Youtopia: Towards Participative Citizenship

Life of/living with people with special needs

5-9, February, Brno, Czech Republic

6O GENIKO LYKEIO
AIGALEO
C O M E N I U S S C H O O L M U L TI L AT E R AL P AR T N E R S H I P

Visits to Greek Special Schools and Lectures

on people with special needs

A DAY IN THE SPECIAL SCHOOL OF PUPILS WITH

MOBILITY DIFICULTIES ILION.
WITNESS OF MR C. PANTELIS

On Friday, 13 December 2013, we visited the Special high school of

Ilion in thens, in the context of our work people with special needsdisabilities, in Brno of the Czech Republic.

The visit was attended by Kongini Eirini, Kondithes Elias, Mara Stella,
Catherine Mprazioti, Dimitris Kiames, Mairy Mantzouni Maro Koulali,
Mema Admira, with escorts of Mrs A. Papaspyropouou and Mr.
Christos Pantelis.

This is a special school for pupils with mobility

problems and is located within a complex of
installations in which apart from the special high
school and the lyceum, there are VocationalTechnical Schools, Sports facilities and even a
Hospital.
It was founded in 1980 in
Pangrati. In 1983 it was
relocated in the space of
the National Rehabilitation
Institute (e. I. s. a) in Ilion,
where it lies until today.

At the entrance of our school we were

welcomed warmly to the school by the teacher
Sissy ... who had offered to help us in our
inquiry. She accompanied us there and give us
willingly useful information throughout our
visit.

Initially we met the Assistant Director of the school and we

had an equally warm welcome. She gave us a sufficient
description of the premises and facilities of the school, the
mode of operation, the educational procedure and all the
necessary for children with mobility problems tasks and
activities of the school.

She also referred to the partnerships and cooperation

among teachers, parents and the local and State Bodies, as
well as to the many achievements of students and graduates
of the school, and the school events

Alongside with education, the school is provided with hospital

coverage.
The Foundation's boarding house can accommodate students
from all over Greece.
Students are transported by specially designed cars that is
property of the school, from all over Attica with the assistance
of guides and escorts, fully respecting security rules.

We learned that this is a school that each student has a different lack
or a greater degree of disability and therefore required a proper
adaptation of the programme to cover learning material according to
that of the rest schools and improve moving and social abilities of
children.

It also requires skilled scientific staff (teachers, trainers, coaches,

physical therapists, psychologists, social workers), and all work with
diligence, affection, understanding, patience and love for the children.

We learned about the success of students in sports,

arts and studies, and got informed about the
significant school events, like the one a year ago in
collaboration with the Hellenic radio television.

Then we were guided to the school premises (halls, kitchen,

physiotherapy Center, gym, swimming pool). Students
themselves undertook to guide us and to provide us with
information on the operation of the school,
as happened with amazing Michael in the room with fitness
equipment and Antonis who escorted us to the swimming
pool. On our way to the swimming pool they treated us small
honey cakes melomakarona which had been made by the
school staff with the help of the students.

At the swimming pool the two trainers welcomed us with

joy and showed us the different types of exercises,
depending on each child's moving problem.

We saw all the children enjoy exercising in water, either

they were guys who just practiced in moving their limbs or
guys who did professional training,
like Constantine and Anthony who already had won three
gold medals in the category S6.

During the last two hours of our visit we spend our time doing activities
together with the students of the school. After getting knowing
ourselves better, we formed a mixed circle (some in chairs, some in
their wheel-chairs, some helped by physiotherapists) and we danced
"zoympa" following image movements by the help of the interactive
whiteboard.

Needless to say, all of us experienced a stunning experience

joy and carefree time, through contact games and common
discussions, which had been designed the teachers and by Mrs.
Papaspyropoulou, finally ending in the "election" of a student
of high school, namely of Constantine, as the Mayor. Indeed
the same student played chess with our own student, Elias.

So without realizing the time passed and we

had to say goodbye.
We felt that nobody wanted to leave because
we began to feel familiar to the environment
and I think it was due to our warm reception by
all people there, both the children and staff.

We had already become friends.

In addition to the valuable information we got

through the activities within the context of work for
our Comenius program, we got lessons of power
and competitiveness from our little friends,
professionalism and diligence from the employees
in this school.

February, 2014,
YoUtopia,
Towards
Participative
Citizenship, Brno,
Czech Republic
We think our students now have become
more sensitive, conscientious, and
empathetic towards to people with
disabilities and definitely are going to be able
to disseminate this knowledge to the rest of
the pupils in our school and to their social
circle.
By Christos Pantelis (literature teacher),
Papaspyropoulou Angeliki (French teacher,
Kapetanidou Theodossia (MathematicianCoordinator of the Greek Team), 6th General
Lyceum of Aigaleo.