Anastasia Christou joined NITE as Specialist Subject Lead Tutor for Classics at NITE in 2020, bringing almost 20 years’ experience of teaching in the UK and abroad, in both state and private schools. Here, she discusses why championing the Classics and instilling a passion for the ancient world in the next generation are vital parts of Classics teacher training.
Classics is IMMORTAL, not dead!
As a non-compulsory subject in schools, Classics teachers must constantly champion their subject, justify its worth and extol its virtues.
To study Classics means to learn about and appreciate the lives, languages, societies and legacies of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, who laid the foundations of Western culture and civilisation; thus, in studying our past, we understand our present. In comparing and contrasting how the Ancient Greeks and Romans lived with how we live today, we can appreciate and recognise how we have evolved or stayed the same, finding common ground and similarities surprisingly often between ourselves and our Western ancestors or being enthralled by our differences.
Appeal and accessibility
Classics is a wide-ranging subject, uniquely offering linguistic and non-linguistic study and encompassing aspects of culture, literature, language, art, history, archaeology and philosophy. The fact that Classics can be uniquely regarded as ‘an umbrella subject’, encompassing a variety of classical subjects within it, naturally appeals to a wider range of pupils and means that Classics can cater for everyone. The uniqueness of Classics can also be underlined in its ability to provide a neutral setting to discuss sensitive topics, such as slavery, and touch upon universal issues that are still relevant today, such as the roles and responsibilities of citizens.
The cross-curricular worth of Classics is another ‘selling point’ and justification for it being taught in schools. Classics complements humanities and linguistic subjects as well as the creative arts, both in some of its content but also in the skills it develops in its pupils
21st century skills and careers
The skills developed in Classics are highly transferable, relevant and complementary to other subjects, including problem-solving, critical thinking, analytical skills and communication skills; be it from applying grammatical rules to translating a passage of Latin to analysing the design of a Greek temple, or contrasting the ancient and modern marriage to debating the philosophies of Plato within the context of an Aristophanic play.
Classics complements many career paths later on and mean that classicists are highly desirable to employers. Thus, it is important to emphasise the transferability of any qualifications in a classical subject and the employability of classicists in the world of work to pupils and their parents, as well as Classics’ wide-reaching connections. The most obvious careers that link to Classics would be those in the legal, political and medical fields due to all the terminology used that derives from Ancient Greek and Latin; the Western legal system being based on Roman law; the world of medicine originating from ancient doctors, such as the Greek Hippocrates and his Hippocratic Oath; and the speeches of ancient orators, such as the Roman senator Cicero, being the basis of modern-day political rhetoric.
Why train to teach Classics with NITE?
Training with NITE means joining a supportive, practice focused route into teaching. Whichever route you choose to suit your own individual circumstances, you’ll learn from experienced educators while developing your skills in real classrooms. NITE programmes emphasise reflective practice, personalised support and high quality mentoring, helping you grow into a confident, capable teacher ready to make a meaningful difference. If you want to inspire young people through the study of the ancient world, NITE offers a pathway that blends academic learning with hands on experience — preparing you for a rewarding and impactful career in education, instilling a love for the ancient world in the next generation!
