Flemish Association of Classics Teachers

Characteristics and functioning

The Flemish Association of Classics Teachers (in Dutch Vereniging van Leerkrachten Oude Talen, hence the abbreviation V.L.O.T.), a non-profit organization, was founded officially on the 1st of February 1996, the day on which its articles of association were published in the supplements to the Belgian law gazette. It is the first and only association for classics teachers in Flanders.

Our association is fundamentally pluralistic and democratic. It is open to everyone who wants to subscribe to its objectives, irrespective of his or her philosophy of life or ideology. Moreover it crosses the educational networks: teachers of any Flemish educational network can become a member. It does not take any position that suits only one educational network, but looks precisely for that which is common about classics, regardless of the educational network.

The pluralism is among other things reflected in the composition of the board of directors, which consists of members from different educational networks. The democratic character is shown by the fact that all paying members can participate in the annual general assembly with the full right to put forward proposals and to vote. Moreover every member has the chance to submit his or her candidature for the board of directors, that is chosen by the general assembly every three years. A chairman can lead the association only for two successive periods of three years.

The board of directors meets about ten times a year (about every five weeks). All directors are honorary volunteers, who devote themselves to the association completely free of charge and who do not receive a single allowance for their mandate.

Objectives and philosophy

• to promote the interest in classical languages and culture;
• to improve the quality of classics education;
• to provide classics teachers with concrete support;
• to look after the classics teachers' interests;
• to create an open forum for teachers and sympathizers.

These objectives are achieved among other things as follows:

• the publication of the quarterly members' journal Prora, with informative, didactic and practise-oriented articles;
• the organization of activities for classics teachers: lectures, courses, continuing education, didactic or cultural excursions etc.;
• the organization of meetings with colleagues, e.g. on the annual general assembly, where the possibility is provided to exchange ideas;
• the exchange of information with other classics associations and organizations in Belgium and abroad and with teachers' associations of other subjects.

Our association is willing to support every initiative that aims for the interest in and the interests of the classical culture and classics education in an accessible, pluralistic and democratic way. It is willing to announce every activity concerning classical languages and culture in its journal free of charge.

Cooperation and consultation

The Flemish Association of Classics Teachers is a member of Classica Vlaanderen, an umbrella organization with representatives of all institutions and organizations who occupy themselves with classics (universities, higher education institutions, former students' associations, the education inspectorate, the educational guidance services, cultural associations and teachers).

Furthermore information is exchanged with the Fédération des Professeurs de Grec et de Latin (FPGL, the French-speaking classics teachers' association, who groups classicists in French-speaking and German-speaking Belgium), with the Vereniging Classici Nederland (VCN, our Dutch twin association) and with the Vrienden van het Gymnasium ('friends of grammar school', a Dutch association who devotes itself to the preservation and promotion of classics education). Through their respective journals we keep ourselves informed of recent educational developments in Wallonia and the Netherlands, in particular about classics.

Finally our association also has contacts and exchanges its journal with the cross-curricular Vereniging Vlaamse Leerkrachten (V.V.L., 'Flemish teachers' association').

Membership

• four times a year members get the journal Prora sent home for free;
• members receive a personal invitation for all activities of our association;
• members get a reduction on activities organized by our association;
• members have the right to put forward proposals and to vote at the annual general assembly;
• members have the right to submit their candidature for the board of directors.

The membership fee of our association is 15 Euro a year. Whoever pays at least 25 Euro is a supporting member. Students can enjoy a reduced fee of 5 Euro, on condition they provide our members' administration with a copy of their student's card.

V.L.O.T. vzw | Naastveldstraat 140 | 9160 Lokeren | Belgium | info@vlot-vzw.be