GREECE: In this episode of Transcontinental Times’ 360-degrees Live Show, we have Rania Lampou from Greece. She is a global educator, ICT trainer, author of scientific books for kids, senior educational researcher and global peace ambassador. Her key areas are education, sciences, innovation, international projects, peace, volunteerism, and supporting vulnerable groups.
EXCERPTS
Motivation – Love for children
Lampou is interested in popularizing science for people of all ages and educational backgrounds, above all, underprivileged children are her main area of interest. Her love for children and science popularization are the main motivations to dedicate her life to teaching.
“Students are always my motivation to support the humanitarian causes that I do. Here in Greece, I have worked with schools where children didn’t have basic necessities, even to eat. Looking at the dire conditions of the underprivileged and the refugees, I implemented programs for these children and also spread these programs to Asia and Africa. So helping these children make a life of their own by providing them education and basic needs will be my sole purpose and driving factor,” Lampou told Roshan Bhondekar.
Humanitarian work through STEM
For a major part of her life now, Lampou has been a STEM instructor. Here she participates in the organisational presentation of lectures to popularize complex concepts of astronomy for special underprivileged children. The goal of all these activities is to make astronomy science in general interesting and accessible to children, also because astronomy is important, but excluded in most curriculums.
“Astronomy teaches how to evaluate, the universe helps us see our lives through a more advanced perspective. My aim is to promote STEM vision around the world,” said Lampou.
“As a volunteer and assistant teacher for underprivileged children and for refugees, it is very moving to see how excited these children get to get involved with STEM activities.”
Key focus areas for the education sector
“Collaboration. In the post-Covid era, teachers should involve in collaborating with international projects.”
We have access to platforms like Zoom, so teachers have the opportunity to engage more with students. We need to be more involved in humanitarian activities, promote sustainable development, and provide quality and free education for all. This can happen by creating a network of teachers and volunteers who could promote this message around the world, Lampou opined.
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