Objectives of Athenian Education



What were the objectives of Education in Ancient Athens, and how did Education prepare students for their roles in the society?

 Athens was the main educational, intellectual and cultural center of Ancient Greece. The main purpose of education in Ancient Athens was to make citizens trained in the arts, and to prepare them for both peace and war. It was aimed at the cultivation of the students' physical, mental, and moral qualities.   From Athens we get the motto: A sound mind in a sound body. All schools were very small private schools, and education was very valued.

Boys
Until age six, boys were taught at home by their mother or a male slave. Age six to 14 was primary school. The teacher in school was always a male. Once the youths were 16, their 'basic education' was complete. The boys who didn't have to work could now study the sciences and philosophy. From the ages of 18 to 20, able bodied young men had to take military trainging for the army or the navy. Athenians wanted their sons to have a well rounded education so that they would know a variety of things and appreciate lots of things.

Girls
Girls were taught at home by their mothers or a private tutor. The objective was to prepare girls for being a stay-at-home mum, to look after and educate their children just as they had been educated.


What subjects did students take in Ancient Athens and why?

 Boys' education in Ancient Athens consisted of three main courses:
》Grammata
》Music
》Physical Education.

Grammata: this course included- reading, writing, and arithmetic. The literal translation of 'grammata' is 'letters.' After the students had learnt their letters, they went onto learning the words of famous poets such as Homer.
Music: consisted of- singing, playing the lyre and the flute, reciting, and musical performance of poetry. Through this students learnt history, geography, and ethics.
Physical education: physical education was when the children practiced wrestling, jumping, running and throwing of discus and javelin. They also played team games such as early forms of field hockey and soccer. This was to make their body 'strong and courageous.' The aim was not to produce athletes, or soldiers like in Sparta, but young men who were graceful, fit, and attractive, and it was hoped they would develop habits of fitness that they took with them their whole lives.
Teachers also added whatever else they knew to the school course.

Girls were mostly taught by their mothers in the comfort of their own homes. They learnt things like motherhood and housekeeping. Girls were also allowed to take part in sports such as wrestling. This was because parents were afraid girls would be spoiled if they learnt how to read. In later life, their husband would be the one doing all the work, so he would need the subjects he did at school, and a girl would stay at home and raise the children, doing housework. This was how the separate schooling systems for boys and girls worked and fitted in with what they needed to know for later life. However, some families employed a private tutor, so some Athenian women were very well educated.



Article gotten from~
https://cactusporpoise.weebly.com/ancient-athens.html

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