Improving Access to Classical Studies in Museums and Schools

这个后续项目旨在通过与利物浦世界博物馆(LWM)和OCR考试委员会合作，并与古典考古博物馆(MOCA)合作，为教师提供学科知识提升培训，为教师提供与课程相关的支持材料，为教师和学生提供画廊路径，并为教师和学生提供工作坊，加深研究古代世界的影响，并吸引新的观众。我们之前由AHRC资助的研究《在英国学习古典文明：记录过去和培育未来》揭示了大量的历史证据，表明经典作为广泛而平衡的课程的一部分具有教育价值。如今，只有一小部分--大约10%--的英国青少年有机会在学校学习希腊人和罗马人，而这些人中的大多数是在独立部门学习的。这是一个社会公正的问题，我们的研究和积极的传播战略旨在通过将古典世界带给新的受众来改善这一问题。我们与MOCA的项目专注于社区年轻人的心理健康，我们相信这种方法提供了一条包容各方的途径，吸引青少年的新受众，他们的学校目前不提供古典科目。目前的Ofsted框架审查了提供给学生的课程质量：“检查员将考虑学校在多大程度上向学生提供他们在生活中取得成功所需的知识和文化资本……帮助培养对人类创造力和成就的欣赏”(Ofsted 2019)。这是经典音乐卷土重来的好时机。我们的研究发现，一个有效的方法是通过研究古代翻译世界来实现这一点。OCR的古典文明和古代历史方面的资格证书可以由英语、戏剧、历史、哲学或宗教研究等相关学科的专家教授。一些课程内容是共享的，几乎所有技能都是可转让的(Holmes-Henderson 2018)。然而，这些资格要求提升到传统上教授古典文学的学校以外的地方。英格兰西北部的情况尤其如此。正是出于这个原因，我们计划与LWM密切合作，扩大我们最初项目的结果在英格兰北部学校的教师和学生中的传播。没有比2021年更适合做这件事的时候了，届时LWM将举办其经典展览。霍姆斯-亨德森于2020年3月访问了Lytham St.Annes古典协会分会(VE2)，担任学校比赛的评委，并与来自博尔顿、柯克顿、伦肖和莱恩下的阿什顿的公立学校教师进行了接触。这些教师在他们所在的地区寻求帮助和支持，而不是“总是在伦敦”。“目前公立学校没有足够的资金购买教科书、文具和科学设备”(Weale and Adams，《卫报》2019年3月8日文章)，因此，在预算削减的情况下，资助教师专业发展对学校来说并不是优先事项。然而，通过参加高质量的培训，教师的专业能力和个人士气都得到了提振，这反过来又提高了学生在GCSE和A级等高风险评估中的表现。我们将与MOCA和LWM一起，为教师(非专业的、新获得资格的和有经验的)提供免费的专业发展，以确保我们的研究成果接触到新的受众，并对英国各地的学习社区产生影响。我们还将通过使用OCR来改进古典文明和古代历史的学习和教学资源，并将制作画廊指南，以便教师和学生更容易获得大英博物馆的指定文物。我们的后续资金提案回应了参与者对我们最初项目生命周期的要求。

This follow-on project seeks to improve access to the study of Classical Civilisation and Ancient History by working in partnership with Liverpool World Museum (LWM) and OCR examination board, and alongside the Museum of Classical Archaeology (MOCA) as a collaborator, to provide subject knowledge enhancement training for teachers, curriculum-linked support materials, gallery trails and workshops for teachers and students which deepen the impact of studying the ancient world and engage new audiences. Our previous AHRC-funded research 'Studying Classical Civilisation in Britain: recording the past and fostering the future' uncovered a wealth of historical evidence pointing to the educative value of Classics as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Today, only a fraction-around 10%-of Britain's teenagers have access to the study of the Greeks and Romans at school, and the majority of these are in the independent sector. This is a problem of social justice which our research and active dissemination strategies aim to ameliorate by taking the Classical world to new audiences. Our project with MOCA focuses on the mental well-being of young people in the community and we are confident that this approach offers an inclusive pathway to engaging new audiences of teenagers, whose schools do not currently offer Classical subjects. The current Ofsted framework examines the quality of the curriculum offered to pupils: 'inspectors will consider the extent to which schools are equipping pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life... helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement' (Ofsted 2019). This is an opportune moment for Classics to stage a comeback. Our research has identified that an efficient way to do this is via the study of the ancient world in translation. OCR's qualifications in Classical Civilisation and Ancient History can be taught by teachers who are specialists in allied subjects e.g. English, Drama, History, Philosophy or Religious Studies. Some curricular content is shared, and almost all the skills are transferable (Holmes-Henderson 2018). Yet these qualifications require promotion beyond the schools where Classics is traditionally taught. This is particularly the case in the North West of England. It is for this reason that we plan to work closely with LWM to amplify the dissemination of our original project's findings to teachers and students in schools in the north of England. There could be no better time to do this than in 2021, when LWM hosts its Classical exhibition. Holmes-Henderson visited the Lytham St. Annes Classical Association Branch in March 2020 (VE2) to judge a schools' competition and engaged with state school teachers from Bolton, Kirkton, Runshaw and Ashton-under-Lyne. These teachers requested help and support in their region, not 'always in London'. 'There is not currently enough money in state schools for textbooks, stationery and science equipment' (Weale and Adams, Guardian Article, 8th March 2019) so funding teacher professional development is a low priority for schools in times of budget cuts. Yet both the professional competency and personal morale of teachers is boosted by attending high-quality training which in turn improves student achievement in such high-stakes assessments as GCSEs and A Levels. Together with MOCA and LWM, we will provide free professional development for teachers (non-specialist, newly qualified and experienced) to ensure that our research findings reach new audiences and that they impact on learning communities around the UK. We will also improve the learning and teaching resources available for Classical Civilisation and Ancient History, by working with OCR and will make gallery guides so that prescribed objects in the British Museum are more accessible to teachers and students. Our follow-on funding proposals respond to requests from participants over the lifespan of our original project.