September:

Τhe schools οpen, the lessons  begin

Summer is over and September has come, the first month of autumn. Nevertheless, September is still a very hot month, which is why some people take their leave at this time of year, to bathe in the sea in peace and enjoy their vacation.

But for most, September is the month they return to work and schools open. All the children are getting ready to buy their school stuff: bag, case, pencils, erasers, pens, notebooks, markers. Teachers and professors must show up at school on the first day of the month to be on duty. They have about two weeks to prepare and start classes for the new school year. Teachers and students, again, have to adjust, go to bed earlier in the night, to wake up early in the morning, to go to school.

The children will meet their classmates from last year and will be anxious to find out who their teachers will be for this year. But there are also those children who go to school for the first time or change their level of education, so it is again like starting from the beginning. They are the kids in the first grade, who have more anxiety and curiosity and sometimes fear, for what they will face and if they will succeed. But it is also their parents who wish and want their children to go well to school and be good students. And while the children will at some point finish all school classes and graduate, their educators, teachers and professors will never graduate. Every year they are in their place, in the classroom and try to teach their students, young and older, knowledge, but also values ​​of life. So this year too, a new school year begins !!!  

Let us wish all the children and all the educators, of all levels, a good and creative year, with strength and health !!! Good start!!!

Anthoula P. Veziri

Panhellenic Examinations

Anyone who has finished school in Greece has experienced, not only himself, but also his family, the institution of Panhellenic examinations. Even those who did not take the exam have been influenced to some degree, even indirectly, by the exam atmosphere.

From the first grades of primary school, the dream of every student, but also of his parents, is to grow up and go to University. The Greek school is indeed structured in such a way that the admission of the student to the University or the Polytechnic is a one-way street, as there are no corresponding recognized schools of technical education in various fields, where students could study and have a degree that will provide them with vocational rehabilitation.

In this way, Greek students are anxious and agonizing every summer for the exams that will secure them the title of student, to reward their efforts and those of their parents, who have paid, for at least three years of high school, a lot of money in tuition. Because without the tutoring, no one manages to get to the University or the Polytechnic, except maybe a few exceptions.

But what we have to say to the children, so that they do not get disappointed, if they do not succeed, is that their life and progress, or much more their happiness, are not determined by the Panhellenic exams. Opportunities to learn things, to acquire knowledge, to change profession, exist throughout our lives. Especially in our day, knowledge never stops and we are forced to constantly learn new things. Also, in our lives we must have choices and not be trapped in a situation like: this or nothing. A young person who starts his life and every choice is possible, should not deprive himself of the opportunity and the right to choose and change his mind about the profession he will follow, when for some reason, he fails to do what he had originally thought.

There are many opportunities in life, not just one, many possibilities and several options, if we have the mood and the will to look for what suits us and get it. It is a great pity that the young children, who have their whole life ahead of them, are trapped in the dilemma: University or nothing. After all, in our lives we give daily exams with our behavior and choices and this never stops.

Anthoula P. Veziri

Friday 15 January 2021

Back to school

The Christmas holidays are over and we are back at school. These holidays seemed bigger, because of the quarantine that preceded. 

Lessons  are now continuing normally, in the classroom and not online.

Fortunately for all of us, education and learning presuppose teaching live, with the physical presence of the teacher with his students. 

Distance education lags far behind and makes it difficult for young students, especially in primary and kindergarten.

It filled the school again with children's voices, the classrooms found a reason to exist again, the students and the teachers continued their lessons and everything found its daily rhythm.

When I walk on empty streets, I think that the world will cease to exist when there will be no more children. Children are life and with their voices, toys and laughter, they give us strength and energy to keep living. Children do not let you give up. It is a source of life, joy and creation.

The morning I entered the teachers' office, the αrt teacher noticed the mask I was wearing.

 _ Let me see you! Is it Van Gogh? she asked me.

_ Yes, I did. I'm glad you noticed, I smiled at her.

 _ Where did you get it?

After informing her, I told her that I was very happy that she recognized the design of Van Gogh with sunflowers.

Then she asked me laughing: 

_ Did I make you the day?

_ Fortunately, I replied, there is hope!

When she later came into my class to teach, she told the children:

_ Do you remember talking about a painter who painted sunflowers? Someone in here wears a mask like that, but not me.

Everyone looked at each other, a student raised her hand to answer and another student was thrown out:

 _ The teacher! 

_What was the name of the painter, remember? 

_Vincent Van Gogh, another student replied.

_Well done for remembering it, the αrt teacher told her.

_ Now I am doubly happy, I replied to my colleague.

   Today you finally made me my day!

Anthoula P. Veziri

"Sunflowers", Vincent Van Gogh

Παρασκευή 15 Ιανουαρίου 2021

Επιστροφή στο σχολείο

Οι διακοπές των Χριστουγέννων τελείωσαν και επιστρέψαμε ξανά στο σχολείο. Αυτές οι διακοπές φάνηκαν πιο μεγάλες, εξαιτίας της καραντίνας, που προηγήθηκε.
Τα μαθήματα συνεχίζονται τώρα πια κανονικά, μέσα στη σχολική τάξη και όχι διαδικτυακά.
Ευτυχώς για όλους μας, η εκπαίδευση και η μάθηση προϋποθέτουν τη διδασκαλία ζωντανά, με τη φυσική παρουσία του δασκάλου με τους μαθητές του.
Η εκπαίδευση από απόσταση, υστερεί κατά πολύ και δυσκολεύει ιδιαίτερα τους μικρούς μαθητές, κυρίως του δημοτικού και του νηπιαγωγείου.
Γέμισε πάλι το σχολείο με παιδικές φωνές, οι τάξεις βρήκαν ξανά  λόγo ύπαρξης,  οι μαθητές με τους εκπαιδευτικούς συνέχισαν τα μαθήματά τους και όλα βρήκαν τον καθημερινό τους ρυθμό.
Όταν περπατάω σε άδειους δρόμους, σκέφτομαι ότι ο κόσμος θα σταματήσει να υπάρχει, όταν δεν θα υπάρχουν πια παιδιά. Τα παιδιά είναι ζωή και με τις φωνές τους, τα παιχνίδια και τα γέλια τους, μας δίνουν δύναμη και ενέργεια για να συνεχίσουμε να ζούμε. Τα παιδιά δεν σε αφήνουν να παραιτηθείς, ούτε να τα παρατήσεις. Είναι πηγή ζωής, χαράς και δημιουργίας.

Το πρωί που μπήκα στο γραφείο των δασκάλων, η δασκάλα των Εικαστικών πρόσεξε τη μάσκα που φορούσα.
_ Για να σε δω! Είναι Βαν Γκογκ; με ρώτησε.
_ Ναι, της απάντησα. Χάρηκα που το πρόσεξες, της χαμογέλασα.
_ Από πού την πήρες;
Αφού την ενημέρωσα, της είπα ότι ήμουν πολύ χαρούμενη που αναγνώρισε το σχέδιο του Βαν Γκογκ με τα ηλιοτρόπια.
Τότε εκείνη με ρώτησε γελαστά:
_ Σου έφτιαξα τη μέρα;
_ Ευτυχώς, της απάντησα, υπάρχει ελπίδα!
Όταν αργότερα μπήκε στην τάξη μου για να κάνει μάθημα, είπε στα παιδιά:
_ Θυμάστε που είχαμε μιλήσει για έναν ζωγράφο που ζωγράφιζε ηλιοτρόπια; Κάποιος εδώ μέσα φοράει μία τέτοια μάσκα, αλλά όχι εγώ.
Όλοι κοιτάχτηκαν μεταξύ τους, μία μαθήτρια σήκωσε το χέρι της για να απαντήσει και ένας μαθητής πετάχτηκε:
_ Η κυρία!
_ Πώς τον έλεγαν τον ζωγράφο, θυμάστε;
_ Βίνσεντ Βαν Γκογκ, απάντησε μία άλλη μαθήτρια.
_ Μπράβο, που το θυμάσαι! της είπε η δασκάλα των Εικαστικών.
_Τώρα χαίρομαι διπλά, απάντησα στη συνάδελφό μου. Σήμερα τελικά μού έφτιαξες τη μέρα μου!

Ανθούλα Π. Βεζύρη

"Ηλιοτρόπια", Βίνσεντ Βαν Γκογκ