This immersive 7-day course provides educators with an innovative way to integrate local history, culture, and heritage into their teaching through experiential learning. Using the rich historical and cultural backdrop of Kalamata and the Messinia region, participants will learn how to transform their surroundings into a powerful educational tool. Designed for teachers across primary, secondary, vocational, and adult education, this course is an opportunity to enhance teaching by connecting real-world experiences to the classroom.

Course Highlights:

– Level 7 EQC Certification: Attendees will receive a prestigious Level 7 EQC Certificate, Europass Certificate Supplement, and 10 transferable ECVET points, enhancing their professional qualifications.

– Hands-on Cultural Learning: Participants will explore museums, archaeological sites, and cultural landmarks, learning how to turn these experiences into interactive lesson plans that bring local and European history to life.

– Gamified Tours & Outdoor Learning: Engage with local culture through structured walks and gamified activities that demonstrate how everyday environments can be integrated into educational activities.

– Project-Based Learning: Discover new methods to incorporate cultural heritage and local history into a wide range of subjects through innovative, project-based teaching techniques.

– European Dimension: Experience firsthand the richness of European cultural heritage and its potential for fostering a sense of European citizenship and identity in students.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will:

– Master techniques for introducing local history and cultural heritage into their lessons.

– Learn how to use everyday environments and cultural landmarks as powerful teaching tools.

– Deepen their understanding of European culture and history.

– Gain familiarity with project-based learning methodologies.

– Improve their competence in using Europass tools for professional development.

– Exchange best practices and experiences with fellow educators from across Europe.

– Enhance their competence in English, especially for educational and cultural discussions.

– Develop creative and effective educational activities tailored to their teaching environments.

– Strengthen their motivation and satisfaction through the integration of cultural heritage into their teaching practices.

Focus Areas:

Participants will explore how to design engaging and interactive lessons based on:

– Local historical sites (e.g., Ancient Messini)

– Cultural and archaeological museums (e.g., Kalamata Castle, the Local Archaeological Museum)

– Best practices in how Greek schools integrate these sites into their study of local history.

Methodology:

The course employs an active learning approach, blending practical on-site learning with classroom-based reflections. Participants will work collaboratively, with opportunities to share insights and co-develop teaching resources. Lessons take place both in our classrooms and in the field, ensuring participants experience a diverse range of learning environments.

Unique Learning Opportunities:

– Structured City & Museum Tours: Explore Kalamata’s key cultural sites through guided tours, learning how to incorporate them into educational activities that are accessible and engaging for students.

– Visit to Ancient Messini: A hands-on experience where participants will learn how to use interactive and game-based techniques to teach history.

– Study Visits to Local Schools: For participants interested in observing inclusive educational practices, visits to local schools—including special needs schools, vocational schools, and institutions with Roma mainstreaming classes—can be arranged at no extra cost.

Outdoor Learning:

Two outdoor learning activities will be included:

1. Gamified Tour of Kalamata: A fun and educational tour designed to show how interactive and playful learning experiences can be adapted for any cultural environment.
2. Visit to a Historical Site: Linking history to real-world teaching, participants will partake in activities that combine European history learning with hands-on, non-formal education methods.

Tailored to Your Needs:

– The course is highly customizable, starting with a pre-course questionnaire to ensure that training is adapted to each participant’s needs and experience.

– After the course, you’ll receive comprehensive materials, lesson plans, and resources to implement in your own classroom.

Duration and flexibility:

The course is typically 7 days at a cost of €560, but adjustments can be made for shorter or longer courses depending on grant requirements.

Venue and flexibility:

We offer our standard courses at Kalamata, a nice sea-side city in the south of Greece famous for its eponymous olives and olive oil.

It’s a quiet top golf destination and the Telegraph has included it in Europe’s 13 must-visit cities. Here’s a taster video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9lpkTfvR8Y&ab_channel=%CE%94%CE%AE%CE%BC%CE%BF%CF%82%CE%9A%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%AC%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%82

Would you like to know what else you can in Kalamata? Check this site: https://experienceskalamata.com/

But, would you like to have the course at another part of Greece or country? Drop us a line to see what we can do for you!

Course confirmation

We have never canceled a course. We offer our standard courses only at our headquarters in Kalamata and only a few times per year. As a result, on top of being able to offer quality services all around, we do not have to meet any certain number of participants to cope with expenses.

Join a European Community:

As part of a European-wide initiative, this course offers you a valuable opportunity to collaborate with peers from across Europe, contributing to your professional growth while deepening your European identity.

Available Dates

• 2025
  • 16.02.2025 – 22.02.2025
  • 04.05.2025 – 10.05.2025
  • 06.07.2025 – 12.07.2025
  • 02.11.2025 – 08.11.2025
• 2026
  • 26.04.2026 – 02.05.2026

Accommodation

During your stay here you can stay wherever you want. However, we do propose accommodation, which we can book for you and from which we offer free transfers to all course sites and activities.

Pre-payments

We do not ask for money upfront. You can pay whenever you want including when you arrive here.