Konstantina Tzouda

I am Konstantina Tzouda, an educator with a strong commitment to social inclusion, intercultural understanding, and educational justice. I am originally from Patras, but I grew up on the island of Chios, where I experienced firsthand the refugee and migration crisis of 2015–2016. This pivotal experience deeply influenced my decision to become a teacher and to focus on supporting students with migrant and refugee backgrounds.
My parents come from two Ionian islands—Kefalonia and Zakynthos—while I was born in Patras and raised in Chios. As a result, I have developed a strong familiarity with various Greek dialects and local linguistic variations, as well as with the diverse cultures and traditions of different regions and their people.
My academic foundation lies in Special Education (B.A., University of Thessaly) and I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Language Education for Refugees and Migrants at the Hellenic Open University.
Over the past few years, I have worked in diverse educational contexts, including public schools and shelters for unaccompanied minor refugees. From 2022 to 2024, I served as a teacher at ARSIS Shelter in Makrinitsa, where I led language education initiatives, extracurricular activities, and psychosocial interventions. These experiences shaped my understanding of the complex needs of vulnerable children and strengthened my capacity to design inclusive, trauma-informed learning environments.
Throughout my career, I have participated in numerous trainings, conferences, and artistic projects focused on refugee education, child protection, and creative learning. My work is guided by values of equity, empathy, and critical literacy, and my goal is to contribute to systemic change in education through research, collaboration, and advocacy.