A pedagogue, preschool and arts teacher, university lecturer, author of educational books for children, and creator of innovative educational projects and unconventional solutions in education.
Initiator of the nationwide social campaign “Schools Without Homework.” Recipient of the Janusz Korczak Award, winner of Polish Radio Czwórka’s NIEPRZECIĘTNI 2022 competition, laureate of the Teacher on a Medal award by Głos Wielkopolski, and winner of the Personality of the Year 2019 title in the Greater Poland region. Awarded the Medal of the National Education Commission for contributions to education and upbringing.
Grzegorz Kasdepke was born in Białystok on May 4, 1972. He graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science at the University of Warsaw. From 1995 to 2000, he served as the editor-in-chief of the children’s magazine Świerszczyk.
His short stories have been, and continue to be, published in numerous children’s and youth magazines, such as Ciuchcia and Komiksowo. Grzegorz Kasdepke has also written scripts for children’s television programs.
The author collaborates with publishing houses such as Nasza Księgarnia, Egmont Polska, Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry, and Wydawnictwo Literackie. He has received numerous awards and distinctions for his work, including the Kornel Makuszyński Award and the Education XXI Award (twice).
Katarzyna Włodkowska is a member of the Superbelfrzy RP group, a teaching consultant, a Polish language and media education teacher, a coordinator of national and international educational and humanitarian projects, a certified education trainer, and a high school final exam examiner. She is the president of the Hope for Uganda Association, whose mission is to build a home for children in Budaka, Uganda.
She was recognized in the Greater Poland Teacher of the Year competition organized by the Greater Poland Regional Government and, in 2018, was ranked among the 13 best teachers in Poland in the nationwide competition organized by Głos Nauczycielski.
In 2019, she became a finalist of the Irena Sendler “Repairing the World” Award, organized by the Center for Citizenship Education Foundation and the Association of the Children of the Holocaust. In 2012, she was recognized in the Person of the Year competition organized by Tygodnik Pilski, and in 2017 received the title of Most Popular Teacher in the County in a contest organized by Głos Wielkopolski.
In 2018, she was once again honored in the Tygodnik Pilski plebiscite as Person of the Year in the Culture and Education category. She has been a speaker at numerous national conferences.
She is the leader of the Wiki-School program, which aims to develop participatory tools for teaching and to improve key digital skills and online lessons. She is also the founder of the “Invite Me to Your Lesson” project, which enables students to meet with experts and enthusiasts, and the coordinator of the social initiative “Lessons Online.”
A certified computer science teacher at Primary School No. 6 in Gdynia, a teaching consultant at the Gdynia Teacher Training Center, and a university lecturer at Ateneum University in Gdańsk. Author and facilitator of numerous teacher training courses, and since 2018, a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Master Trainer. Speaker and organizer of educational conferences, and a member of the nationwide teachers’ group Superbelfrzy RP.
She holds the title of Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and is part of the global network of the world’s most innovative teachers. She actively participates in numerous methodological conferences both as a participant and a speaker. She was honored by Microsoft with the title of Microsoft Innovative Educator Fellow 2020–2021.
A passionate advocate of new technologies, she is a Wakelet Ambassador, a Certified Nearpod Educator, and an ambassador of the nationwide school cooperation program Wiosna Edukacji (“Spring of Education”) as well as the Year of Relationships initiative. She belongs to the nationwide group Eduzmieniacze (“Edu-changers”) and the regional cooperation network Zdolni z Pomorza (“Talented from Pomerania”).
She coordinates the Lessons Online social project for the subject of Computer Science and leads the social campaign Invite Me to Your Lesson. She implements national and international projects using Skype, co-manages the Facebook group “Become a Microsoft Expert”, and co-authors the teacher blog TeacherEduPower.
She runs the “Rozwojownia” project, in which she implements her own original training programs. She supports the development of colleagues on multiple levels, delivering training in customer service emotions, metaprograms, sales techniques, the basics of effective communication, and persuasion. In addition, she conducts individual coaching sessions.
She also delivers training sessions for seniors on topics such as sales manipulation, market communication, generational differences, and the principles of social influence.
She is a passionate teacher who shares knowledge and skills with her students in an innovative and creative way. She loves people who are open to the world and new experiences. She has had the opportunity to gain experience at every level of education, having worked in a kindergarten, lower secondary school (the longest), high school, and primary school, where she also served as headmistress.
She collaborates with educational institutions and non-governmental organizations in the field of both formal and non-formal education, as well as in volunteer work. She enjoys delivering training sessions and workshops on the use of ICT tools in the work of these organizations.
With her qualifications as a trainer, she aims to inspire others. She currently works at the Opole Hospice Association, where she coordinates volunteer activities and serves as a fundraiser.
Author of the books The Teacher’s Crisis Handbook: How to Take Care of Yourself When School Turns into an Emotional Battlefield and Good Relationships at School; a certified Polish language teacher, certified tutor and mediator, trainer, and mentor in online courses for teachers; creator of the blog School of Good Relationships.
Her experience includes: 18 years of working with children and young people, 9 years of mentoring teachers, over 300 hours of tutoring with students, more than 400 hours of psychoeducational workshops, and over 300 hours of individual consultations with teachers and parents.