teaching ancient history – primary grades

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  • live2inspire
    Participant

    I’m just looking for anyone to share your thoughts on this:

    I really have a problem with my younger children studying ancient history (mostly greek mythology) because it seems too ‘monster’ous and I know my children would be uncomfortable. I’m also concerned about the fact that because my children act out everything we study, read, watch (movies), etc.. , exposing them to violence would be a bad mix and is not good for their little, innocent minds. I’m especially concerned about my son, who is probably just being a boy, but seems a little aggressive. (He’s my only boy of four children, so I’m not real sure what is normal in boy behavior.) I know I won’t be starting ancient history until the year after this upcoming school year, but my children will still be quite young (10,8,5,3).

    Any responses would be much appreciated. 🙂

    Rebecca

    Mamasong
    Member

    I know how you feel! Our children are quite sensitive to ‘monster’ous tales as well. We prefer fairy tales and hero tales over greek myths(similar heroics and high morals but with fewer monsters). I enjoy sleeping at night without children having bad dreams:) We have chosen to completely leave out greek mythology when we are studying the ancient greeks and pick it up when our children are older and we feel it will be more appropriate. We have one son and two daughters and I know what you mean about the aggressive thing! I believe it is physiological (testosterone) and God made it for a good reason but it definitely must be brought under self-control(and given a good outlet as well). Our children act out everything as well, I like to think of it as “dramatic narration”:) I hope this is somewhat helpful!

    Mamasong

    live2inspire
    Participant

    Absolutely!…it’s helpful in knowing I’m not alone. 🙂

    Good point…”completely leave out greek mythology when we are studying the ancient greeks and pick it up when our children are older and we feel it will be more appropriate”. There may not be a need to bypass ancient history completely, just a need to be selective.

    Thanks for your response, “Mamasong”. 🙂

    Rebecca

    richpond
    Participant

    That is very good advice. I too didn’t like the thought of reading greek mythology and all the tales. So we just skipped them as I was reading through Story of the World book 1 and we are starting book 2 this summer…and I will skip alot of those stories also. The children didn’t seem to miss anything. They loved history but didn’t have to be bogged down with the myths of false gods and other tales.

    Shelly

    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    I agree, Rebecca. I hesitate to teach younger children mythology. It seems ridiculous to fill their minds with all the details about false gods when we should be filling their minds with all the details about the True God! It seems wise to take the same approach as the Old Testament. We are informed that the heathen countries worshiped false gods, given a detail or two when needed to reinforce a point, and told what they named their false gods.

    When we do talk about that detail or two, I like to point my children to Romans 1: how they refused to worship the Creator and chose to worship the creatures instead. We talk about how those ancient cultures created their false gods in their own sinful likeness. And I really like the first paragraphs in the Introduction of Famous Men of Greece (from Greenleaf Press). It encourages the children to listen carefully to those stories about Greek heroes and legends and to discern what could have really happened and what is myth.

    I skip the mythology stories at the beginning of the book and start in at Hercules. Of course, those hero tales still include some interaction with the Greek gods, but we don’t do a study of the Greek gods in detail.

    A lot of it depends on your attitude toward those Greek gods too. If we present them as something exciting and fun, we do our children a dis-service and insult the True God. If, however, we present them as representative of the sinful hearts of people who turn their backs on God, our children will pick up on that attitude and it will reinforce what Scripture says.

    And the KEY: Make sure you are getting as much, or more, Scripture in your children’s heads and hearts as you are any stories that involve false gods!

    live2inspire
    Participant

    I am so relieved to know that I do not stand alone on this. You make several good points, Sonya, and I thank you for your suggestions.

    Rebecca 🙂

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