4.16 Ancient Greek Schools Lesson for Kids

Did you know Ancient Greek kids went to school like you do? In this lesson you will learn about the Ancient Greek schools, the students who attended them, and what was learned during the school day.

The Bell Has Rung

Close your eyes and imagine a day at school. What do you see, hear, touch? Did you see desks in the classroom and a teacher writing on a board? Did you hear other kids, both boys and girls, talking, and a bell ringing to start your day? Did you touch a pencil and a notebook? Did it remind you of the picture?

Example of a day at school
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Now I want you to imagine going to a school day outside under a tree sitting on the ground, or in a small, one room building with only benches and a chair for the teacher. There are no girls in sight. You have no desks, pencils, scissors, or glue to use, just a wooden pen and a piece of wooden board covered in wax to write on. This was a school day for the Ancient Greek boys.

Example of a day at school for Ancient Greek boys
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1. Main points:

A school day for Ancient Greek boys was quite different, often held outside or in a simple room, and utilized minimal school supplies like a wooden pen and wax board.

2. Questions:

– Content Analysis: What school supplies did Ancient Greek boys use during their school day?
– Contextual Analysis: Where could an Ancient Greek school day typically take place?
– Socio-cultural Analysis: Why were there no girls present in these Ancient Greek schools?

3. Further Discussion:

How would you feel about learning outside under a tree compared to learning in a traditional classroom?

4. Answers:

– You have no desks, pencils, scissors, or glue to use, just a wooden pen and a piece of wooden board covered in wax to write on.
– Imagine going to a school day outside under a tree sitting on the ground, or in a small, one-room building with only benches and a chair for the teacher.
– There are no girls in sight. Girls were not allowed to attend school, except in Sparta.

I hope this makes the experience of Ancient Greek schoolboys more vivid for you! Would you like to explore the final part of the text?

Ancient Greek Schools

Yes, Ancient Greek schools were only allowed for boys, who often studied between the ages of 7 to 14, though they might continue until they were 20. Girls were not allowed to attend school, except in Sparta. The girls stayed at home with their mothers and learned about housekeeping and looking after their family. It wasn’t all boys either, only the ones that came from wealthy (rich) families because Ancient Greek school was not free. Doesn’t seem very fair does it?

The Ancient Greek boys were taught in a very small school, just one room with only one teacher. There were only 10 to 20 boys in the classroom and no school supplies were needed. The Ancient Greek boys were normally taught from the heart, meaning not using books. If they needed to write, they used wooden boards covered in many layers of wax and a stylus, or a wooden pen, that was pointy on one end to write and flat on the other to rub off or erase their mistakes.

1. Main points:

Ancient Greek schools were primarily for boys aged 7 to 14, sometimes up to 20, and were restricted to those from wealthy families; girls generally did not attend school except in Sparta.

2. Questions:

– Content Analysis: Until what age could boys study in Ancient Greek schools?
– Socio-cultural Analysis: Why weren’t girls generally allowed to attend school in Ancient Greece, and what was the exception?
– Ideological Analysis: What does the text suggest about the socioeconomic barriers in Ancient Greek education?

3. Further Discussion:

How would you feel if only certain people could go to school based on their family’s wealth?

4. Answers:

– Boys often studied between the ages of 7 to 14, though they might continue until they were 20.
– Girls were not allowed to attend school, except in Sparta. The girls stayed at home with their mothers and learned about housekeeping and looking after their family.
– Only the ones that came from wealthy (rich) families because Ancient Greek school was not free.

Ancient Greek School Day

When you imagined a day at school, did you think about learning the different subjects such as Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies? Or maybe you just thought about the fun classes of Physical Education, Art, or Music. Ancient Greek boys did start their day off the same as you with learning to read, write, and do simple math. However, they did not use as many books as you use during your school day. They often learned from the heart, meaning learning from what the teacher or other students knew.

They learned reading through poetry of the Odyssey, which was written by a Greek poet name Homer. They learned geometry for their Math and astronomy for their Science. The Ancient Greek boys also had a music class like you. They learned how to sing and play some musical instruments known as the lyre and the pipes. The Ancient Greek boys did have a type of Physical Education like you did, where they learned about sports such as running, wrestling, and throwing discs.

In Athens, there was more emphasis on reading and writing, in hopes to be a part of the Ancient Greek politics, or government, which was one of the most successful jobs. In Sparta, school was to prepare boys for their main goal of fighting in the army. Spartan boys did not study very much reading or music or science.

1. Main points:

Ancient Greek boys learned various subjects like reading, writing, and math, but educational focus differed between Athens, which emphasized academics, and Sparta, which focused on military training.

2. Questions:

– Content Analysis: What subjects did the Ancient Greek boys learn?
– Contextual Analysis: How did the location (Athens or Sparta) influence the type of education Ancient Greek boys received?
– Linguistic Analysis: What does "learned from the heart" mean?

3. Further Discussion:

Which kind of education would you prefer: the one focused on academics like in Athens or the one centered on physical training like in Sparta? Why?

##### 4. Answers:
– They learned to read, write, and do simple math.
– In Athens, there was more emphasis on reading and writing, while in Sparta, school was to prepare boys for fighting in the army.
– They often learned from the heart, meaning learning from what the teacher or other students knew.

So, which educational style do you think suits you better: the Athenian academic focus or the Spartan focus on physical skills?

Lesson Summary

Ancient Greek schools were very small, and consisted of only boys between the ages of 7 and 14 from wealthy families. They learned many skills such as simple math, reading and writing poetry, sports and fighting, and job trades. Learning was done from the heart of their teacher and other students, through poetry, and using wooden boards covered in wax with a stylus.