«A gaze at the city»: A local network of primary schools in Athens
Abstract
In 2011 the departments of Environmental Education and Cultural Affairs of 1st Primary Education Directorate of Athens founded and have been supporting since then, a local school network about children’s relation with the city and public spaces. Aims:
- To help the children become researchers in order to adopt a different approach to the neighborhood and public space
- To raise the awareness that the city is a living evolving organism
- To familiarize children with the city in a creative way through recordings, testimonies, literature, documents, art activities
- To develop a sense of belonging to the community and form active citizens
- To empower children to talk about their own choices and expectations
- To perceive the city as a cultural meeting place, a prerequisite for peaceful coexistence.
The approaches are expanding in many directions: the schoolyard as a public and social interaction space, school buildings with historical background, architectural landmarks and urban characteristics, public space and its relation to the concept of Democracy, outdoor sculptures of the city and their adoption, the development of the Attic landscape and interventions from antiquity until today, understanding of the city through its residents. Students design and recommend environmental - cultural routes in the area, assess public spaces and make recommendations for their improvement.
Article Details
- Section
- THEMATIC FIELD ΙΙ & ΙΙΙ The multimodal intersection of urban and educational spaces & The city as a learning environment
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