“Thank You for Being a Teacher”
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώναΞένες Γλώσσες Πρωτοβάθμιας
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώναΔράσεις Κατάρτισης Εκπαιδευτικών / Teacher Training Actions
24/11/2025 – 16/01/2026
Η ετερότητα στην εκπαίδευση
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα— από τα διδάγματα του παρελθόντος στις προκλήσεις του σήμερα
ΚΜΟΠ – Κέντρο Κοινωνικής Δράσης και Καινοτομίας
Τζαβέλλα 106
Νέο Φάληρο
In Praise of Learning
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα
At the main entrance of the University of Erfurt in Germany, a striking black steel relief catches the eye. Created in 1963 by Heinz Scharr (1924–2017), the work is titled Lob des Lernens, meaning “In Praise of Learning.”
The metal relief depicts stylised human figures engaged in activities associated with education, including teaching, reading and learning. Its clearly defined figures and strong contrasts between black and white give it a distinctly modernist character, while also reflecting the artistic language of the 1960s.
More than a decorative feature, the work conveys an ideal of education as a positive and peaceful pursuit. Teachers and students are presented as participants in a shared world of knowledge, learning and intellectual development.
Children in Discussion
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα
During my visit to Erfurt, I came across Children in Discussion (Diskutierende Kinder), a bronze sculpture in the city’s Stadtpark. Created in the 1980s by Hubert Schiefelbein, the work is part of Erfurt’s rich collection of public art.
The sculpture depicts three young people engaged in a lively conversation. Their gestures and expressions give the group a sense of movement and interaction, as if we have caught them in the middle of an animated discussion. The figures are interpreted as young pioneers, reflecting the historical context in which the work was created.
Cast entirely in bronze and standing on a stone pedestal, the sculpture is a striking example of how art can become part of the everyday urban landscape. Rather than being confined to a museum, Children in Discussion can be encountered naturally while strolling through the Stadtpark, adding an interesting artistic touch to a walk through Erfurt.
The three children are depicted as belonging to three different ethnic backgrounds. This gives the sculpture an interesting multicultural dimension: despite their different appearances, they are brought together in a shared moment of conversation and interaction.
Deutschlands Klassikerstadt
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα
Weimar’s famous German nickname is Deutschlands Klassikerstadt. It means “Germany’s city of the classics” or “Germany’s classical city.”
The nickname refers especially to Weimar Classicism and to the great writers and thinkers associated with the city, particularly Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.
Weimar may be relatively small, but it has an extraordinary cultural heritage. As I walked through its charming streets and squares, I could feel the presence of the great figures who made this city so important in German and European culture. It is a place closely associated with literature, philosophy, music and art, and there is something wonderfully calm and refined about its atmosphere.
Weimar and the Bauhaus
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα
A highlight of my trip to Thuringia was my visit to Weimar, a city with a special place in German cultural history and, of course, the birthplace of the Bauhaus.
Fortunately, the weather was much better than in Erfurt, making my visit even more enjoyable. I visited the Bauhaus Museum and learnt more about this influential movement, whose ideas continue to shape architecture, art and design to this day.
It was fascinating to discover how something that began in Weimar more than a century ago can still feel so modern and relevant.
Essig vinegar
Salz salt
Gewürz condiment, seasoning, spice
Late August hasn’t exactly welcomed me with blue skies and sunshine in Erfurt, Thuringia: the weather’s been mostly cloudy and rainy, so my photos may not look as vibrant as I had hoped.
But sometimes a city does not need perfect weather to leave a good impression. Despite the grey skies, it’s great to be wandering through Erfurt, discovering its streets and enjoying its atmosphere.
Zum Goldenen Schwan
To the Golden Swan
Στον Χρυσό Κύκνο
Dating back to the 12th century, the Golden Swan is one of Erfurt’s oldest and most historic buildings. The centuries-old tradition of brewing beer on the premises is still alive today, with the establishment serving exclusively its own home-brewed beers, accompanied by specialities from Thuringia’s traditional cuisine.
This wooden sculpture depicts the legendary prankster Till Eulenspiegel holding a book bearing the inscription Mein Schabernack (“my prank”), referring to the well-known German folk tales and jokes associated with him.
The sculpture is carved from a tree trunk and features the characteristic attire of a jester, complete with a hood and little bells.
Masquerade Suite | The Waltz
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώναMasquerade was written by Aram Khachaturian in 1941 as incidental music for a production of Mikhail Lermontov’s play of the same name. He turned it into a suite with five movements for an orchestra in 1944. It is best known for the Waltz, widely considered one of Khachaturian’s finest and most popular pieces, second in popularity only to “Sabre Dance” from the ballet Gayane.
The Waltz captures a haunting mix of aristocratic elegance and dark, underlying tragedy.
Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) is highly respected in Armenia and is considered a national treasure.
Εισαγωγή στην αλβανική γλώσσα
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα15/10/2025 – 15/05/2026
Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday’s name, first used in the 1890s, is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth, referring to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.
As another wonderful school year comes to an end, I would like to wish you a happy, sunny, and relaxing summer!
May your holidays be filled with laughter, adventures, games, and special moments with your family and friends. Take time to explore, create, read, play, and enjoy the beautiful days ahead.
The quokka (Setonix brachyurus) is a small marsupial about the size of a large cat.
Like other animals in the macropod family, such as kangaroos and wallabies, the quokka eats grass and small plants, and is mainly nocturnal. It lives on some small islands off the coast of Western Australia, mainly on Rottnest Island near Perth, and Bald Island near Albany. A small number live on the main land in the protected area of Two Peoples Bay, which they share with Gilbert’s Potoroo.
The quokka is the only member of the genus Setonix.
The quokka is a social animal and lives in large groups. They eat grass, sedges, succulents and leaves. They can become very sick if fed with things like bread, given to them by visitors to Rottnest Island. Visitors are now told not to feed them.
Quokkas breed at any time on the mainland, but usually in late summer on Rottnest. The female quokka has two babies (called joeys) in a year.
The quokka moves in the same way as a kangaroo, using both small and large hops.
Quokkas are not scared of people, so you are able to get quite close to them, particularly on Rottnest Island. It is against the law on Rottnest Island to handle or touch the animals in any way. A $100 fine can be given by the Rottnest Island Authority for picking up a quokka.
The word quokka comes from a Nyungar word, which was probably gwaga.
Sinti and Roma Slave Labourers
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα
Zwischen 1933 und 1945 wurden zahlreiche
Leipziger Sinti und Roma nach Auschwitz und in
andere Vernichtungslager deportiert und ermordet.
Außerdem wurden Sinti und Roma aus Deutschland
und dem besetzten Europa als Zwangsarbeiter
in Leipziger Rüstungsbetriebe verschleppt.
Viele kamen dort um.
Between 1933 and 1945, numerous
Sinti and Roma from Leipzig were deported to Auschwitz
and other extermination camps, where they were murdered.
What’s more, Sinti and Roma from Germany
and occupied Europe were forcibly brought to work as slave labourers
in Leipzig’s armaments factories.
Many died there.
This memorial commemorates the deported and murdered Romani and Sinti people of Leipzig, Germany.
It features a bronze sculpture by artist Wieland Förster titled “The Beaten One,” depicting a crouching, broken figure. It pays tribute to those deported from Leipzig to camps like Auschwitz and those forced to work in local armaments factories.
Location: Goethe Street (Goethestraße) green belt, in the heart of Leipzig.
Leipzig is a city where history and creativity walk hand in hand.
Johann Sebastian Bach is strongly associated with Leipzig because he spent the last 27 years of his life there, serving as the cantor of St Thomas Church. During his time in Leipzig, he composed many of his greatest works, including the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor.
Leipzig is not only a place of the past—it is a city of ideas, innovation, and fresh beginnings. It inspires visitors with its vibrant cultural scene, beautiful parks, and welcoming atmosphere.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe arrived in Leipzig in 1765 at the age of 16 to study law at Leipzig University. He remained there until 1768. Although he was enrolled in law, he also attended lectures in literature, philosophy, and the arts. His years in Leipzig had a profound influence on his intellectual and artistic development.
The city continues to honour him today with the Goethe Monument, which depicts Goethe as a young student, and through exhibitions, archives, and the local Goethe Society.
Ultra cool, dass du
an Haltestellen nicht rauchst!
Leipziger
Verkehrsbetriebe
Ιt’s super cool that you don’t smoke at bus and tram stops!
— Leipzig Public Transport
14,000 Citizens of the Jewish Faith
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώνα
IN DER
STADT LEIPZIG
FIELEN 14000
BÜRGER
JÜDISCHEN
GLAUBENS DEM
FASCHISTISCHEN
TERROR
ZUM OPFER
In the city of Leipzig, 14,000 citizens of the Jewish faith
fell victim to fascist terror.
The Leipzig Synagogue Memorial commemorates the Great Synagogue, a Moorish Revival landmark built in 1855 and destroyed during Kristallnacht in November 1938. It stood on the corner of Gottschedstraße and Zentralstraße in Leipzig.
The memorial, designed by architects Anna Dilengite and Sebastian Helm, was inaugurated in 2001 on the original site of the synagogue. It consists of a field of 140 empty bronze chairs arranged to trace the footprint of the former building, creating a stark visual reminder of the loss of the Jewish community and its place of worship.
Young Couple, 1970
by Günter Glombitza
This painting has sparked discussions among viewers about the socialist ideal of humanity.
Young Woman Reading a Prayer Book
Painting, 1828, by Friedrich Wilhelm von Schadow
Oil on canvas, 46 × 37 cm
Portrait of the Painter Paul Christian Zink While Drawing
Painting, 1755, by Christian Friedrich Reinhold Lisiewski
Oil on canvas, 95 × 121 cm
The children in Spino d’Adda, Italy, a town near Milan, have received our drawings.
Axolotls Have the Cutest Yawns
Συντάκτης: Κων/νος Βούλγαρης | Κάτω από: Εκπαίδευση στον 21ο αιώναAxolotls are famous for:
• their permanent “smiles”
• their feathery external gills
• their ability to regenerate limbs and even parts of their hearts and brains
• staying in their larval form for life
They originally come from lakes near Mexico City and are critically endangered in the wild.
