3 Reasons Why Children Should Read Classical Literature

Education

March 25, 2018

Dancing hippos. Mischievous farm animals. Wimpy kids and wizardly prodigies.

Among the litany of freshly acclaimed children’s books and resources released each year, what benefit do our kids get from becoming acquainted with the old, classic works?

And I don’t just mean those books that were big when we - or even our parents - were growing up. No, I’m going further back in time, even to the ancients.

Can (or should) elementary-aged kids appreciate The Iliad and Greek mythology? Will first graders enjoy discovering tales of 6th century monks and ancient saints? Do high schoolers have the capacity to grasp Metamorphoses?

Yes, yes, and yes!

But why? Why is it important to hearken to the stories of yesteryear, centuries (or millennia) old tales with archaic verbiage and cultures so seemingly foreign to our own - especially with our younger kids, who are so enamored with all things simple and colorful?

Learning the classics is a cornerstone of, well, Classical Christian Education. In the course of their journey from Kindergarten through 12th grade, students learn techniques and tales that have stood the test of hundreds and thousands of years. Yes, we read the “new” classics as well, and our curriculum values and teaches modern advances in technology, science, and more. But we remember and equally value the whole breadth of human history, from creation until today.

In light of our recent third grade performance of Zeus’ Family Reunion - a comedic, short play featuring a myriad of Greek deities that the class puts on annually for the school - I thought I would chat with our third grade teacher, Mrs. Katie Zappitella, about why studying the classics is beneficial to our children. After all, her class spends most of their year soaking in ancient Greek culture, history, and literature. And they have a blast doing it.

If you’re looking for some new reading material for your kiddos, how about going (way) old school with something classical? There is much they can garner from it, and Katie’s experience with her class over the years is proof.

Here is our third grade teacher Mrs. Katie Zappitella's take on why kids should learn classical literature and history:

1. Knowing from whence we came

One of the greatest benefits reading the classics can offer is a poignant glimpse into mankind’s history. And as the adage goes: those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.

Katie notices that while culture and context may have changed drastically since Mt. Olympus’s heyday, our character has not. People today share similar desires and internal struggles with ancestors from hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Love. Security. Family. Power.

Because of this, we can still learn so much from the ancients - both from what they did well and what they did poorly.

Learning classical literature and history also gives us insight into our heritage, and why we do the things that we do. Our holidays take on greater meaning when kids discover the nuances of the true history behind them. Take Valentine's Day, for example, which originated in ancient Rome and is based on a saint in the Roman empire who endured great persecution, and St. Patrick, whose faithful and devoted witness transformed pagan Ireland. It gives added significance to why we do what we do.

So many of our modern traditions are carried on from the classics. The names of our days and months are derived from Greek and Roman mythology and celestial studies. The Olympic Games, of course, take on greater meaning when kids look at their beginnings. Our justice system, philosophical thought, mathematics...the Greeks gifted our modern world with many tidbits and treasures that we might take for granted.

And finally, don't forget about one of our most basic human capacities: language and communication. Classically-educated students begin learning Latin in second grade. Why learn a “dead” language? Studying Latin is great for learning English grammar and discerning vocabulary. Students will be reading a book and come across a word they don’t know, and they can figure out about what the word means by recalling their Latin roots and derivatives.

2. Deeper understanding of Biblical history

Many of the stories our students read are about ancient cultures, and these often tie into the Bible in ways that kids have never thought of before. For example, we've read stories about the Persian wars, which provide the backdrop for the biblical story of Esther. Our class was able to realize the context of why Xerxes men were trying to cheer him up and why the banquets were held. These pagan kings of old had no idea they were doing the Lord's plan, but God was still in charge.

The third grade class recently learned about Caesar Augustus and Pax Romana, and the historical context of Christ's birth and lifetime. In this study, they not only discover Roman culture and history, but realize God's perfect timing in sending his Son when there was peace, good roads, and the general ability to travel freely to spread the good news of Christ's Gospel.

This spring, third grade will be studying Nero. In our studies, we talk about the persecution of the church at that time. Then, we look at the top 50 persecuted countries today using Open Door Ministries' World Watch List. Every day, we pray for one or two countries on our big world map, using pinpoints to indicated persecuted nations.

As we learn about how the Nero was trying to wipe out the Christians, we can look up at that pinpoint-covered map to see how God used his evil to expand the church so dramatically. When our class looks at where persecution is today, the students not only recognize and sympathize with the pain and turmoil these believers are facing, but also realize fully that God is in control. In this knowledge, our students take the lead in praying for the persecuted church. They pray for the hearts of the leaders and that God would work in and through them. They pray that the Muslims would see and know forgiveness. In their study of ancient and biblical history, and through the testimonies of believers around the world today, these kids see how God is in control and how He can change hearts.

And as funny as the Zeus' Family Reunion play is, there are some great serious takeaways for our students (besides invaluable experience in public speaking). Performing the script (as well as our coinciding study of mythology) gives the kids an understanding of how the Greeks and Romans viewed their gods. They so clearly are thankful that our God is not like these gods. It all gives a greater perspective and helps them understand their world and their worldview.

3. Rich language and depth of thought

Many of these classical pieces are difficult for adults to decipher, let alone younger students. The language requires examination and often a slower pace of reading to truly absorb the spectrum of meaning in the words.

While our third graders don't read the great ancient Greek poems and epics in their entirety, they do read excerpts and adaptations that give a taste of the beauty and complexity of these works.

One of the books the class reads is Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad, written by Rosemary Sutcliff. The author uses some of Homer's same phrasing and verbiage, and these word choices are sometimes tough for 9 and 10 year olds to grasp immediately (like when she writes how Achilles “nurses his anger...holds it like a red rose in his bosom”). The class talks about what these phrases and word choices mean, and then examine how it influences the characters' decisions and actions.

In this example, the portrayal of Achilles’ anger is such a strong illustration to students of the danger of holding on to your anger. This year, a little while after reading this portion of the book, a student was talking with Katie about an incident with some classmates. The student told her “My friends were doing this, and we realized they were being like Achilles!"

This type of vivid, strong, and colorful language offers signal fire warnings to us, too, millennia later. The often richer and deeper language of Classical literature expands kids' minds because they have to think outside of the everyday language that we use now. Things that were so common in those cultures we don’t think twice about; but the combination of history and language forces them to try to understand why they lived this way.

We need not relegate the Classical great works to dusty bookshelves, reserve them for higher education or even save them exclusively for high school and beyond. They have stood the test of time, and time has pulled out the significant works that impact lives and cultures the most. In discovering what was important to people in ancient times, we can not only better understand them, but also better understand our own heritage, hearts, and world today.