This program is designed specifically for all newly hired faculty members in their first year of teaching at the College. It consists of 2 modules:

• Welcoming new members (HAEF)

As part of our School's support for newly hired teachers, there is an introductory informational meeting at the beginning of the school year. During this session, the College Administration welcomes new faculty and provides an overview of our School's history, institutions, and operations.

• Introductory training seminar (University of Delaware)

Athens College provides its teachers with professional development opportunities so that they can fulfil their duties to the best of their abilities.

As part of this support, especially for newly hired teachers, an on-site introductory training seminar totaling 20 teaching hours is offered in collaboration with the Delaware Academy for School Leadership at the University of Delaware.

The first unit of seminars (10 hours) is titled "Planning for Student Success!" and is held in October. The second (also 10 hours) is called "Creating a Successful Classroom through differentiation, personalized learning and a trauma-informed lens" and is held in January.

Lecturers:

• Michele Savage, Educational Leadership Specialist 
• Dr. Ann Little, Senior School Improvement Specialist
  
• Dr. Alison Travers, Assistant Director Delaware Academy for School Leadership School Success Center University of Delaware

The modules are practical and experiential, providing new teachers with the opportunity to become familiar with lesson planning, classroom management, and effective techniques for building respect and trust in the classroom and at school.

Athens College offers the Pedagogical Training Program free of charge to all faculty members. This program complements their university studies and pedagogical training by providing an opportunity for guided reflection on their teaching practices.

While the program primarily targets new teachers, experienced educators who wish to refresh their knowledge and skills are also welcome to participate.

Duration: The program spans two school years (2025-2027) and consists of six lesson cycles, totaling 150 hours of instruction.

Certificate of Attendance:  Participants who attend all six cycles will receive a Certificate of Attendance for the entire Pedagogical Training Program, jointly issued by HAEF and the University of the Peloponnese. Those who complete one or more individual cycles will receive a Certificate for the specific cycle(s) attended.

Program Content (2026-2026):

1. Lesson planning and Classroom Management (25 teaching hours)

Lecturers:

• Dr. Dimitris Kalaitzidis, Former Director of Ralleio Junior High School, Piraeus
• Dr. Vasiliki Demertzi-Giannakopoulou, Philologist, Honorary School Advisor
• Dr. Agathi Georgiadou, Philologist, Honorary School Advisor

2. Universal Design for Learning I and II (20 teaching hours)

Lecturer:

• Anastasia Vlachou, Professor of Special Education and Educational Integration, Department of Psychology, NKUA

3. Mentoring/Coaching, Theory and Practice (10 teaching hours + 10 practice hours - in-class peer observation by pairs of teachers) + presentations to the entire group

The term "mentor" is of Greek origin; however, the use of mentoring in education has been limited in Greece. In contrast, mentoring and coaching are well-established components of educators' professional development in many developed countries.

The institution of mentorships has been in place at the College since its inception. Since 2008, Mentoring/Coaching has been offered as a distinct cycle within the Pedagogical Training Program. This cycle combines theoretical training with practical experience conducted in collaboration with a more experienced colleague within the school. Participants develop essential skills and knowledge to enhance their teaching practices.

These courses are addressed to the faculty of Athens College - Psychico College (on a voluntary basis), to interested School parents, as well as educators and students who do not work at HAEF. The program began running in the academic year 2012-2013 and quickly gained popularity among educators and parents who attended. During the pandemic, the program was also attended virtually by several people from abroad.

Free admission – Registration required. 

A Certificate of Attendance is issued. 

Seminars are held on Saturdays.

1st session: 09:30-12:00

2nd session: 12:15-14:45

3rd session: 15:00-17:30

Venue/Format:

Courses are held either in person at the Alexandra Martinou Building, online (via Zoom), or in a hybrid format (in person and online simultaneously). 

Information and Registration:

Eftychia Geronikolou, Penelope Dionysopoulos - Markou

T: 210 6798100 (ext. 4740, 357) 

email: [email protected]

• Training Department Heads and Coordinators to provide meaningful and effective feedback, and observing teachers in the classroom to offer feedback and counseling.
  
  
• Programs to familiarize teachers with emerging technologies and their use in lesson planning so that they can use new technologies in their teaching practices, based on sound pedagogical principles.
  
  
• Training of specialties within Academic Departments. The training activities of the specialty disciplines within Academic Departments are related either to the theoretical training of teachers or to the teaching of specific courses.  They are organized by the respective school units.
  
  
• Training of Middle and Senior Administrators and Heads/Coordinators of Academic Departments: Individuals holding these positions periodically attend seminars to acquire the theoretical background and skills necessary to guide teachers in their departments.