Schools SYN (Support, Forgiveness, Compassion) is a pioneering teacher professional learning programme in Greece, implemented through the Centre for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning (KEDIVIM) of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). The programme aims to support the development of school communities where compassion, empathy, care, inclusion, and resilience are central elements of educational practice.
Through an experiential professional learning approach, educators have the opportunity to explore sensitive aspects of human experience, including loss, grief, illness, life transitions, and challenges that members of a school community may encounter.
A central principle of Schools SYN is the recognition that supporting students begins with supporting and preparing educators themselves. Addressing issues such as loss and grief requires not only pedagogical knowledge and practical tools, but also opportunities for personal reflection, dialogue, and experiential learning. Teachers need to explore their own understandings, experiences, and emotional responses in order to create safe and supportive environments for children.
As part of Schools SYN, I contribute as an educator in the area of Pedagogy of Loss and Grief, as well as through the use of Photovoice as a reflective and participatory approach in education.
Through experiential activities, creative approaches, children’s literature, and Photovoice, educators explore these topics not only as areas of knowledge, but also through their own experiences as learners. This process supports them in recognising the importance of vulnerability, resilience, and creating spaces where children’s emotions and experiences can be acknowledged.
The aim is not for teachers to have all the answers or to approach grief as a problem to be solved. Rather, the aim is to support educators in becoming compassionate facilitators who create opportunities for children to express emotions, share experiences, and develop connection and meaning.
The strong participation and growing interest of educators in Schools SYN highlight an important need: the development of school communities that recognise children as whole human beings — not only as learners, but as individuals with emotions, relationships, and lived experiences.
My participation in Schools SYN is closely connected to my ongoing work towards integrating loss, grief, and care education within the school context. The response of educators confirms the need for learning spaces where difficult and sensitive topics can be approached with knowledge, sensitivity, and humanity.
