is reshaping what learning can look like in American classrooms. Literacy innovation and neurodivergent inclusion are also playing a role in this transformation.
Dr. Vokatis brings decades of experience teaching literacy courses to future and practicing educators. Her research focuses on learning in innovative spaces. This includes a groundbreaking dog therapy lab embedded in a local elementary school. What began as educational research quickly evolved into a powerful movement for inclusive, emotionally responsive teaching.
Literacy Education and Innovation at SUNY Oneonta
At SUNY Oneonta in upstate New York, Dr. Vokatis trains educators to think beyond traditional classroom structures . Innovation, in her view, isn’t about flashy trends. It’s about building environments where children feel safe, supported, and engaged.
Her work explores:
- Inquiry-driven learning spaces
- Responsive literacy instruction
- Community-based innovation labs
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration
She challenges educators to ask: What conditions help children thrive? And more importantly: How can teachers intentionally design those conditions?
Animal-Assisted Education: More Than a Feel-Good Strategy
One of the most compelling parts of this episode centers on animal-assisted education. Dr. Vokatis wrote Teachers and Therapy Dog Teams: Innovative Collaborations to Make a Difference for Children. Dr. Vokatis also authored the award-winning children’s book Carmel Goes to School.
Therapy dogs in classrooms are often misunderstood. During the conversation, she clarifies the difference between:
- Therapy dogs (trained to support groups in structured environments)
- Service dogs (task-trained for individuals with disabilities)
- Emotional support animals (not trained for public educational settings)
In her research, therapy dogs have supported:
- Literacy development
- Communication breakthroughs
- Reduced anxiety
- Classroom community building
- Social-emotional growth
Students who struggle to read aloud to peers often read confidently to a therapy dog. Children navigating anxiety or sensory overload frequently show improved regulation when interacting with trained animals. The impact is measurable, and deeply personal.
Neurodiversity, Advocacy, and Inclusive Education
The episode takes an especially meaningful turn when Dr. Vokatis speaks about her personal experience as a parent of an autistic and gender-fluid child . That lived experience informs her advocacy work and her research focus.
She speaks candidly about:
- Navigating school systems as a parent
- The need for broader conversations around neurodivergence
- Creating environments where children don’t have to mask who they are
- Connecting mental health and learning outcomes
Rather than positioning inclusion as an “add-on,” she argues it must be foundational. Neurodivergent children should not be retrofitted into rigid systems. Systems must evolve to meet them where they are.
The “Get Inspired with Dr. Barb” Podcast
In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Vokatis hosts and produces the Get Inspired with Dr. Barb podcast . The show highlights innovation in education and requires every guest to share actionable strategies educators can immediately implement.
Her philosophy is simple: inspiration without implementation changes nothing.
Why This Conversation Matters
Education reform is often discussed at the policy level. This episode brings the focus back to the classroom, to children, teachers, and the emotional ecosystem that shapes learning.
Key themes from the episode include:
- Innovation grounded in research
- Therapy dogs as structured educational tools
- Mental health as part of academic success
- Parent advocacy as a catalyst for change
- Designing classrooms that welcome neurodiversity
For educators, parents, and advocates, this episode offers both practical insight and personal reflection.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Barbara Vokatis reminds us that meaningful educational change doesn’t require abandoning structure — it requires reimagining it. Whether through therapy dogs, literacy innovation, or neurodivergent advocacy, her work challenges schools to become more humane, responsive spaces.
To learn more about Dr. Vokatis’ research, books, and podcast, visit her professional platforms. Then, tune into this powerful episode of The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast.
Deep gratitude to everyone who shared their time, trust, and voice in this work.
The Contrast Project is built on conversation; honest, open, and grounded in lived experience. We aim to highlight stories that matter, ask harder questions, and foster understanding across differences. This post may be updated as new information emerges, and contributor anonymity is respected unless otherwise sourced.
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Until next time—peace.
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