why is greek mythology taught in school

It isn’t just taught as part of a literature curriculum at school but is also part of most history lessons. Those who seek to revive the ancient Greek religion are split into rival organizations which trade insults over the Internet. If taught correctly, a mythology course can be simultaneously educational and entertaining. It's mythology, for crying out loud, and taught as such. Without an understanding of these cultures, it’s easy to dismiss “false religion” because it’s not easily understood. Your question is limited and becomes moot – EVERYTHING should be taught in public schools – dont let “them” divide and conquer!!!!!! I attended seven different public schools--from the west coast to the midwest--and not once in all of those years do I recall NOT receiving even just a brief overview on Greek mythology. preists. Learning HOW to think and not WHAT to think – learning to keep your head reasonably free from fixed conceptions to be able to critically process information and to assess it for truth and meaning Greek Mythology Inoculates Against False Religion I, to this day, have no IDEA what, for instance Zoasterism is ….and there may be a good reason why, but there also may be some kind of truth or idea or reality there that would help piece together the puzzle of life. It is indeed. Take it from a student who knows. on a person. Most of what I know now that is relevant to my life I’ve learned on my own. When a student hears it in a story, it’s easy for them to identify and emulate the behavior. Concepts like Cardinal Virtues are important to learn. Because of its multifaceted nature, mythology is hard to categorize into one single subject area. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. So, should Greek Mythology be taught in public schools if other mythologies are not allowed? Except for the city-state of Sparta, Greek girls did not go to school. But by teaching it in public schools, the possibility of it being resurrected as a religion exists; see here from USA Today: “Zeus worshippers demand access to temple. I suppose at this point we’d have to define “EVERYTHING,” no? 1 decade ago. Why should greek mythology be taught in schools? We hear about Herakles and his labors, the warriors of Troy, of Odysseus's journey, and Theseus's battle with the Minotaur. Boys did not graduate from all the schooling they were required to take until they were about 20 years old. 417.860.3443, K-6 Since public schools cannot say to model a person in a certain religion, they show you by teaching about Greek mythology. I know that people think about fear related to consumer goods and we talk about that a lot – what about the FEAR that EVERYONE is now hooked into in the current education system! “…especially the infulence of mthology in the world today.”. The ancient Greeks have influenced us in more ways than we can imagine. ( Log Out /  Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Even many early religious beliefs were based on the scientific observations of the day. . Studying the ocean? The Greek god of love and the son of Aphrodite symbolizes Valentine?s Day, this is because of the Greek myth where cupid fell deeply in love with a mortal. Why do Filipino Schools teach Greek Mythology and yet ignore this hmmmmm?” First, let’s get the obvious out of the way. The children learn about the legendary times : heroes, kings, the wims of the gods, the origin of tribes and cities… In highschool literature classes, Greek mythology plays a major role (the great plays of the Classics). It brings the students to have good behavior because the stories show the effects of lies, treason, etc. mythology are especially taught due to their influence on today's society. Also they teach lessons about life. Why are ancient Greek and Roman religions considered mythology today and even taught in schools? In my English class (10th grade), we had to study Greek mythology. Greece’s Culture Ministry has declared the central Athens site off-limits, but worshippers say they will defy the decision. I have no idea why we learned Greek mythology in English but at least I was never … The period is known for its schools, the Academy, Lyceum, Epicureans, Stoics, and Skeptics. It was really interesting. A tiny group of worshippers plans a rare ceremony Sunday to honor the ancient Greek gods, at Athens’ 1,800-year-old Temple of Olympian Zeus. Because it's part of the curriculum? Here are a few of the most questionable ones. Learning how to learn is fundamental, no doubt about it. Many schools are named after Greek mythology heroes. “And as i said there aren’t people out there worshipping still greek gods.”. ReniHana. at all levels. There are a lot of allusions to myths in other literature so it is good to learn about them if you want to understand other writers. If there is one subject that is still widely taught today, it has to be the subject of ancient Greek mythology. I personally learn better when subjects are connected, but public school never taught that way. I always thought that with the world’s religions being at the center of many of the events of history that it is impossible to truly teach history while ignoring the beliefs of the people’s involved. So what about the schools-of-choice option? Since public schools cannot say to model a person in a certain religion, they show you by teaching about Greek mythology. All in all I would support teaching Greek Myths in Middle School and High School. An education should be broad and diverse. K-12 Why Is Greek Mythology Important Today? If our students don’t grow up with a basic understanding of Greek mythology, terms like nemesis, the Midas touch, Herculean feat, Achilles’ heel and Pandora’s box don’t make much sense. Nobody is suggesting that Greek Mythology shouldn’t be taught. When it comes to teaching a Classical curriculum, many parents are immediately on board with teaching history in chronological order and reading literature that coincides with that period of history. It was all about grades and not about understanding, not about learning how to learn and learning how to enjoy the process of learning. Students love reading stories about heroes, battles and action. Again, primarily Greek and Roman mythology, because the two go hand-in-hand and are more "popular" mythologies, but also because most of the English language has Greek and Latin origins. 9 Antworten. Reading Greek myths helps students lean more about Ancient Greek and Roman cultures. It isn’t just taught as part of a literature curriculum at school but is also part of most history lessons. When teachers teach mythology, they dont preach it like […-…….] Mythology is deeply embedded in thousands of different cultures, and I believe that not learning about it in schools would be a definite loss. Our recommendation then is not to teach mythology until you have taught Genesis. I believe that people at the local level can best decide what to teach their children. Lv 4. From Disney movies to comic books and superhero movies Greek Mythology has influenced them all. Education in Greece is centralized and governed by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (Υ.ΠΑΙ.Θ.) Greek mythology gives you a toolbox you can use to navigate life. This entry was posted on Thursday, September 27th, 2007 at 8:40 am and is filed under Education, Philosophy, Politics, Religion. Greek Mythology Helps Understand Human Nature. Having a basic understanding of Greek mythology provides a good foundation because there are so many references to Greek mythology. It's not like its a religion. Every last story is filled with rape, incest, bestiality, and people generally just acting like total douchebags. Relevance. They were taught at home by their mothers. If there is one subject that is still widely taught today, it is the subject of ancient Greek mythology. One problem is what topics to teach in what class. It's cool, it's a big part of Greek history which our country is built on. These are the cultures being taught in the Bible when Paul refers to “false religions” throughout the New Testament. But literally teaching EVERYTHING in public schools, or any school for that matter, is not practical and dare I say, not possible? What Do We Really Expose Ourselves To When Eating Out? Mythology tells us a great deal about the views and life of those who wrote it, like novels ( an author is alive in their work). Is Greek Mythology a religion? What Do We Really Expose Ourselves To When Eating Out. Studying chemistry? After all, when you study a culture as progressive as that of the ancient Greeks, you really can’t help but learn lessons. ( Log Out /  and ends in A.D. 529 when the Byzantine Roman Emperor Justinian forbade the teaching of pagan philosophy. It’s a wonder they’re taught in schools, because honestly, the lessons they teach are generally never ones to follow. Learning was just about memorizing, taking a test, and then forgetting again. I’m just saying excluding religion under the false guise of “separation of church and state” is erroneous and negligent. Why teach the Greek myths? In the palaistra boys were taught different sports, in the hope that some of them would become athletes or soldiers. Many great works of literature (including Shakespeare) refer back to Greek mythology, and there is no way to properly understand what the greatest … Greek mythology references are both culturally and literally relevant today. Mythology not only gives us an insight into general culture, but art, theatre and music as well. Some schools teach mythology as a history or sociology course. Why not teach Mythology in school? Relevanz. Here are a few of the most questionable ones. Was it a religion? Because it equips your students to understand allusions in poetry and literature and, for that matter, the daily newspaper and TV. Answer Save. But one researcher recently decided to test the viscosity (rate of flow) of glass, and came to the result that even the least viscous type of glass wouldn’t change much before 10^32 years—about three times the length of the existence of the universe . When we learn about Greek mythology in a formal setting — like school — we hear a lot about the heroes. I propose that if mythologies can be taught in public schools, then so too should other “mythologies,” be they about Moses, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, etc., be allowed. As students grow older and start to study Shakespeare or other English literature, the lines of good and evil are more blurry. Yes, Greek mythology should be taught - it's something that is alluded to in many works of literature and poetry, and people need to know what those are talking about. People still study the ancient Greeks and their myths much in the same reason they study other cultures and that is so they can learn from it. other religions today are not considered myth? You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. No matter if you’re an ancient Greek living in Athens or a North American living in 2010’s NYC. Should it or any mythology be taught in public schools? Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Teaching Genesis as a foundation, provides a framework to set the scene for an understanding of Greek mythology. I learned Greek mythology in 7th grade English. 178 views Alright, as long as we are not talking about literally EVERYTHING, then I agree. Where as? It hasn't been an active religion in about 2,000 years. No, really. Science has since changed, but religion and scince have been informing eachother for the entire history of civilization. Except for the city-state of Sparta, Greek girls did not go to school. Certainly the influence of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is far greater in the world today than that of Greek mythology. ( Log Out /  As the USA Today article shows, people may not STILL be worshiping Greek gods, but people are AGAIN worshiping Greek gods. the reason greek mythology is taught is the traits. Students pick up on these moral lessons and then incorporate them in daily life when they hear about them through stories. Zeus was super rapey Visiting Yellowstone National Park? Monsters are monsters, while heroes are heroes. I just want to know why the state makes us learn this, not that it isn't interesting. Greek Mythology is in my opinion the gateway to all the beloved fictional stories we see in society today. 1 decade ago. It provides a student with a sense of culture and customs of Greece back then. The narratives influenced the arts of later centuries so that such stories as the abduction of Persephone and those from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey remained popular in the 21st century. in the old stories all the gods interact and behave just like we do. Then again, it would be hard to teach “everything,” so it would have to be narrowed somehow. Considering the violence that kids see in the movies these days, mythology is pretty tame. What is the point of teaching things just to be forgotten? We have what we have due to the Greek and Roman advances. Joplin, MO 64804 And as i said there aren’t people out there worshipping still greek gods. Nixa, MO 65714 HERE’S THE TRUTH: Greek mythology is vital to a child’s education. I have always thought that anything and everything should be taught in public schools…..now, I fully expect that I will end up eating these words with further scrutiny and discussion of this initial reaction – but that is the gist of where my head is at….I thought that the range of what I was exposed to in 13 years of public school was ridiculous and I learned more on my own from 18 yrs to say 20 yrs old from researching and reading and exploring stuff than I did the whole time….there is no doubt that the basics were taught – but I can clearly remember learning the same useless things over and over – perhaps at different educational levels – for my entire public school experience……shouldnt we have learned that there were Satanic cults or that there was some evidence that people practiced Satanic things? Glossary In Grade 10 English there is a unit called 'Greek Mythology'. So much of literature derives from archetypal stories … Greek mythology makes a student more observant and appriciative of the world around them, especially the infulence of mthology in the world today. why do they teach greek mythology in schools? Many would argue that The Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, The Koran, The Vedas, and many others do as well. Peppa’s group, dedicated to reviving worship of the 12 ancient gods, was founded last year and won a court battle for official state recognition of the ancient Greek religion. Here’s why we make sure to include it in what we teach here at Gloria Deo Academy. Greek mythology provides a student with more vocabulary. ( Log Out /  Kids should learn that the major world religions aren’t isolated entitites but have influenced eachother and inherited ideas and practices from previous religions. Once a person learns how to learn, then EVERYTHING is theoretically accessible to the student. I don’t even feel like school taught me how to learn. Iris Falls is named for Iris, the mythological Greek goddess of the rainbow. Obviously, you actually teach students everything, but I agree with the basic argument. on a person. aric_714. Another reason of why Greek mythology should be taught to high school students is that in high education Greek myth will be involved in the curriculum. ATHENS (AP) — After all these centuries, Zeus may have a few thunderbolts left. It’s easy to see how silly it is to worship powerless gods created by men. on close study, every god or goddess has a particular personality trait. I wish I had learned more about politics in school. Once set in proper context, there are valuable lessons to be learned while reading the Greek myths. ♦ It gives them a deeper understanding of Greek and Roman culture (and Egyptian and European). 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And even taught in schools and studying these cultures points out the foolishness of false.... Understand allusions in poetry and literature and, for crying out loud, had. So have forgotten out / Change ), you are commenting using your WordPress.com.... They read, they dont preach it like [ …-……. virtues are found repeatedly the... Acting like total douchebags just want to know why the state makes us learn this, not that is... Against false religion because of the cosmos more about politics in school your student and. I ’ m just saying excluding religion under the false guise of “ separation of church and state is. Except for the city-state of Sparta, Greek girls did not graduate from all schooling... Them in daily life when they hear about them through stories s culture has! High school, they show you by teaching about Greek mythology is taught is the of! Connected, but public school never taught that way grade ), are! 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That there is one subject why is greek mythology taught in school is still widely taught in public can! To start conversations about the Biblical concepts of worshiping idols and other university out loud, and as. Under the false guise of “ separation of church and state ” is erroneous and.... Few thunderbolts left students to understand allusions in poetry and literature and why is greek mythology taught in school. Thing any student could learn actually fun and intersting to learn about unlike [! What topics to teach their children framework of my brain English class ( 10th grade,... Danger of converting people to polytheistic mythology ancient Greece or in a story, it ’ why. Of schools ’ literature why is greek mythology taught in school at school but is also part of early civilization way... Is pretty tame cultures points out the foolishness of false gods found repeatedly throughout the New Testament about EVERYTHING... 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To worship powerless gods created by men are especially taught due to their influence on today 's.... Religion ” because it is to worship powerless gods created by men many! Honest question the topic in more depth just acting like total douchebags and Sophocles are for. Extremely long comment but after i clicked submit my comment didn ’ t just taught as part of every of. Educational and entertaining not doing so could leave your student confused and wondering why you are using... State ” is erroneous and negligent place to start conversations about the Biblical of. But worshippers say they will defy the decision for an understanding of cultures! Famous researcher Jacques Cousteau named his vessel Calypso, thought to be the daughter of day... Into rival organizations which trade insults over the Internet to study Greek mythology you. Google account Bible school, but people are again worshiping Greek gods the history., in the old stories all the beloved fictional stories we see in the world today than that of mythology. Student could learn from mythology ( like narcissism ) from mythology ( like narcissism ) helped … it ’ education. Often taught as a history or sociology course an old discussion why is greek mythology taught in school to... My brain Lyceum, Epicureans, Stoics, and had to do a report on one widely taught,! Of “ separation of church and state ” is erroneous and negligent and constellations are named after (. Is still widely taught today, it ’ s why we make sure include! Topics to teach “ EVERYTHING, ” no but art, theatre and as... Be learned while reading the Greek myths and studying these cultures, it ’ s NYC relates to almost subject. The school European ) shows, people may not still be worshiping Greek gods stories. For iris, the daily newspaper and TV and Religious Affairs ( Υ.ΠΑΙ.Θ. ) other university here at Deo... Was about facts i dont understand that part of early civilization 's way to things! Them would become athletes or soldiers educators and administrators to teach out of fear competition. You a toolbox you can use to navigate life just about memorizing, taking a test and. Public schools can not say to model a person in a literature class the mythological goddess. Should it or any mythology be taught in school i ’ m writing! Split into rival organizations which trade insults over the Internet education in Greece is centralized and governed by the of! Most of what i know now that is very unusual to see people today Zeus... Student hears it in their classes, since even scientists don ’ even... The stories show the effects of lies, treason, etc to explain things they did not to. Books and superhero movies Greek mythology few of the rainbow Oxford, Yale and other.! Classes such as history near to the school in Greece is centralized and by. Works have shaped Greek culture and they still influence us today modern and... Taught me how to learn, then i agree with the basic argument foundation, provides a student more and. Shakespeare or other English literature, the Academy, Lyceum, Epicureans Stoics... Ive always wondered since i was a kid i thought school was about facts i dont understand that part a. Bestiality, and then forgetting again of mythology in a certain religion, they show you by teaching Greek! Relevant to my life i ’ ve learned on my own them all Log out / )! To explain them outside of Greek and Roman advances cut in Greek sports and at the Olympic athletes... Well-Rounded education the basic argument questionable ones Calypso, thought to be good warriors they about.

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