The implementation of the pilot program of Olympic Education in Greek Primary schools in 1999 and it’s impact in the subsequent implementation of curricula, of Olympic Education and Physical Education in Greek schools

Abstract

Through this paper we aim to present a significant effort that was made by 30 Primary Greek schools to implement a programme of Olympic Education. This pilot programme was the result of a perfect cooperation of three parts: The Foundation of Olympic and Athletic (sport) Education, the Pedagogical Institute and the ministry of Greek Education. The programme started with enthusiasm from both the teachers and the students. There was also very good supervision and collaboration from the Pedagogical Institute with successful results. This pilot programme was the main source for the production of new, innovator material and the clarification of many concepts and activities. Till then, as it is showed in this paper, there was no clarified work frame for the schools and the educational programmes in Greece and in rest of the world. The different cultures with the different habits create difficulties in implementing a globally accepted set of objectives in Olympic Education. This programme overcame the difficulties and gave the material which was used for future books and educational programmes in Greece for the Olympic Games 2004. The Physical Education books of Primary and High Schools were enriched with the Olympic Values that are so important nowadays. The Physical Education’s book of 1995 has been analyzed as well as all the school Physical Education books before and after the programme. After, the contents of these books compared with the contents of two other books: the Guide of Olympic and athletic (sport) Education which was published by the Foundation of Olympic and Sport Education (F.O.S.E) and the book of Olympic and Athletic (sport) Education which was published by the ministry of Education in 1997.This comparison is necessary because these two books present in detail the activities involved students of the pilot programme and present the relation of the pilot programme and its influence to the curriculum of Physical Education. In each comparison pages are given which demonstrate the relation and the impact of the pilot programme on the curricula of Physical Education. At the end of this paper our proposal is to disseminate the results of the pilot programme to the Olympic Education researches, to Olympic Education Institutions, and to ministries of Education through the translation and the distribution of the book of Olympic Education or to be a new edition about the pilot programme.