Write Task: Mythology

There is no doubt that students will reap benefits by learning about myths and reading mythology in schools. Despite having/presenting students with a new genre they might love (which may help them gain a genuine love of reading which is priceless and precious) mythology has other positives. For example, myths can help students gain a general understanding of Greek or Roman culture and, in that way, broaden their perspectives. However, that is just simply surface level. Teaching mythology can also help students learn lessons and values as many stories of this genre teach in some way or another.

Yet another way in which mythology is important for students to explore in schools is due to its comparison to everyday life in students’ own culture. In other words, students can learn about other cultures and compare them to their own as well as question and deeply and critically think about and examine culture(s). Students may also become more curious about other cultures, religions, beliefs, etc. too.

Not only are myths entertaining and engaging but educational all at the same time, but students can explore and strengthen their sense of language(s) as many English words have Latin roots. This is an important skill that, sadly, many students do not acquire due to many factors, but could be diminished if mythology was taught more frequently in U.S. schools.

Personally, I feel compelled to teach mythology to my students in one way or another because I was given virtually no mythology to read as a child.

Regarding exactly how I would teach mythology, though, I would incoporate a boatload of different authentic activities. For example, one way in which I would teach mythology is through skits created by students. I would also conduct read alouds with students and explore the themes, symbols, characters, etc. in the myths. I will be sure to ask a variety of questions (including C.R.O.W.D. questions (C for completion questions, R for recall, O for open-ended, W for Wh- or who, what, when, where, why, and D for distancing questions). As a class, we would talk about the various myths as a whole class and I would even invite students to write their own myths and stories. This will give students a creative outlet and help them use the mythology genre/mythology texts as a resource.

Personally, as I may have hinted at, I am so inexperienced with this type of text and so I was super interested by the readings within this module. Thinking about my own experience with mythology in grades K-12, I have so little to remember and draw from especially in comparison to genres like nonfiction, fantasy, and realistic fiction. However, I do remember one time (in high school) reading mythology with my teacher and trying to complete a graphic organizer with the theme, central messages, main ideas, characters, etc. of the text. I remember it being extremely difficult for me as I had never really worked on mythology before.

I think why it was so challenging for me is because I had never been asked to truly dive deep into this genre. Mythology, however, essentially forces students to build a greater and, arguably, better understanding of the world around them. Why, you might ask? Because, as I mentioned, myths set students up to examine and reflect on the current world/society and environment they live in. They may ask broader, critical questions, after engaging with texts within the mythology genre, such as, “how have we evolved as a species over time?”, “Why did this character act in this way and how is it different from how we might approach or handle a situation now?”, “Why was community a central value at this time in this myth, and is it still this way (and why or why not)?” etc. These are just examples of questions to ponder that relate to myths, but there are clearly many more!

So, when reflecting and answering these questions, students have to dig deep to find their reasoning(s). Mythology also allows for students to think critically and logically, but with a creative, unique twist. Students may also be asked to draw inferences relating to myths they read, which is a very beneficial skill to have.

Mythology can be a good way for teachers to excite even the most resistant or unengaged readers in class. Many students enjoy the themes and topics of many popular myths too (which is also a plus) such as violence, evil, gods/goddesses, etc. However, these are just a few common topics of mythology as myths can be very versatile. On the other hand, I still believe that the legends and myths students may read in school are mostly beneficial because of the ways in which they set students up to analyze the current world.

In a nutshell, I cannot wait to begin teaching my future students mythology as I am certain it will spark up their imaginations in school as well. Unfortunately, today, schools almost squelch students’ imaginations and creativity (which could be a reason why we seem to get “less creative and imaginative” as we grow into adults). All in all, though, mythology is crucial for students, especially those students who are not interested in certain genres like nonfiction, for instance. There is no reason not to teach mythology, especially if we want to help keep students’ imaginations and fascination with reading texts alive!