Discovering empathy through stories: A book about learning difficulties

 

Reading has the power to open our minds and hearts — and a collection of short stories about learning difficulties can do exactly that. The book “Help them shine! – 4 short stories on learning difficulties” invites readers to step into the shoes of children who face challenges in their learning journey, helping us see the world from their point of view.

I wrote these stories to shed light on different perspectives, as explained in detail in the foreword section, and foster empathy for all learners. The stories don’t shy away from the frustration or misunderstanding that often come with learning difficulties, but they try to celebrate resilience, kindness and inclusion. Teachers, classmates and families are shown not as perfect but as people who can learn and grow, too. The ultimate aim is of the book is not to provide an in-depth explanation of learning difficulties, but to nurture the power of empathy in readers.

EU code week October 2025

 

In October, some classes took part in the European Code Week, a Europe-wide celebration of creativity and digital thinking! Although the activities were unplugged, students had the chance to explore the basics of coding through pixel art, discovering how simple patterns and logical steps can bring images to life in a fun, hands-on way.

Let’s code food!

This activity acquainted learners with the idea of art in pixels so that they could realise how digital pictures are created bit by bit and how each pixel represents one specific colour. 6^th grade explored the theme of food, a sub-topic within the shopping unit in their coursebook while celebrating World Food Day, which is observed on October 16^th.

Bit by bit, they decoded colourful, food-themed pixel pictures — from juicy fruits to delicious pizza— uncovering how digital images come to life through colour coding.

But that wasn’t all! Along the way, they explored a list of fun and surprising facts about the kind of food they were decoding. From quirky fruit trivia to astonishing snack secrets, each student chose the fact that impressed them most and shared it with the class.

Draw just like Mondriaan

Younger learners were introduced to the idea of pixel art and coding/decoding in order to realise how a picture is digitally created. At the same time the acivitiy aimed at acquainting them with Mondriaan's art and the primary colours he used.

The learners decoded animals painted in the famous Dutch painter's style, realising how a number corresponds to a specific colour on paper and seeing the image revealed in their eyes "pixel" by "pixel". At the same time they cultivated their logical, observational and aesthetic skills, while consolidating colours, animals and shapes in English.

“S.O.S.: Save Our Sea” at the 2nd Pedagogical Conference of the Directorate of Primary Education of Western Thessaloniki

As part of our commitment to the goals we set as an eTwinning School regarding wider dissemination of eTwinning projects, we shared our eTwinning project “S.O.S.: Save Our Sea” at a thematically related conference which took part at the Cultural Centre of Ampelokipi and the Auditorium of the 12th Primary School of Ampelokipi. Specifically, on Saturday, October 11, 2025, we participated in the 2nd Educational Conference organised by the Directorate of Primary Education of Western Thessaloniki, titled: “Teaching and Learning – Education and Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges and Reflections.” There, we had the opportunity to present our students’ creative work, which focused on promoting the 14^th Sustainable Goal titled ‘Life below water’. We also shared ideas and educational practices, attended interesting presentations by colleagues and engaged in a creative dialogue that helped us enrich our teaching methods through innovative ideas and practices.