Novelties

(school year 2006-07)

 

  1. European program Socrates / Comenius 2.2.b

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participating in the specific European program (foreign language teacher classroom assistant) was a real challenge ands as it turned out, it was worth it. 

We welcomed the foreign language teacher classroom assistant, Mr. Christian Kollinger from Germany.

The experience from this collaboration was both positive as it was constructive.

His spontaneity, hard work and friendly attitude made him very popular to all the members of our school (teachers, students and parents).

He worked perfectly with the staff and was loved by the children. He introduced us to the educational system and culture of a foreign country; we exchanged ideas, educational practices and methods.

For us, as an intercultural school it is very important to be able to participate in programs like this one since we believe that through them we try to promote the European and universal dimension of education. We believe that through these programs the children learn about solidarity and friendship among nations. Also, they learn how bad racism and xenophobia is.

 

 

2. A multicultural visit to our school

 

In the contents of the European program Socrates-Comenius 2.2.b which gave us the opportunity since the beginning of the school year to host the assistant foreign language teacher Mr. Christian Kollinger from Germany, our school was visited – after a very interesting suggestion by Mr. Kollinger – by 11 foreign students who are in our country participating in the educational action program ERASMUS of the University of Thessaloniki.

The visit took place on Wednesday 17th January 2007, during the morning zone of our school program. After being welcomed by our Principal, Mr. Papadopoulos Stergios and the teaching staff of our school, the students had the chance to visit some of our classes and meet some of our students.

B1 class with their teacher, Vanna Costa, welcomed them by saying “Good morning” in the mother tongue of every one of the students. It should be noted here that the students were from Germany, Spain, Italy, Estonia, Finland and Turkey. Also, in the same class, they participated in an acquaintance game with our young students.

With great joy and many surprises they were also welcomed by class C1 and their teacher, Machi Keskilidou.

The students had prepared drawings for every visitor and welcomed them using again the mother tongue of everyone while they had prepared the appropriate art crafts. Furthermore, they exchanged compliments all in our visitor’s own language. Later, the teacher of music Mrs. Panagiota Drigogia met them in class E1 where the students and their teacher, Mr. Sakis Paraschos, sang several songs of the Greek musical scene. The English song “Imagine” by John Lennon was the one chosen for last so they were all able to sing together.

Afterwards, the students from the 6th 2 class hosted the foreign students and together with their teacher, Mr. Apostolis Zois and the teacher of English, Mrs. Maria Vritsiou they recited some poems in English and offered our guests some souvenirs of their class.             

The tour ended in the 6th 1 class where the students with the Physical education teacher of the “Kallipatira” program, Mrs. Pigi Vodeniotou presented several Greek dances in which the guests participated enthusiastically.  

The visit of the above mentioned guests was a very positive experience for all the children in our school. The reasons urging us to participate as a school every year in different European programs are:

  • The extremely positive experience from the 3 years participation in Comenius 1 and from our first participation in Comenius 2.2b
  • The continuance of the European element in our school
  • The downbeat of racism and xenophobia.
  • The intercultural meetings as main element of our school curriculum.
  • The granting of even more chances to some of our students, e.g. foreign students or gypsy etc.
  • The ideas for improvement form the teachers of foreign countries
  • The acquaintance with foreign languages.

 

Impressions of some of our guests from their visit to our school follow:    

 

I just want to say I felt very welcomed in your lovely school. It was a very nice day and it was a pleasure to meet with all of the pupils and teachers, especially the principal Mr. Papadopoulos.

I must say you have very talented pupils. Thanks again for your songs, poems, gifts and the dancing and playing with us and most importantly for your hospitality and company. Hope to meet you again soon. ( Zeynep from Turkey )

 

I liked it very much. It was a good opportunity to see other aspects of life in Greece. I find very good the idea that children from different countries study together. They should do the same thing in Estonia as well. Children were very sweet. Especially I liked the singing lesson, it was touching. Thank you for a beautiful day.

( Aina from Estonia )

 

 

 

 

“Meeting Europe, meeting friends” this is what today a German friend of mine told me! And what is better than meeting people from different countries? It is the right chance to exchange cultures, feelings and experiences. And if the context is that of and intercultural school then it becomes perfect! Nowadays more than in the past we really need to build the basis of a new Europe, without walls and colours. I really enjoyed the day passed with those pupils; and even if they were just very young people I learned that we already keep the basis of this “new Europe”, we just need to wait for them to grow. I truly want to thank my friend Chris for giving me such an important opportunity.

( Pietro from Italy )

 

I really enjoyed the visit to your school. Especially interactive activitates as dancing, singing and thelling favorite food together with children were really nice. Thank you very much!

(Hanna from Finland)

 

When Christian invited us to see his school for which he had been talking for so long, I did not expect that the students would happily welcome us with so much curiosity. They treated us without fear, very comfortable and seemed very happy. The teachers really managed to organize a day that has been very educational for all of us. The children met foreigners and we, the guests met a school that daily tries to forward intercultural education to their students and the coexistence of different cultures and civilizations in Greece. Thank you, we will never forget this visit.

(Bernhard from Germany)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Our school newspaper on line

Our terminally published newspaper has reached its 5th year. It is called “the world in the eyes of the children”. It is a newspaper edited by the students of the 6th grade and it is now on line in the following address:

http://6dim-diap-elefth.thess.sch.gr

 

 

4. Reconstruction of our webpage – 1st National Distinction

 

Visit our renovated school webpage!

Do you want to learn more about our activities?

Do you want to learn more about Intercultural Education?

The several programs of accession of emigrants, foreigners, ryes and Muslims in Greece?

If yes, visit our school’s webpage. A webpage awarded the 1st national distinction in the 4th Pan-Hellenic Convent6ion in Syros (4, 5,6 May) by the Greek Union for the Development of Technology and Communication in Education as far as the best «Primary schools WebPages » are concerned.

Address: http://6dim-diap-elefth.thess.sch.gr

 

 

 

5. Collaboration with the Municipality of Eleftherio - Kodrelio

Our school collaborated with the municipality at the very ambitious program titled: “Meet Greece” several field trips took place as well as entertaining activities.

 

6. Christos Tsolakis – Sofronis Chatzisavvidis (two top linguists)

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we are sensitive to educational issues, immigration, refuges and ryes, the students of the 6th grade came in contact with two of the most famous linguists in Greece. Cristo Tsolaki, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Primary Pedagogical Education at Aristotelio University and Sofroni Chatzisavvidi, dean of the Paidagogical School and teacher of the Department of Science of Preschool Education at the same University.

 

 

 

 

7. Presenting our school’s Intercultural Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through the web page and our multicultural newspaper, often the rich cross-cultural activities of our school become known.

Thus certain television stations wanted us to present all these activities and the harmonious coexistence of children from different countries in the school.

 

MEGA: On Christmas Eve in the live recreational airing of “A lot on Sunday” our school was live on TV for 15 minutes, in parallel connection with the Greek school in Ntachaoy in Munich in Germany and presented some activities.

 

ÅÔ3: On Thursday 8 February in the mid day Central News Bulletin in a 15minute live connection the principal and certain schoolteachers of the school, our chorus and a dancing team, spoke for the various programs and activities that took place in our school.

They stressed, that the schoolteachers the children should emphasize the right of each child and each person to have other on religion, different musical hearings, cultures, customs so as to feel like one. To understand that what we live daily in the classroom and in our school, with this variety of origins- this exchange of experiences - is in the end a privilege and no social problem.

 

EUROPE 1: Monday of 4 April in the emission of channel EUROPE 1 the force of language and for one entire hour, the director, certain schoolteachers and students of various orders spoke for the operation of our school, for the various programs of integration of resettler, foreighers, gipsies of students and for our activities.

 

8. Collaboration with the voluntary team of Anastasia’s Friends and the Psychological Centre of Northern Greece (Pefka)

 

 

 

 

 

In collaboration with the Voluntary Team of Anastasia‘s Friends we entertained in our school the children with special skills of the Psychological Centre of Northern Greece (Pefka). Certain children of our school had the opportunity to meet those children and to discuss with them. Then the children of PS.C.N.G. had a pleasant day with food, music and dance. The voluntary Team of Anastasia‘s Friends, was created in memory of a girl who envisioned volunteerism. Its objective is to offer material and moral support to children with special skills and to whomever else has a real need. It has been active for 5,5 years. It believes in the idea of volunteerism and unselfish offer. We decided as a school to continue our collaboration.

 

 

 

 

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