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What children can learn from medieval times

Moving into the new year at full speed, Peachtown Elementary students are leaping from a wonderful study of the Middle Ages, replete with a re-creation of a Medieval Faire in York, England in the year 1280, to this month’s intensive study of chemistry. Making curriculum relevant to children is sometimes challenging, but building connections between what is being studied and the lives of students is essential to developing higher learning. Although we are 600 years away from the Middle Ages, that history is still meaningful to today’s students.
Last fall, a controversy arose regarding a model first-grade curriculum unit, developed by the New York State Education Department, on Mesopotamia. As is so typical of the overreaching Common Core standards, the spirit of the lesson is correct, but the assessment of student success is not. In the early grades, exposure to ancient history is just that: Exploring exciting stories of the past and building a base of understanding of what civilizations are and how they evolve. We should never shy away from rich and complex topics, even for primary age children, but rather we should be clear that what young children take away from such study is not names and dates, but rather a few stones with which to build the foundation of their knowledge of history. Making that learning exciting and relevant is the key to success.
All children love to learn about castles and knights; for children and adults alike, the mystique of legends like those of Robin Hood and King Arthur are undeniable. And — as was obvious from the wonderful presentations Peachtown students experienced on medieval armor and weaponry by Scott Rodlin and Becca Cooper of Paragon Jousting, and the fencing demonstration rich in the history of sword fighting presented by Tom Bechtold — squirming children suddenly become silent when they hear the clanking of swords on armor.
My initial trepidation about demonstrations of swordplay at school was allayed when both presentations were placed in their historical context, as they emphasized that a knight’s first duty was to protect. The discussion of the code of chivalry and the order, honor and mutual respect it fostered put my concerns to rest. The treatment of imprisoned knights, for instance, was predicated upon how the captor might be treated should the tables be turned. Capture and not killing was the way among knights. Ransoms and prisoner exchanges were the practice of the day. The concerns about prisoner treatment in Guantanamo and the Tower of London may not have been so different, and I secretly suspect that the originator of the infamous police motto, “To protect and serve,” was a fan of medieval history.
Learning about the feudal system, its caste system and the suffering of the poor are lessons that translate to any time period, as are issues of religious dominance, political power and the annexation of lands. The study of the early forms of music, art, script and the exquisite illuminations of the era are all part of understanding and appreciating our modern culture.
All of these lessons were put into play for the final Medieval Faire. Each student dressed in period garb and assumed a character. Bakers, jewelers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths and more hawked their wares while singers, storytellers and dancers entertained the crowd of peasants, soldiers and ladies, which included Peachtown families and a few college students who lingered through the event held in the wonderful Tudor-style dining hall at Wells College.
The study of medieval life is the study of civilizations lost to dark ages, and the resurgence of order and culture. The waxing and waning of civilizations are timeless stories that are always relevant to our contemporary thinking. We learn from all of our histories: our global histories. And in the end, it is more important that students understand chivalry and honor than who the King of England was in 1280, although Longshanks was a memorable guy!
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