Historical

Foundation of
Education
Lecture No. 3
 GREEK EDUCATION
The Greek are a mixture of the Aryan and Germanic people,
two great races. But because of the presence of the natural
barriers such as mountain and bodies of water, they lived in
tribal isolation and developed differences. They considered
it as an honor to serve their country in any capacity. There
were many Greek City-State but two of them rose above all
others. These were Sparta and Athens.
 SPARTA EDUCATION
Sparta was in the South of Corinth in the Southern Section of
the Peloponessian Peninsula. Spartan education was based on
the laws of Lycurgus. It was the basis of Spartan political,
social and educational system. This turned Sparta into a
totalitarian soldier state. This system lasted for 700 years from
the 9th to the 2nd Century B.C. especially during the 5th Century.
WHO IS LYCURGUS?

Lycurgus, (flourished 7th

century BC), traditionally,
the lawgiver who founded
most of the institutions of
ancient Sparta.
 AIM OF SPARTA EDUCATION

1. Military. To make every citizen invincible in war,

possessing physical perfection and complete
obedience to the state.
2. Discipline. To develop conformity and obedience,
courage strength, cunning, endurance and patriotic
efficiency.
 TYPES OF EDUCATION
1.Physical Education
2.Military Education
3.Moral Training
4.Very little intellectual training
5.Music Education
6.Gymnastic Education
7.Vocational Education
 CONTENTS TO BE STUDIED
1.Intensive gymnastics and paramilitary
exercises.
2.Practice in moral and social habits for the
state such as controlling the appetite,
modesty, obedience and respect and listening
intently to elders, etc.
 CONTENTS TO BE STUDIED
3. Reading and writing to a limited extent to
understand the Lycurgus laws and some poems of
Homer.
4. Music with serious, moral and martial rhythm to
arouse patriotism.
5. Speech had to be laconic and terse
6. For girls, gymnastics to make them strong to bear
strong children.
AGENCIES OF EDUCATION

The State was the

sole agency of
education. Every
phase was controlled
by the State.
 ORGANIZATION OF GRADE
LEVELS
1. At birth, weak children were disposed of, abandoned, or exposed to the
elements.
2. At early age, children were taught habits of silence, obedience, respect
and reverence towards elders, bravery, etc.
3. At the age of 7-18, the boys lived in barracks-like educational building
under the supervision of a state official.
4. At the age of 18-20, the boys undertook professional war training; at 20
one who demonstrated superior qualities of leadership and mind
remained in the barracks to help supervise the new entrants.
 ORGANIZATION OF GRADE
LEVELS
5. At 20 – 30, all took an oath of allegiance and dispersed to
military posts for war maneuvers.
6. At 30, the man was full-pledge citizen, obliged or
compelled to marry and took his seat in the assembly or
council.
7. The girl stayed at home but they were also organized into
packs to develop group spirits, courage and loyalty.
 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
1.Training
2.Participation
3.Testing
4.Discipline
5.Motivation
 FINANCING

ALL FINANCING ARE

SHOULDERED BY THE
STATE
 OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTION TO
EDUCATION
The most that we can emulate from the
Spartans is military education as we
have now in our schools and the
development of patriotism and
discipline.
 OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTION TO
EDUCATION
The most that we can emulate from the
Spartans is military education as we
have now in our schools and the
development of patriotism and
discipline.
 ATHENIAN EDUCATION
The primary purpose of Athenian education was to produce
thinkers, people well-trained in arts and sciences, people
prepared for peace or war. Young Athenian boys were tutored at
home until the age of six or seven, and then they were sent to
neighborhood schools for primary education until they were 14
years of age.
 EARLY ATHENIAN EDUCATION
The early Athenian Education was under the influence
of Solon, one of the greatest lawmakers of all time. He
drew up a body of law that guided the Athens for
several centuries and brought prosperity to the city-
state. These laws also became the bases for the
educational direction of Athens.
 AIMS OF EDUCATION
1. Good Citizenship
2. Individual Excellence
3. Man-sided Development
 TYPES OF EDUCATION
1. Civic Training
2. Moral Training
3. Physical Education
4. Intellectual Education
5. Art
 CONTENT TO STUDIED
1. Reading by the Alphabet
2. Writing on wax and tablets
3. Arithmetic for market use
4. Homeric and other poems
5. Gymnastic Exercises
6. Physical Education Exercises
7. Military Training Subjects
 AGENCIES FOR EDUCATION
1. Private Schools. They were the first schools for boys.
2. Home. The girls were taught at home by their mother and a slave
nursemaids.
3. State. It was not clear of the state maintained public schools but
education was supervised by State although education was not
compulsory.
 ORGANIZATION OF GRADE
LEVELS
1. From birth to 7 years, children were taught at home.
2. From 7 to 16 years old, the boys went to two schools accompanied by
slaves:
a. Didascaleum – A music school that also taught reading, writing,
arithmetic and poetry.
b. Palaestra – Gymnastics, sports and games were taught in school.
 ORGANIZATION OF GRADE
LEVELS
3. At 16-18, the boys were already free from literary and musical studies
but they continued to attend the Palaestra.
4. At 18, the boys took the Ephebic Oath, a pledge of allegiance to the
State and then spent two years in the military service. At 20, the boys
attained full citizenship.
 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
1. Imitation. Imitation of a living model.
2. Participation. There was participation in the learning process and so
learning was by doing.
3. Discipline. Corporal Punishment was used extensively.
4. Human Relations. There was no human relations between teacher and
pupils. The relationship between the teacher and his pupils was not
cordial.
 FINANCING

It was not clear who financed education

but since the schools were private, it can
be assumed that the pupils or students paid
tuition fees.
 OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
TO EDUCATION
The outstanding contribution of Athens to
education are the three development of all
human capacities and the Olympic Games.
 OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
TO EDUCATION
The outstanding contribution of Athens to
education are the three development of all
human capacities and the Olympic Games.
 AIMS OF EDUCATION
1. By Sophist, pragmatic and utilitarian.
2. By Socrates, the development of the power of
thinking.
3. By Plato, control of individual rulers
4. By Aristotle, law of rational living