Travel Abroad Greece 2022: The Education System

I have just returned from a week abroad, studying the Grecian education system through a class at Georgia State University. 

Touring schools in the suburbs of Athens was an incredible experience for many reasons. I am going to try to focus on the following points in this post so I do not get lost and blog about some salient and powerful points:

• A general overview
• The primary school visits
• The good
• The bad
• The college lectures we attended
• Overall thoughts

Manolis Adamakis - 2022

I found it very interesting that school is called non-compulsory after gymnasium. While it's true here in the US a student can drop out at 16, there is nothing to provide closure. There is no degree to obtain. There is a ceremony and a degree from gymnasium that does provide an endpoint for those not wishing to continue their education. I would guess that much of the same stigma exists for not going on to high school in Greece; it is nice that education is labeled more clearly. The same can be said of the difference between general and vocational high schools. There are clear paths for students that focus more on their interests. A critique of this is that I am sure there is a connection between socioeconomic status and the types of schools that families and communities are pushed towards.

First, I want to say a great "thank you" to ATINER for setting up our program and itinerary and filling it with many meaningful experiences. The staff was very accommodating and supportive. They answered our questions and helped us to feel acclimated and safe. They guided us on tours and helped us to better understand the culture. Thanks to ATINER, we visited two primary schools in the suburbs of Athens. The schools were both off of the furthest stop on their subway possible, at the end of the blue line. We then walked an additional three miles from the station to visit the schools. We saw one school on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. 

16th Primary School of Halandri

The school we visited on the first day (Tuesday) was upper-middle class and ethnically similar, with no observable differences. Purity would come up a lot in another post where I report some of the language used by the president of ATINER, Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos. We were told that these schools were picked for us to visit because they were not experiencing the same "problems" (challenges) from immigrants that the inner city schools faced. The schools were bright, open, and full of joy. Both schools we visited had similar layouts, with the courtyard and play area being central to the rest of the school, which was built around the outside of it. Students literally ran out of their classes onto the courtyard to play and laugh. Students in primary schools have three recess periods a day: before school starts from 7am to 8am, again between classes, during lunch, and before their last class. Students also demonstrated a more significant deal of autonomy.

With no hallways where silence was expected, students could go directly to the courtyard to play. Students dismissed themselves and only lined up to come back inside at the end of lunch and recess. Teachers did not hush students or tell them to be quiet. Because we show students what we value in many ways, it was clear that teachers had shown students that they value participation and engagement in their classrooms, not silence and quiet compliance. Students readily raised their hands, shouted answers, and competed with each other. Teachers used call and response, questioning, and interaction with virtual textbooks and lessons. The government provides all teaching materials, which are developed mainly by university professors (not teachers and the community). 

At the first school we visited, a math teacher created a nook at the back of his classroom for students to visit when they needed a "break from their desks." When I asked this question, the teacher answered, "break," but another student shouted, "bored." All the students laughed, and the teacher didn't seem bothered. Students, on their own, get up from their desks and walk back to the carpet. They take off their shoes and sit on one of two beanbags (or lean against them). They continued to participate in the lesson and participate (the teacher even called on one of the students back there). When the student arrives, they flip over a five-minute hourglass timer. They then cross their name off a printout. This gets reset weekly so all students can have an opportunity to use the space. The classroom space was bright and colorful.

One thing that I observed consistently across primary classrooms in two different schools was the environment was very colorful. This is in stark contrast with our schools in the US, which are whitewashed and colorless. The walls in Greek primary schools had large windows and lots of light filtering through billowing curtains. These spaces are warm and group-centered. In all the classrooms, I observed students working in groups. This belief in social learning was not something teachers used as merely a strategy, but rather it is embedded in the culture.

Some of the other pros or positives that I observed:

• Teachers only work 24-hour work weeks, though some work has to be done on the teacher's home time.
• All books are provided by the state. 
• Students have two to three recess periods a day.
• Engagement and participation are valued - not silence and compliance.
• The classrooms were loud and filled with joy.
• Reflection was an active part of the learning process.
• Teachers did not scold or address behavior and instead focused on engagement.

Some of the cons or negatives that I observed:

• The curriculum comes from the state's office of education and religion.
• There is no room to be critical within the provided curriculum.
• Teachers make less money and do not always have the funding they need from the state. 
• Schools in the suburbs are ethnically pure; immigrants and minorities cannot find housing or employment to support living in the suburbs.
• Schools do not have support for students with disabilities or learning challenges.
• There are no school counselors; students have access to a single school psychologist who comes once a week.

I cannot speak highly enough of the hospitality we experienced in these schools. The headmistresses brought coffee, juice, sweets, and treats for us. They provided us with conversations before the observations and classrooms to observe. Teachers at the 16th school modeled reciprocity with information and ideas. They worked to help us better understand their system while showing genuine interest in our public education system. This experience of speaking with teachers, administrators, and (later) college professors and researchers gave me a firsthand experiential perspective that could not be replicated. 

The college lectures we received through ATINER were very good overall and gave us various information and experiences. Professors and researchers from multiple countries came to speak to us about their research areas. From viewing a presentation about an arthouse film director to build our cultural and historical understandings of Greece to hearing from a professor of mathematics discuss the current curriculum. We heard an amazing lecture on the history of physical education in Greece from Dr. Adamakis. The presentations were well-rounded and very informative. Teachers were able to ask questions and even speak with presenters afterward. 

The hospitality from ATINER was amazing. They provided us with food, drink, and meeting spaces for our program. They connected us with schools, guides, tours, and more. ATINER made our trip meaningful and organized and helped us to connect with our goals. They brought Greek culture to us with dancing and celebration.