Elementary Education

Lesson Unit

Elementary Education in ancient Greece typlifies the use of rich activities such as story-telling and game-playing to engage young minds. As children grew older, they were introduced to the two basic disciplines: gymnasia (the physical arts) and music.

Here is a brief overview of elementary education and how it was conceived and practiced in ancient Greece.

The following lessons examine some of the underlying issues that surround this domain of practice. They are posed as examples (cases) of ancient Greek education, practices, and artifacts in the domain of elementary education.

By considering these cases and comparing them with our contemporary practices and notions, you should be able to draw useful contrasts and parallels to your own learning and teaching interests and practices.

Engaging Young Minds	How were young children taught and learned from ancient to contemporary Greece. How specialized or unified where the subjects in their curriculum? What was the type and sequence of instruction. What was gymnasia and music and what did they become later? How were they prepared for further study? How did gender and economic status and other factors determine the type and quality of their education?
Story-Telling and Myths	Story-telling and the use of myths as educational practices for young children in ancient Greece.
The Artifacts of Learning	How were games used in providing education for young children? What examples of games for young children can be found in the artifacts and settings of ancient to contemporary Greece? How were games, stories, and other elementary educational practices and settings depicted in the artifacts of other domains such as painting, sculpture, music, poetry, drama, and the physical arts?

Alexia Sevastidou was a graduate student in the Educational Communication and Technology Program at NYU. She created the lessons in this unit based on her academic background and interests in elementary education.