The citizens of the early Roman Republic enjoyed an education system similar to ancient Athens. It was voluntary and parents paid tutors or schools directly. There was very little government interference, so a vibrant education free market of tutors, schools, and apprenticeships developed.
One aspect of Roman society that compromised their education system was that Roman parents wanted their children to learn knowledge that only Greek teachers could provide. However, most Greeks in Rome at the time were slaves.
As a result, the Greek teachers could not personally or financially benefit by their work. Often their morale was low and they were subject to harsh discipline. Unlike the free teachers in ancient Athens, Greek slave-teachers in Rome had little incentive to innovate or continually improve their skills. As a result, the quality of education stagnated.
Also, a majority of the Roman population was slaves, both from Greece and other areas Rome had conquered. Naturally, these slaves had no rights and no control over their children's education.
Things got worse after Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C. and Emperor Augustus took power. The quasi-democratic Republic turned into the dictatorial Roman Empire and was ruled by a succession of Emperors. To secure their power, each succeeding Emperor then tightened their grip on education. They increasingly regulated education, suppressed teachers who spoke against the Emperor, and eventually required teachers of Greek and Latin rhetoric to be licensed and paid by the State. The quality of education in Rome then grew progressively worse.
The parallels with the history of education in America are striking. Here too, when our education system was voluntary and parents paid teachers and schools directly, we had a high-quality, constantly improving education system. After state governments created compulsory public schools, education in America has been going down-hill ever since.
Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of "Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children." Contact Information: Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com, Email: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com, Phone: 718-447-7348. Article Copyrighted ? 2005 by Joel Turtel. NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel's email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com
Culver prom limo ..Reasearch into children's friendships shows that those children who are... Read More
In the last few years, parents started getting more and... Read More
A learning disability is defined as a permanent problem that... Read More
Public education in the United States has never been equal... Read More
It used to strike me as odd - but really,... Read More
My neighbours' kid impressed me the other day.I was busy... Read More
The formula is pretty straightforward: energy in/energy out. This is... Read More
Do you have a wild child? Then this article may... Read More
Imagine a child who lacks ownership of his own life,... Read More
If you had to spend 4 or 5 hours in... Read More
Children and teenagers are relentlessly bombarded with merchandise that entices.... Read More
We adopted our first child when he was three months... Read More
Reading to your child at a young age is one... Read More
Why are more people, especially parents not outraged?I call it... Read More
Here's the scene of communication with your child: your three-year-old... Read More
I am in pain. I've been in pain all day.... Read More
Self esteem in an important quality for all children to... Read More
Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learning... Read More
1. They are leaders as well as parents. They don't... Read More
Life is funny.My twenty-year-old daughter, Melanie, has a her new... Read More
Winnie the Pooh is the classic picture of Inattentive ADHD.... Read More
We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how... Read More
Often I will hear parents say, "I just ignore Jr.... Read More
Very often, new parents rely on a parenting tip or... Read More
Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..I will cherish this moment. I will not let it... Read More
How to Get Your Child to Love Reading was conceived... Read More
Here is a top secret to make your child genius... Read More
"My son won't go to bed at night without a... Read More
"All that I am or ever hope to be, I... Read More
Parents are always looking for ways to open up the... Read More
Not Letting Them Think.We all implicitly know that anything questioning... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
My son is 6 yrs old. He came home the... Read More
Is it possible to be using our children addictively?Anything that... Read More
The disquieting behavior of teenagers in the 21st century, is... Read More
1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
Diagnosing children and teens with ADHD can be a challenge.... Read More
Managing money is one of the most critical skills we... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
Winnie the Pooh is the classic picture of Inattentive ADHD.... Read More
She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More
I recall somewhere in the recesses of my aging brain... Read More
What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More
Have you ever watched your teenager make a mistake (that... Read More
Do you remember how you first learned the alphabet? I... Read More
What are the easiest things citizens can do to prevent... Read More
Are you a professional?Notice how the questions differs from, "Do... Read More
Have you ever had this struggle with your teens? Did... Read More
Parenting |