School+and+Education

Would the girls like to go to school? Do they want to be treated equally as the guys? If yes, and you live in Canada, your in luck. We are equally treated about everything. In Ancient Greece in city-states like Athens girls don’t get to go to school they have to stay home and learn housework. They are forbidden to go outside and enjoy the weather. Not fair, right? Would you like to be taken away from your parents when you’re just a baby? I don’t think you would want that. Did you know that in Sparta city-state when a mother just gave birth to a baby, a Sparta soldiers comes to see if the baby is healthy. If he/she ISN’T the baby would be taken away to be trained as a slave or to die on top of a hill. If the baby is healthy, they are allowed to live with their family. How unfair is that? In Canada the purpose of school is to go to college and be successful to get a job. In Athens city- state the purpose of school was to train for war. Boys from the ages of 6-14 were taught reading, writing, physical, training, music, flute, plays from famous historical work, gymnastics and wrestling. Math was not taught because the government thought math is not going to do any good for war. They were taught either by their mother or by a male slave at home. By the age of 14  they had to go to school. In 5th century B.C there were only private schools. Only the first class boys could afford to go to school. Books were very expensive and very rare. Since many boys couldn’t afford, reading was read out loud and had to be memorized. Teachers were usually parents. Wealthiest parent could have only taught because of the money situation. In 4th century public schools started to open for the poor. Their were taught and train to be good slaves. To be respectful, a good listener, they should never talk back and most importantly to follow order when they were asked to. They had some fun and games too. They played old instruments that the private students didn’t use anymore. They were usually broken, but still able to play. Their favourite part of the day was singing. They enjoyed singing happy and joyful songs. Most of the songs were about how Ancient Greece will be a better place, and how the god’s will do well for them. When the slaves were older and worked at homes they sometimes were asked to sings songs they learned in school. The teachers were male slaves. Since they were poor, they would get food at the end of the day instead of money. Slaves were satisfied. The girls were taught home. They were taught reading and writing by their mothers. Many mothers didn’t like the idea of girls reading and writing. They thought they’d get spoiled. Mothers wanted their daughters to do the housework too, so they learn and did housework non- stop. They started from the age of 6. As a result, I think from the way that the Athens teaches children, in the future they are going to be self-centred people. For example, in Canada we are a team. Vancouver and Coquitlam are not against each other, but are together. In Ancient Greece, Sparta and Athens don’t work together they are against each other. They don’t communicate the way we do. The way education is taught in Ancient Greece they are not going to have a happy ending. In Sparta the way things work are differently and better than the Athens education system. Their purpose of school for the boys was to get in good shape for the army. For the girls they were allowed to go to school and be just as successful as the boys. They were equal. From the beginning when a baby was born one of the Spartans soldiers comes and sees if the baby is healthy. They run some tests over the baby. If they baby is healthy he or she is allowed to stay with the family. If he or she isn’t healthy they will be taken away to be trained to be a slave or die on top of hills. Spartan boys were taught nothing but survival skills for wars. School was very painful and hard. Sometimes even harder than war time. Reading and writing was not part of teaching. The government thought that reading and writing won’t do any good in the future and it would be a waste of time of teaching. Only boot camp was. Part of boot camp was having the right to do anything they want to do. One of them was it was ok for anyone to steal things. For example, the poor stealing food from the cafeteria. If they didn’t get caught it would be ok and no consequences. If they did get caught serious punishment would have happened. At the age of 18 to 20 they had to take a test from all the above things they learned. If they passed the test they can join the army and have a wealthy wife. If they didn’t pass they would go to the middle class. Spartan girls went to school from the age of 6 or 7. They were mostly taught physical education. For example: wrestling, gymnastics, and combat skills. They learned till they were 18 years old. At the age of 18 they were to take a test on their fitness test. If they had passed they would be assigned a husband and a home to live in. If they didn’t pass they would lose their citizen rights, and go to the middle class. The opposite of the Athens rules, Spartans ladies were free. They were allowed to go out and enjoy the weather. The husband would not live in the house. He would always be out training for war. In conclusion, I think that Spartans are treated equally in part of education. Both girls and boys have the right to be taught, and have a goal to pass the fitness test. For my essay I want to compare the 2 city-states I was researching. With a little of advice from students I was able to decide to answer my question, if you had to choose one city-state between Athens and Sparta, which would you want to be educated in? In my opinion, I think its best to be educated in Sparta. Sparta lets both girls and boys to go to school and learn. Since I am a girl, I would like to be fairly and equally educated just like the boys are. If I went to Athens to be educated, I would think that there is something wrong with me and the other girls. I would think there is something wrong with me because it’s not fair that the guys get to go to school but the girls cant. It’s racist and wrong to do that. Are we dumber then them? Is there something unusual about us, girls? It is the right thing to trap girls or women in the house. They should be free to go out, go to school and learn athletics. Not stay home, and not experience Mother Nature. It’s not right. So I think its best to be educated in Sparta. For the equality that is right and fair. In closure, I have strong faith that Sparta is the best city-state between Sparta and Athens to be educated in. Because girls are meant to be taught to and go to school. They have the right to go outside and learn instead of inside the house. This is equally. Everyone needs equality. Whether a girl, boys, black, white, Jewish, Christian, poor or rich. We all needed to get involved in school and not go just for being an individual. For the closure of my essay, I think that Athens is not fair a city-state. They are self righteous. It’s good to be self righteous but not too much and have pride. For the girls it’s not fair either. They don’t get to go outside and see the real world. If I was a girl and was raised and taught in Athens I would be curious and change myself into a boy to be taught equally. I don’t like the laws of them treating girls and boys different. In Sparta things are a bit different. Both girls and boys get to go to school, but get teach different things. Even though girls are only taught gymnastics it’s still good to get out of the house. Ladies get to go outside and enjoy the weather. Which is a good thing because their free. In conclusion, I think that Sparta is a better and freer place for both genders then Athens.
 * Ancient Greece Education/school. **

By - Farnaz K :)