Citizenship lessons help students learn to live in a way that honors God, the people around them, and themselves. They also learn how our government and economic systems function, and how to participate as a citizen with integrity. Evaluation of character happens through conversation during Bible, History, and Literature reading, but heavy-handed moralizing and politicizing is strongly discouraged. The goal is to give students something worthwhile to think about so that over the course of many years they can develop their own informed opinions while showing respect to those whose opinions differ from theirs.
Plutarch (27 min.)
Students in Grades 5-9 read Plutarch’s Lives, a collection of biographies written 2,000 years ago, which has influenced prominent thinkers from Montaigne to Bacon and Shakespeare. Plutarch’s stories are very difficult to read (and are therefore often dropped by teachers), but their value cannot be overstated. Students and teachers are able to critique these men’s actions honestly and objectively. Once students are in the habit of looking at leaders and events in this way, they can transfer that discernment to current leaders and events. We strongly encourage teachers to persevere with Plutarch, even when it seems the students are not getting anything from it.
In this video, Nancy Kelly talks about the importance of reading Plutarch and guides you through a lesson so you can have confidence to teach this important subject.
Reflection
Respond to the following in the comments or in your journal:
1) What new ideas did you glean from the video that you would like to implement with your students?
2) Do you have a greater understanding of why Mason includes Plutarch as part of her curriculum, especially in the area of citizenship?
3) What are you wondering?
In Mason's Own Words
Read A Philosophy of Education, Ch.6, pp. 185-92 ("Citizenship") in the original text and/or in modern English.
“Perhaps nothing outside of the Bible has the educational value of Plutarch’s Lives” (School Education, p. 236).
“[The Lives] stand alone in literature as teaching that a man is part of the State, that his business is to be of service to the State, but that the value of his service depends upon his personal character” (School Education, p. 280).
"Once more, we know that there is a storehouse of thought wherein we may find all the great ideas that have moved the world. We are above all things anxious to give the child the key to this storehouse. The education of the day, it is said, does not produce reading people. We are determined that the children shall love books, therefore we do not interpose ourselves between the book and the child. We read him his Tanglewood Tales, and when he is a little older his Plutarch, not trying to break up or water down, but leaving the child's mind to deal with the matter as it can" (Parents and Children, p. 232).
Further Readings
Many of the following resources are out of print. You may still be able to find a reasonable used copy or can find an online version at archive.org.
Plutarch: Selected Lives and Essays by Louise Ropes Loomis (This is a great teacher resource that can used to read a simpler translation in preparation for teaching the lesson. It also has a great introduction about Plutarch himself.)
The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans in Two Volumes Translated by Sir Thomas North
Plutarch: Ten Famous Lives Edited by Charles A. Robinson Jr.
