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Introduction To Education 

EDF 1005

Unit I Lesson III

THE ORIGINS OF TEACHING:

Great Teachers  and Teaching Stories

3000BC to 500BC

Personal Information

Joseph D. McNair

Associate Professor, Senior

jmcnair@mdc.edu

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Introduction to the Lesson

The purpose of this third lesson is to further extend the education student's exposure to the origins of formal teaching/ learning. In this lesson, the student will study some of the great teachers  and teaching stories of antiquity.  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. The teaching stories are 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. In this lesson, great teachers and great teachings are those products of the human imagination represented as hero or villain, statesman or slave, god or goddess, epic, ballad, hymn or prayer who did great deeds, lived great lives, inspired the multitudes, effected change, revolution, and transformation all to the betterment of humanity. It is hoped that the aspiring teacher will draw inspiration from these lives and stories, real or imaginary, to make the impact on the students they will teach as all great teachers do.

This lesson was developed to address elements of competency #3 and competency #4 on the functions of the educational process (teaching and learning) and schooling for education majors who are taking EDF 1005 in partial fulfillment of the graduation requirements for an Associate of Arts degree in Teaching (Elementary), Teaching (Secondary), Early Childhood and Exceptional Education.Competency #3 reads (in part) as follows:"The student will demonstrate knowledge of the significant ideas, events and people that have shaped American Education by

  • Describing trends from antiquity to the present in terms of educational opportunity of various groups, compulsory attendance, curricular emphasis and teacher training, between enculturation, education and schooling.

Competency #4 reads (in part) as follows:"The student will examine the various functions of the educational process and schooling by

  • Explaining the difference between enculturation, education and schooling.

(A complete list of all the competencies for EDF 1005 is provided below by clicking on the link titled competencies)

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