Reflection #15

Education in Ancient Rome was very important, especially to rich people. Usually only the rich were formally educated. They had private tutors and went to schools. However, schools were mainly for boys only. Girls were educated differently. Rich girls were allowed to receive an education at home by being taught how to become a good wife and how to run a proper home. Their education consisted of music, running a kitchen, and sewing. Boys on the other hand, like I stated before did attend schools and received a full formal education. However, their education was not the most entertaining one. They barely had any subjects to choose from. Education consisted of weekly routines. Waking up at sunrise, working throughout the whole day with a small lunch break, and being back in bed by sunset. They had no weekend breaks. Their education was molded through the use of beatings. If a child got something wrong in their studies they were beaten. That is why children were so focused and determined in their work. Lessons were simply listened to and memorized, seeing as their were no textbooks. Even though education in Ancient Athena was similar, it was still quite different. Similarly only wealthy families could afford education and teachers. However, boys learned for to write and quote famous literatures. They learned how to play one specific musical instrument and they were trained from young to be in the military. The studied for the goal of becoming an effective citizen to Athena. Girls in Athena actually also learned how to read, write and do some arithmetic. The teaching were divided amongst three groups; arithmetic, music and dancing, and sports. Children had paidagogos, which was basically just a slave that accompanied the child during the day. The early stages of the child's education was basics (reading, writing, arithmetic, music). The second stage consisted of the introduction of sports into the curriculum. Schooling ended when the child turned 18 and they were then placed into military training. However some greeks continued their education after childhood. Some teenagers had mentorships with an older greek. They listened to their mentors and assisted them in any way possible. They spent a lot of time with them. Roman and Athenian education are very similar, however Athenian education seems to have had better and bigger opportunities for children. They seem to have had a more open curriculum and the opportunity for students to learn until an older age.