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!
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.
Maria Baltadaki has a BA in Literary Studies and an MA in Bilingual Translation. Finding the right balance between theory and practice and incorporating this effectively into teaching is something she holds dear because she firmly believes that the proof is in the pudding.
Languages have always been a passion of hers and studying the Greek Sign Language is something that also fascinated her due to its wealth of non-verbal meanings undetected by most. Unlike spoken languages it can convey all sorts of literal and figurative concepts in a unique way.
She, subsequently, attended a 1-year course in Pedagogy and Teaching Competence at the University of Rethymnon, Department of Primary Education so as to further update her teaching and story-telling techniques. Since then, she has eagerly participated in a plethora of seminars and training sessions that have been of interest to her.
When she is not in the classroom, she loves running, listening to music, driving, meeting significant individuals and gazing at her cats.
Stella Konstantoudaki is an English teacher. She has attended seminars such as “Overcoming Dyslexia’’ from Yale University, “Special Education Interdisciplinary Convergence Practices’’ from ΚΕ.ΔΕ.ΒΙ. Μ Ε.Κ.Π.Α, “Adult Trainer Education’’ from Go Learn, “Exams: Survival Guide by Eleni Livaniou” from Burlington books, “Webinar for Teachers-Will Generative AI ruin creativity?’’ from Cambridge University, “Unlearn-Relearn” by Good News.
She enjoys helping her students achieve their goals at their own pace adapting her teaching to the student’s needs. She has been teaching children with learning difficulties and she has learned a lot from them.
It is important to her to evolve as a teacher, so she keeps attending seminars and programs about new teaching methods and psychology.
I am proud to be part of Play and Learn, a school with a welcoming, inclusive, and collaborative spirit. Being a member of a community that values growth, creativity, and teamwork inspires me every day to give my best and help each child reach their full potential.
Joanna Fotaki has been an English teacher for almost 16 years. She is a graduate student of the Faculty of English at the Hellenic American Union of Athens . In addition, she has successfully completed the specialised program in Analysis of Behaviour at Panteion University, which deepened her understanding of learning processes and intervention methods. During her academic path, she also engaged in ELT Pre-Service Training Programmes, such as Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Young Learners, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in Education, ADHD and Learning Difficulties, Graphomotor Performance Disorders (Dysgraphia) – Assessment and Intervention Techniques, Attention Deficit and/or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – Assessment and Intervention Techniques and Differentiated Instruction. She speaks Greek, English and she is in the process of learning Italian.
Beyond teaching, she has worked in the writing and editorial team for the newly published English textbooks of the Greek public sector, which she believes it was a unique opportunity to contribute to modern, innovative learning materials.
Reflecting on her educational experiences, she realises the multi-layered role of an educator: not only to provide knowledge but also to nurture self-confidence, critical thinking, and curiosity. She strongly believes that the skills children acquire in the classroom accompany them throughout life, shaping both their character and their vision of the world.
Since 2010, she has been a Cub Scouts leader (age 7-12), promoting teamwork, inclusion and a positive attitude during weekly meetings and outdoor activities. She also assisted adult leaders in planning and delivering engaging programs, games and service projects. Additionally, she has volunteered regularly with non profitable organisations to cook and serve meals for homeless individuals. What is more, she loves travelling -mostly abroad, making crafts and cooking a lot for her family and friends.
Joining Play & Learn represents a natural step in her journey, as she deeply resonates with its vision of playful, meaningful and child-centered education. She is looking forward to collaborating with children , always keeping in mind her ultimate goal: to help each learner discover and shine in their own unique way!
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.