"Why is school boring?"
" Why do I have to do the same things every day?"
"When will we play?"
These were the questions tormenting my mind when it was not wandering in magical, fairy-tale worlds for all the hours I spent sitting on an uncomfortable, wooden chair. Raised in a village in Crete, in nature and its beauty, I experientally became acquainted with what it means to be a child.
I graduated from the Department of Primary Level Education in Rethymno, in the University of Crete. I am married and have one kid. I am happy to be the principal of a few classes public school, the Primary School of Fre, in Hania, Crete.
With my team and partners we have been trying to answer these questions asked by kids, creating a different school, which is based on hands on learning, playtime, group cooperation and interaction among students. A school fit for every learner, where no one is one too many."
Stelios Michelakis
"Α School Fit for Every Learner"
For kids, playing is not only a way to have fun, but also a way to express themselves, to learn and socialise. Watching kids playing in a school yard or a park is enough to realise how these beautiful little devils argue, make up, set rules and limits throughout a game.
Through this watching, certain questions come up. Is free playing rough-and-tuble? Does it have rules and limits? If so, who sets them? Does it have any purpose beyond having fun?
In the 2nd Athens International Conference Play on Early Education we will talk about a different educational approach. We will see how we can effectively use the kids' thirst for playing into the educational approach.
We will travel to a small provincial school of Crete where we will witness a hero, Eddie, being born through game-based learning and adventure learning... Along with him, we shall meet Edu-missions and the exciting world of adventure, playing and learning!
