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The Importance of World Mythology

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Humanities 2143: Mythology 24 October 2010 The Importance of World Mythology Everyone has seen on television or read in newspapers about how schools are changing their curriculum to tailor more towards helping students pass standardized tests. With this emphasis shift, teachers are less likely to educate students about mythology, let alone mythologies from other cultures. Students are missing out on a great opportunity to learn about diversity in cultures. Not only can English teachers use world myths as a learning tool to explain different cultures, but science and social studies teachers can use it expand on their subject matter. English teachers focus their curriculum on Roman and Greek mythology because most of the time …show more content…

The beetle that Bumba vomited up represents the single ancestor from which all insects descended from. Finally, Social Studies teachers can show, from myths, how societies develop, thrive, crumble, and rebuild in a repetitive cycle. “These ancient mentors surround us in a great circle and through mythology share their wisdom, helping us understand what is happening and how to deal with it.”(Elkins). Helping students to understand the conditions, causes and consequences of developing societies is an important tool for them to use later in life. Myths address the deepest psychological needs and motivations of the human race. “When those who are evil hurt those who are honorable, then Zeus will destroy our iron race, for we are unfit to inhibit the earth that sustains us.” (Rosenberg 92). That line came from the Greek myth “The Ages of Man,” which Zeus keep rebuilding human society, but with each generation and the development of technology, their values slowly deteriorated causing their civilization to crumble. This interpretation of history as a repeating cycle of Dark and Golden Ages was a common belief among ancient cultures and can serve as a good learning tool for students. Students need to understand the cycles in history of mankind and societies so they can make sure that history does not repeat itself. The

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