Job Shadowing in Hortiati Greece 24-28/3/2025

Within the framework of the Erasmus+ KA121 Accreditation Job Shadowing activity, Geniko Likio Hortiatis hosted four teachers from I.E.S. Padre Moret Irubide in Pamplona, Spain. This visit coincided with the welcoming week of the Erasmus+ KA220 project, during which the school also hosted 25 students and 12 teachers from Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania, and Latvia. The program included numerous educational and cultural activities, giving the visiting teachers opportunities to interact with the school’s leadership and staff, as well as with the international participants.

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Below is the program followed during the hosting week from March 24 to March 28, 2025

Monday, 24 March 2025

At 9:00 a.m., all guests arrived at the school for the welcome ceremony, held in the school’s event hall. The event was opened with a welcome speech by the principal, Mr. Dimitrios Papadopoulos.

Following the opening, commemorative gifts were exchanged.

Every year, on March 25, Hellenism celebrates a double holiday: the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel and the beginning of the Greek War of Independence against Ottoman rule. On the eve of the holiday, March 24, schools hold commemorative events instead of regular lessons. One such event was attended by the Erasmus+ participants. The event began with an introduction by language and literature teacher Ms. D. Ntomprou.

Guests received printed programs including translated texts and explanations of the songs and traditional dances featured in the celebration.

Celebration of the 25th of March

Following the cultural event, the Spanish teachers presented their region and school. Then, short videos from previous KA220 mobilities were shown, featuring: Portugal, Latvia, Italy and Croatia. This session concluded with a presentation on Lithuania, the destination of the final KA220 mobility. While students participated in icebreaker activities, the teachers gathered in the school library for networking and coffee.

After the break, students from each country presented actions and SWOT analyses on alternative energy sources:

1. Solar energy in Gulbene Municipality and Latvia

2. Biomass energy SWOT analysis (Italy) and Interview

3. Alternative Energy Resources in Croatia (SWOT analysis)

4. Hydrogen Energy SWOT analysis (Greece)

5. Geothermal Energy in Lithuania

6. Wave energy and SWOT analysis (Portugal)

A Lithuanian teacher then introduced a business model presentation method, explaining the steps and the idea of a “teaser” presentation. Students formed teams to begin planning their own business projects, while teachers discussed school management topics.

After that, all teachers had lunch at a traditional taverna in Hortiatis.

Tuesday, 25 March, 2025

On Tuesday, the meeting point was the Church of Saint George in Hortiatis. The group attended part of the religious service, sampled "kollyva", a traditional sweet offered in memory of the dead made with wheat, pomegranate, spices, nuts, and powdered sugar, witnessed the wreath-laying ceremony, and watched the student parade.

Local associations in traditional costumes and all schools of Chortiatis (kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and senior high school) participated in the parade. A short video of the event is available at the video below

After the parade, the group toured the historical sites of Hortiatis. Students from GEL Hortiatis guided the Erasmus team, presenting the sites in English.

The tour included

The Holocaust Memorial of Hortiatis, Gouramanis Bakery and Damboudis Residence (both significant WWII sites), Church of Saint George and Byzantine chapel of the Transfiguration of the Savior.

The Holocaust Memorial of Hortiatis

At lunch, the guests enjoyed the traditional March 25th dish: fried cod with garlic dip (bakaliaros skordalia) in a traditional Greek tavern.

Wednesday, 26 March, 2025

At 9:00 a.m., the group traveled by bus to American College "Anatolia College". Teachers joined en route.

At Anatolia, students were divided into two groups and engaged in a game related to alternative energy forms. Each group had to guess an assigned energy source based on clues and note-taking strategies. Scoring: +30 points per correct guess, -10 per incorrect.

While students worked on this activity, the teachers toured the campus and had discussions during their break.

Next stop: "NOESIS" Thessaloniki Science Center and Technology Museum. Students were split into five mixed-nationality groups. Each group role-played a character from a fictional community debating the installation of a wind turbine park. After internal discussions, each group participated in a acted town council meeting to present arguments for or against the project.

After that, the Spanish teachers visited the archaeological site of Vergina.

Thursday, 27 March , 2025

Early in the morning, the visiting teachers and a group of students visited the "Allied Cemetery", where language teacher Ms. Vasileia Lazaridou offered historical insights. The group also visited the underground museum.

Later, they headed to downtown Thessaloniki. They visited the Venizeou metro station which is actually an open museum, as the archaeological excavations are on public display, following by a coffee break.

The whole Erasmus team gathered at Galerius Arch (Kamara) at 13:30.

Once again, students from GEL Hortiatis acted as guides, presenting: Galerius Arch, the round churchRotunda, the remains of Galerius Palace and Navarinou Square.

The tour continued to the White Tower, the symbol of Thessaloniki where students and teachers visited the museum and enjoyed panoramic views of the city. Lunch followed at the "Officers' Club of Thessaloniki", where teachers relaxed with coffee and conversation overlooking the White Tower.

At 16:30, the Erasmus group met at Aristotelous Square and walked to the Church of Saint Demetrios, patron saint of Thessaloniki. Due to light rain, the intermediate tour stops were skipped. Some participants remained in the city while others returned to Hortiatis.

Friday, 28 March, 2025

The last day was dedicated to classroom observation. Spanish teachers attended the following lessons: Ancient Greek Language, History, Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.

Around 12.00 o'clock, students presented their created business models and teasers:

1. NEXT GEN SOLAR

2. SOLAR POWERED CARS "HELION"

3. THE SOLOWIND POD

4. SOLAR RECHARGE

5. ENERGY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

6. ELECTRO-GO

7. SUNCHARGE

All presentations attracted great interest. Teachers had the challenging task of evaluating them using a specific rubric.

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While results were being processed, students watched a video prepared by student Angeliki Lanara with music by Iasonas Saridis, a review of the week from their perspective: "ERASMUS PROGRAM WITH GREEK HOSPITALITY"

Additionally, a Padlet was created where participants uploaded personal and group photos along with impressions from the Hortiatis mobility.