The role of the educator at Play & Learn is that of a mentor and guide. As educators we observe the children, listen to their questions, their stories, find what interests them and, consequently, reinforce their playing so as to enable them to delve into their interests. The educational curriculum is not pre-arranged. The projects arise from the children’s interests and are aspiring.
The team of educators at Play & Learn is trained in a specific educational program based on the values and philosophy of Play & Learn. The initial training at Play & Learn lasts nearly a month. Afterwards, it is renewed at regular intervals with in-service training at Play & Learn.
Ms Agapi Liapaki is the CEO of Play & Learn. She is a preschool (kindergarten) teacher, an MA holder in Arts in Music Education, 2nd level Orff certificate holder and has a Diploma in Preschool Education Centre Management. During the last few years, she has had the pleasure of being the speaker at conferences that address all-round child development.
She has worked as an educator in the USA with children aged 2-16 years old and in private schools of primary education with diverse educational philosophies: Montessorian, Academic, Musical and schools inspired by Reggio Emilia of Italy, as well as schools of the Greek Expatriate community. She has also worked as a Manager of the Preschool Education Centre on behalf of the Pharmaceutical Company Bristol-Myer Squibb and Bright Horizons (of the top 100 companies in the USA) and as a School Counselor for the University of Memphis.
In 2009, she returned to Greece after working in the USA for 13 years. She was awarded in Sweden by OMEP (The World Organisation for Early Childhood Education) for her contribution to Education for Sustainable Development. Her work on Social Exclusion (Marginalisation) was also awarded in a Panhellenic competition by the NSS for E-twinning (European action for the Lifelong Learning programme). Since 2016, she has been ardently attending the educational seminar of the New Lacanian School of Psychoanalysis.
Play & Learn had pre-existed in her mind many years before it was created. Both her interactions with children and parents from all over the world and her language experiences with foreign-speaking families have helped shape her philosophy. She believes that learning a foreign language in a child’s early years is accomplished effortlessly. All the children, regardless of culture, play and learn in the same language, the Language of Play. English or any other language is one of the ways in which children become familiarised and learn within the school environment. At Play & Learn, learning English is the medium for the all-round development of children.
In 2011, she created Play & Learn – To Learn English by Playing (the Foreign Language Centre) and in 2016 the Play & Learn Preschool (the Preschool Education Centre) to help children enhance their self-realisation and grow up developing their critical thinking through learning English.
Nicola Dalziel is an experienced early education and childcare professional with extensive knowledge and understanding of working with children and young people. She is passionate about the importance of play in the promotion of learning opportunities to assist in a child’s development, experiences and understanding of t he world.
She has a BA hons in Literature, Art History and Culture and studied drama production as a part of my degree. She first became interested in play when she worked as a Playworker in an Adventure Playground i n Glasgow, Scotland, working with children and young people, including children with special needs. From this experience she gained a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Playwork. She is a qualified SVQ assessor and have experience of training and teaching adults to work within the childcare setting. She was an Early Education and Childcare lecturer in Falkirk, Scotland, where she gained a Higher National Certificate in Early Years Education and became an internal verifier for SVQ’s.
Since she was a child, she has always loved books and value them as a wonderful creative tool f or learning. One of her favourite authors is Roald Dahl. She has read many of his books as a child and continues to re- read them as an adult. He said: Life is more fun if you play games and she believes that to be true.
Combining herwork and educational experiences with her love for play makes her an enthusiastic worker, hoping to make children’s learning memorable and most important, fun!
Irini Vassilaki is a kindergarten teacher, with a BA from the Department of Preschool Education of the University of Crete. Her involvement in the teaching of young children started in her early University years. Very soon she started attending international and panhellenic training seminars, mainly in the field of Evolutionary Psychology and School Psychology. The experiential seminars from the School Life and Education Museum and the Therapeutic and Counseling Centre [www.kethesy.gr] concerning behavioral delimitation, learning difficulties and dyslexia have contributed to her better understanding and proper management of the children’s behavioral problems.
She has completed the annual training program entitled “Learning Difficulties: specialisation in weighted psychometric tools and the planning of intervention programs” from the Lifelong Learning Centre of the University of Thessaly, Department of Special Education, where she specialised, among other things, in learning difficulties and developmental disorders, such as ADD and Dyslexia, as well as in applying psychometric tools.
Play & Learn constitutes a unique knowledge and learning experience for the experiential, well-rounded development of young children through interactive, sensory activities that underpin this educational process. This acts as an incentive not just for her but for her little pupils to distinctly draw inspiration from, creation and love.
Maria Mozaki is an Early Childhood Educator.
Her professional journey started in United Kingdom where she was working as a Preschool Practitioner in play-based settings.
She has worked with children from 3 to 6 years old. She is inspired by pedagogical philosophies like the Reggio Emilia, Te Whariki and curiosity approach.
As a teacher she believes in the power of play - based learning in which the children are at the center of their own development and education.
She has completed further training in Special Education, Regio Emilia Approach & Active Listening by T. Gordon.
Alexia Agapaki is an educator from West Yorkshire and Crete. She studied Politics and Sociology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and pursued a master’s degree in applied Sociology and Arts at the University of Aegean. At the same time, she has started a degree in Early Childhood Education. She began working with children as an English teacher in Athens and continued in Crete by creating a workshop for children called “I stories gia hortasi". The aim of the workshop was to inspire children aged 4-8, through literature, dramatic play and games. Also, in 2023 she organized an event about “Inclusion and arts” called “In the Beauty Created By Others". The event was about empowering people with mental and physical disabilities and creating a common space to exhibit their art.
Play and learn is the ideal environment to develop your skills as a professional and a safe space for children to learn through play. It inspires both staff members, families and children to become the best version of themselves and promotes diversity and kindness.
Maria Baltadaki has a BA in Literary Studies in English from the University of Luton in the U.K., followed by an MA in Bilingual Translation from the University of Westminster. She has worked as an English teacher teaching English of different levels to a variety of learners, from very young ones to adults, for many years. She has also completed a 4-year Greek Sign Language course, which has enhanced her ability to think in different linguistic levels, beyond the obvious.
In 2014, she attended a 1-year course to acquire the Certificate of Pedagogical and Teaching Competence from the Department of Primary Education of the University of Rethymnon so as to broaden her knowledge and teaching ability as a teacher.
The experiential approach at Play & Learn and the teaching of a foreign language through a “kaleidoscope” of child-centred, educational activities, especially adjusted to the children’s age, are another interesting, teaching challenge she is happy to meet every day, inspired by her love for children and teaching. Her ambition and ultimate reward is to see the children she has herself started to teach the basics of the language to in the long run transform into competent English-language users and self-confident, fully-fledged personalities!
Katerina Spanoudaki left Thessaloniki in 2011 as a graduate of the English Language and Literature Department and has been teaching English since then.
When she is outside of the classroom, she loves spending time with family and friends. She enjoys being in the nature, walking her dog and reading books. She also travels as much as possible since she considers every new destination a lifetime experience.
Watching children gaining knowledge and becoming confident in another language has always been inspiring and rewarding for her. She is eager to help each and every one of our children to discover new worlds and possibilities!
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Christina Kougiouri is a Social Worker, graduate (2016) of the Hellenic Mediterranean University of Crete. Having a particular interest in Diversity, which makes up our society, she continued her studies by completing her Master's degree entitled: "Intermethodical Social Interventions in Crisis Situations in the Family and in Displaced Populations" at EL.ME.PA., School of Health Sciences. She attended and obtained the annual Pedagogical Training Program (EPPAIK) at the ASPETE School of Pedagogical and Technological Education. She was trained in Braille Writing and Reading for the Blind where she was certified by the Center for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind. She also holds a Diploma in Coaching with NLP.
In recent years she has worked in the field of her expertise with various population groups, such as children, students, parents, refugees, the elderly as well as people facing mental health challenges. Her professional journey has been marked by important collaborations, each of which contributes to the breadth of her experience. Children are a point of reference for her, as over the years she has realized how important work can be done around this population group, both for the child itself and for the wider environment that surrounds it. The psychosocial development of children at school during the first years of life plays an important role in their development.
The philosophy of Play & Learn with experiential education, the use of the English language, the child-centered method, the ability to "embrace" children from all over the world in their first steps and many other innovations that offers, led to this cooperation and her contribution to this institution.
Kallia Tsichlaki studied Sociology at the American College of Greece and then obtained her MA in Communication Policy Studies at City University of London. For many years she has been co-owner of a Graphic Design & Advertising agency, managing the promotion of customers' products together with the necessary communication practices. Before she started working at Play & Learn, her experience in the educational field comes from her eight-year collaboration with Zanneio Εkpaideftirio in the field of administration. She has also completed Parent Effectiveness Training program by Dr. Thomas Gordon. (P.E.T.)
In June 2019 she held the Seminar: Facebook & Online Branding. In August 2023 she obtained the certification in the up skilling and retraining program of DYPA employees on the subject: "Social Media Marketing". Her good communication skills were acquired through her experience in the workplace over the years but also through her studies. She has gained a lot of experience in the field of collaboration required in a team but also in contact with customers as well as with the wider public. Her acquaintance with Play & Learn goes back many years when her daughter, 2.5 years old then, was one of the first students at the Language Center. The experiential and child-centered way of learning the English language, from such a young age, helped her daughter to built better foundations and to love English. Also, the transition to preschool went very smoothly thanks to the help of her first teacher, Mrs. Agapi!
Now, Kallia Tsichlaki returned in the family of Play & Learn, but in a different role. She is part of the administrative staff team.
Meet us:
Play & Learn Preschool and Kindergarten
Play & Learn Foreign Language School
