Teaching Ancient Greek Philosophy in a 21st Century Classroom
How do you overcome your fear of public speaking? How do you react to a subpar test score? How do you find peace in these Covid-19 times? Such questions occupy our students' thinking. Unchecked, they may turn into stress and anxiety. Where can our students find answers? Where can they find an antidote for that anguish? How about Ancient Greece? My "Becoming Stoic: An Inquiry Project" had students inquire into stoicism, an Ancient Greek philosophy. After brainstorming personal challenges and learning a variety of stoic concepts, students used both to address the following essential question: Does stoicism have significance for 21 st century students and their challenges? SO WHY STOICISM? Founded 2300 years ago in Ancient Greece, stoicism promotes virtue and mental fortitude; it's a philosophy for anyone and anytime. Thinking stoically helps people overcome life's challenges, big and small: from dealing with a personal loss to failing a math test, and everything in...