Audience

K-12 Administrators, Teachers, Counselors, School Psychologists and Social Workers

Presenter Name(s)

Gail Okerman, M.Ed. and Will Guerra, M.Ed. 

Presenter Bio(s)

Ms. Okerman is the owner of Gail Okerman Five Points Counseling and Consultation in Lunenburg, MA. She has been counseling and educating children, teenagers, and adults in public and private institutions/agencies for over 30 years. She is an educational consultant working with numerous districts in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Ms. Okerman is an Assistant Professor at Fitchburg State University and has offered numerous courses through the Center for Professional Studies, as well as in collaboration with Worcester State University. Ms. Okerman works with children, teenagers, and adults by utilizing a strength-based collaborative problem-solving approach that supports resilience. She has co-authored a book entitled Developing Minds: Essential Brain-Based Strategies to Support Success. Ms. Okerman has also co-authored Project EXSEL- An Integrated Executive Functioning and Social-EmotionalModel (2019). Ms Okerman developed  the Educator Empowerment Model that is used as the basis in all her courses . Her love of family informs her practice

https://www.gailokerman.com/about 

Description

Step into a world where education is ignited with passion and innovation. ‘Igniting Joy in the Classroom: A Path to Innovative Learning’ is a transformative course designed to empower educators to reignite their passion for educating  while embracing innovative strategies that spark creativity, engagement, and growth in the classroom. Led by seasoned educators and experts in the field, this course delves into dynamic teaching methodologies, harnessing the power of technology, fostering a culture of collaboration, and cultivating a classroom environment where every student thrives. This course is designed to deliberately explore and examine the accelerated rate of change that we are experiencing as educators, administrators and counselors and to frame this change as an opportunity for transformation.  We will create a working professional learning community to support constructive conversations and dynamic dialogs  in our exploration of  how to equitably meet the diverse needs of the populations we serve. Through this reflective practice, participants will glean insights with the intention of integrating those insights into meaningful, purposeful tasks and transformative impact projects. We will utilize constructive conversations and dynamic dialogues to deepen our understanding and to strengthen our practice focusing on the work of Pasi Sahlberg and the Finnish Educational Paradigm. Engagement in a committed deep reflective process to determine how to best inform practice moving forward empowers educators and administrators in the process.Whether you’re a seasoned educator seeking fresh inspiration or a newcomer eager to revolutionize your teaching approach, join us on a journey to unleash the full potential of your classroom and ignite the joy of learning.

We will:

•  Explore innovative teaching methodologies including current Finnish pedagogy and  the research on wonder  that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
• Cultivate  strategies for integrating meaningful,  joyful learning into the classroom environment.
•  Explore how to create  a culture of care.collaboration and inclusivity among students as presented in Worldview, Finnish 3.0 and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.
• Come to understand how to  cultivate a positive classroom environment that promotes joy, curiosity, creativity, and growth.
• Provide educators with opportunities to use  practical tools and resources for implementing innovative teaching practices that promote inquiry, investigation and critical thinking
• Integrate the essential elements of the educator empowerment model, Finnish 3.0 and the Culturally Responsive Model 
• Explore the intersectionality of worldview Intelligence, cultural competence, connectivity  and our relationship with the future
• We will consider what we have learned as leaders and educators as a result of current conditions and rapid change while relating this information to equitable practice – exploring the elements of choice, voice and shared power in systems 
• Integrate the essential elements of effective collaborative teams that have a high capacity for managing change that better serves communities 
• Delve into how to create innovative blended practice to engage and meet the needs of all students through a joyful deliberate integration of the elements of Finnish 3.0, the six C’e and The Power of wonder in learning 

Synchronous / Asynchronous

Synchronous

Location

ACCEPT Collaborative, 4 Tech Circle, Natick

Dates & Times

August 18 – August 21, 2025;  9am – 12pm with additional time working in small groups

PDPs

67.5

Credit

Participants can choose to apply for (3) graduate credits for an additional fee of $375 payable to Worcester State University

Cost

$400 ACCEPT members/$480 non-members

Registration Deadline

August 1, 2025