I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that everyone has experience with the stereotypical classroom. Where the professor lectures from a PowerPoint, the studious kids are taking notes, but the majority of the class is either messing around online or pretending not to be napping. Even though most of my experiences in classrooms aren’t half as bad as this, and my professors try their best to liven things up a bit, there always comes a point where the information literally goes in one ear and out the next. Imagine my surprise the first day of my Ancient Greece class when our professor informed us that for three weeks of the semester, we wouldn’t be attending lecture, we would be attending the Athenian Assembly. We wouldn’t be tired Denison students stressing about finals, we would be Athenian citizens stressing about how to rebuild Athens after the disastrous conclusion of the Peloponnesian War. For three weeks we would immerse ourselves in history and live what we were learning.
We sacrificed pigs to Athena to open each session, debated issues of citizenship and remilitarization, and even put Socrates on trial for blasphemy and the corruption of the Athenian youth. I have never before had a class consume the entirety of my thinking. I both dreaded and anticipated class each day. I learned more in three weeks, living history, than I have in an entire semester of any other history class. While our game didn’t quite end up like history, we did strangely end up with the end of democracy and the installation of an elected dictator, it did in fact, provide one of the most unique learning experiences I have ever had. I not only learned about Ancient Greek culture and politics, this game gave me a unique perspective on politics today. Democracy is not easy. Polarization is quite honestly the worst thing ever. Getting something done takes time. But most importantly, being an informed active participant is crucial. I had a ton of fun wearing a toga and praising Athena, but more than that, I now have a greater appreciation our political system today and the importance of my role in making it great.