My name is Amalia Spiliakou. I am an art historian and educator based in Thessaloniki, Greece, and for over 30 years education has been both my profession and my passion.

I studied at Anatolia College and went on to earn both my B.A. and M.A. in Art History at Northern Illinois University, where I was recognised with several academic distinctions and scholarships. Later in my career, I was also honoured with prestigious awards from the Fulbright Foundation and the Alexander S. Onassis Foundation, recognitions that deepened my commitment to education and cultural exchange. Those years of study, and the path that followed, shaped not just my knowledge, but my deep belief in the Humanities as a vital force in human growth.

Over the years I have combined teaching with research and educational leadership, working as a Research Associate at the Institute for Balkan Studies, and as Host Country Studies Coordinator and Art History teacher at Pinewood International School of Thessaloniki. What has made this role especially meaningful is the freedom it gave me to explore, design, and implement multi-disciplinary courses across all school levels, from Early Years to High School. I have also shared my love of art history with students at Northern Illinois University, the Thessaloniki School of Tourist Guides, the YMCA of Thessaloniki, and the International Women’s Organization of Greece.

Teaching has always been at the heart of everything I do. I believe in Visual Learning, Project-Based Learning, and the power of art and culture to guide young people toward becoming more creative, thoughtful human beings. I believe that time in the classroom can, and should, be a pleasure.

Since 2019, I have been extending that classroom beyond four walls through my blog, Teacher Curator, where I write about artworks, cultural heritage, museum resources, mythology, Greece, and approaches to teaching art history. Starting the blog felt a little scary, but it was exactly the kind of challenge I wanted to embrace.

My goals here are simple and enduring: to think, reflect, and communicate; to share lesson plans and teaching ideas; to champion the Humanities; and to keep growing, as a teacher, a curator of ideas, and a human being.