The History of Education: How Schools Have Changed Around the World👁️‍🗨️

Education has been very important for people and society since ancient times. But over time, it has changed a lot. Let’s look at some important moments that changed education around the world. 👇

📚 Education in the Ancient World

The first education systems appeared in the ancient world—in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Back then, children learned writing, reading, math, and other subjects from personal teachers. However, going to school was a privilege for the upper class, and only boys could attend.

In Rome, there were special schools for public speaking. In these schools, children learned how to speak well and express their thoughts clearly. This prepared them to take part in government.

Girls, on the other hand, were educated at home. Under their mother’s guidance, they learned to read and write. They focused on managing the household and doing crafts. Additionally, they were taught to sing and play musical instruments.

☝️Religious Education in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, education had a strong religious context. Only the children of nobility and clergy received education. The rest of the population remained illiterate and could not read or write.

The main centers of education at that time were theological schools and monasteries. Knowledge was passed on within their walls. However, it was thanks to the church that the first universities appeared.

For example, the University of Bologna and the University of Paris were founded. Initially, they focused on the study of theology. But during the Renaissance, they returned to classical education.

The 14th to 16th centuries were marked by a renewed interest in philosophy, science, and culture. Universities began to teach disciplines such as law and medicine.

📃 The Emergence of the Classroom System

The next key moment in the development of education came in the 17th century and is associated with the name of Czech educator John Amos Comenius. Thanks to him:

Individual tutoring was abandoned;
The classroom system of education was introduced;
The age to start school was set at 6-7 years old.
Comenius believed that students should study in classes with their peers. They should receive knowledge step by step and according to a specific program that includes various subjects.

💰 The Emergence of Free Education

Free education appeared only at the very end of the 18th century. This was linked to industrial development. The introduction of machine labor created a need for literate workers. The only way to prepare them was through an education system.

The first country to implement free schooling was Germany. This happened in 1794. Other countries lagged behind significantly. For example, free education in America appeared only in the 1850s, in England in 1870, and in France in 1880.

🙋 Accessibility of Education for Women

The issue of women’s education was addressed differently in various countries. Surprisingly, Islamic states were the most progressive in this direction. For example, as early as the 9th century, a woman named Fatima al-Fihri was among the founders of one of the oldest universities, Al-Qarawiyyin.

In Europe, the process of integrating women into the educational system was much slower and more complicated. Even in wealthy families during the Middle Ages, education for girls was considered unnecessary. It was only in the mid-19th century that the first educational institutions dedicated to teaching women appeared in England.

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Integrated Education for All Students

The first Black child to attend a regular school was a girl named Ruby Bridges. This happened in 1960. The event shocked the public. Parents began to withdraw their children from Ruby’s class en masse. Even the teachers refused to teach.

Protests were held daily in front of the school. Ruby faced threats. As a result, the President of the United States had to assign guards to her, who accompanied her to and from school.

⚡The Emergence of School Chalkboards

The standard feature of school classrooms—the blackboard—did not appear immediately. Until the first half of the 20th century, students wrote on small slate tablets. They used slate pencils and aluminum sticks for this.

Wall-mounted blackboards, where teachers could write with chalk, only appeared in the 1930s. They proved to be very convenient and durable, so they were widely adopted. Such blackboards are still used in many educational institutions today.

7 MIN READ

6 Rules of Thumb for Boosting Your School Spirit

Written by Kate

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Do you know easy ways how to make education more productive?

Introduction

I know that feeling. You're a parent, you want the best for your child, and it's your job to make sure that the school experience is as positive as possible. But sometimes even the most proactive parents can feel overwhelmed by all of the things they need to do and all of their responsibilities at home. It's easy to get caught up in the minutiae of running an errand or dealing with an argument between siblings when there are so many other demands on our time (and budgets). The good news is that there are some simple ways we can help make our children's school lives happier—not just now but well into adulthood too!

1. Remember the Role You Play in School Culture

• Remember the role you play in school culture. As a parent, you are a huge part of the school community. By helping out at events and volunteering your time, you are directly contributing to what makes your child’s school unique and enjoyable. Your involvement with their life outside of class gives them something to look forward to when they’re there, and makes it easier for both of you to get excited about each new day at school!
• Keep an eye on how well-maintained your child’s communication is with their peers. If they don’t have many friends after being at a particular school for some time, then this may be an indication that something needs changing—either within yourself or within the structure of their environment itself (beyond just adjusting expectations).

2. Share Your Enthusiasm

The best way to build school spirit is by sharing your enthusiasm. If you’re a parent, this can be as simple as having a good attitude about school and helping your kids feel like they are part of a bigger community. When you do this, the kids will start to feel more invested in their school’s success—and in turn, they’ll start paying attention and get excited about everything from sporting events to classroom activities.
If you’re not a parent but still want to help out at your child’s school, try volunteering! Not only will it give them an appreciation for what goes into being an educator (which is always helpful), but it also gives them the opportunity to see how much fun working together can be—and that’s one of the most important things when it comes time for those field trips or sports games!

3. Teach Your Children about the Value of Teamwork

Teamwork is an important skill to learn, and it can be applied across many situations. Teamwork helps you get more done, learn new things and meet new people. For example: if you're doing a project at work or with your class, having multiple people working on it together will speed up production time and create an overall better outcome than if one person was responsible for everything. In sports teams are often made up of players who have different strengths but complement each other in order to be successful on the court/field/pitch etc.

4. Encourage Kids to Join Clubs and Activities

We've all heard the phrase, "the more you learn, the more you earn," and it's true. Kids who are involved in school activities have an easier time earning good grades and they're also more likely to graduate from high school than their non-involved peers.
Encouraging kids to join clubs and activities is an important step in helping them develop into well-rounded people who can work with others, communicate effectively and solve problems.

5. Get Involved Yourself

You're probably not going to be able to go out and recruit your whole school for this, but you can still make a big impact by simply showing up at events and being yourself. If you get involved in one of the many things that happen every day at your school, you'll be surprised at how much more enthusiastic people become about their own participation. So volunteer for something! You can do it anonymously or publicly—the important thing is that you're there being awesome and being an inspiration for others to follow suit.

6. Make Sure Your Child is Getting Enough Sleep and Eating a Healthy Breakfast

When your child is well-rested, he or she is more likely to be alert and ready to learn. It's also important for your child to eat breakfast before school because it gives them the energy they need throughout the day.

Conclusion

We know it can be hard to get everyone in your family involved with school spirit. But if you follow these five simple rules of thumb, we promise that your kids will have a great time at their next sporting event or after-school club meeting.

Category: Blog