Education Flashcards
At what age did boys go to school?
7.
What depended if boys could go to school?
Whether the parents could afford it or not as there was no state education system.
In addition to schooling where else may a boy have learnt?
From his father. He would observe him and other family members in charge. Outside the home, a father would teach his trade to his son, or how to manage and run the farm estate.
Who was the paidagogos?
A family slave who was appointed as the tutor for the boy.
What were the duties of the paidagogos?
To supervise the boy at home and at school, escorting him between the two and carrying his school bag. To sit in on the lessons and to help him with any homework. To teach good manners and discipline and to set a good example. If his charge behaved badly then the paidagogos was allowed to cane him. To report to his father on a regular basis, keeping him up to date with his son’s progress. Might help him with his homework.
What did teachers use as classrooms?
Rooms in private houses which were sparely furnished.
What would a boy sit on in the classroom?
A stool or bench.
What may have been used like a blackboard?
A simple wooden board.
What were some schools attached to?
A palaestra.
What were school hours?
School would start early in the morning and finish by the middle of the day.
Why were teachers paid poorly and held a low status?
Because they were either slaves or foreigners.
What is the difference with modern teachers?
Anyone could become a teacher as they didn’t need any qualifications.
What 3 areas did boys study?
Academic studies, musical studies and physical education.
At what age did a boy start is academic studies?
7.
Who taught the academic lessons?
A grammatistes.
What did he learn in academic studies?
First he studied the Greek alphabet and learnt how to read and write. He also learnt the basics of numeracy. Boys also learnt by heart great literature.
What great literature did boys learn?
The Iliad and the Odyssey.
Why did boys learnt great literature by heart?
Greeks believed it provided great moral lessons and taught them what it meant to be Greek.
When did a boy start his musical studies?
Two or three years after the academic studies began.
Who taught the boy musical studies?
The kitharistes.
Why did boys learn music?
It was fundamental for a well-educated man in Greece, and was at the heart of society as it was used in religious festivals, such as the City Dionysia, at symposia and even on military parades.
What did boys learn first in musical studies?
Usually the kithara by ear and then to accompany it in song.
What else might boys have learnt in musical studies?
How to play the aulos.
Why else was musical education important?
It dovetailed neatly with academic studies and poems such as the Iliad were composed to be recited in song. It also taught boys the right sort of behaviour.
Why was physical education important?
Men needed to be fit and strong in order to make excellent soldiers.
Where did boys train?
In the gymnasium.
What was in the gymnasium?
The palaestra, an exercise ground where physical training took place.
Who was the physical education teacher?
The paidotribes.
How was the paidotribe recognised?
He wore a purple cloak and had a forked stick, which he used to cane pupils who stepped out of line.
What sports did boys practice?
Running, long jump, javelin, discus as well as combat sports such as boxing and wrestling.
Where did a girl learn?
At home.
What did she learn from her mother?
The roles and duties expected of an Athenian wife: spinning, weaving, cookery and managing finances. Also how to care for younger siblings.
