| Week Eight, Nine and Ten
The purpose of this unit's studies and discussions is to extend the education student's exposure to the origins of formal teaching/ learning by studying
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Some of the great teachers and teaching stories of antiquity are highlighted. The personalities cited are those who dramatically effected their societies and civilizations -- kings, queens, heroes, heroines, gods, goddesses, sacred harlots and religious/spiritual teachers. They are considered great teachers because of the various lessons they taught in word and in deed to humanity.
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The teaching stories derived from those great epics like the epic of Gilgamesh, the Mahabharata, or legends, myths and songs that have survived from antiquity and gives us some idea about what life was like during those times or the important beliefs and values that the people of those times embraced.
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The "Greek Legacy" or educational principles and practices derived from the Greeks. The student will also focus on the philosophical writings of important Greeks who influenced the development of western education in Ancient Greece, particularly Plato as Socrates.
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The "Roman Legacy" or educational principles and practices derived from the Romans. The student will also focus on the philosophical writings of important Romans who influenced the development of western education in Ancient Rome.
Assignments:
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Reflection Paper#15: Write about a great teacher or teaching story before 500BCE. What about this teacher resonates with the image of the teacher you want to be?
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Reflection Paper#16: Plato's influence in western education comes in the form of his idealism, his doctrine of forms, his theory of reminiscence, his elenchus (Socratic method), his notion of the "examined life" and his assertion that "happiness is moral excellence. " Discuss each of these ideas.
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Reflection Paper#17: Aristotle's influence in western education comes in the form of his "realism", the invention of logic, the "great chain of being", the "unmoved mover" the "four causes" and the notion that happiness is achieved by observing the "Golden Mean." Discuss any four (4) of these ideas.
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Reflection Paper#18: What do you think about the description of ancient roman educational practices. Do you see evidence of this in today's schools? What would be the legal and ethical issues raised today if certain practices in both greek and roman schools were present.
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Reflection Paper # 19 : What legal rights do students enjoy (and do they have legal responsibilities)?
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Readings
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