Duties have recently become old-fashioned, at least according to what I heard from teachers in certain parts of the United States. This can complicate various educational practices long enough, but it does not necessarily reflect an absolute drop in standards and expectations. Those of us who went to school at the turn of the millennium may remember to feel buried in the duties, an intensified version of what the generation which has reached age in the middle of the pressure of the Cold War for “more sciences” would have treated. But late baby boomers and the first Gen-Xers in the 1960s and 70s had a much lighter load, just as the generation educated under the reforms of John Dewey of the beginning of the 20th century.
We can follow this line until the Babylonian era, 4,000 years ago. In The video above Chain TibesThe YouTuber Toby Hendy science shows us some artefacts of antiquity and explains how to interpret them.
Listed in a clay tablet, their simple but numerous brands reveal them to be examples of mathematics homework, this most hated category today, and perhaps also. (Even when interpreted in modern language, calculations may seem unknown, carried out because they are not in our base ten, but the base 60 – the nuances of “New mathematics” To come much later.) That the Babylonians had fairly advanced mathematics, that Hendy demonstrates the use of her own clay, can be a surprise as a surprise as the fact that they have made their homework.
Not that they all did it. Universal education itself is only a date from the industrial era, and for the Babylonians, industry was still far away. However, they took the considerable measure of the creation of civilization, which they could not have done without writing. The old assignment that Hendy shows would have been made by a student in a EDUBAthat she describes as a “scribe school”. ScribeAs we know, means the one who writes – who, in Babylon, meant the one who wrote in Sumerian. This competence was transmitted by the network of EDUBAor “house where the tablets are passed out”, which were generally located in private residences, and which proved sufficiently literate and digital graduates to maintain the Empire on the move, at least until the 6th century before JC or more. Certain destructive forces, it seems, no amount of duties can protect a civilization forever.
Related content:
An old assignment of Egyptian duties 1800 years ago: some things are really timeless
A “writing advice” of 4000 years of ancient Egypt (with the corrections of teachers in red)
Here is the oldest written text in the world: the Kish tablet, around 3500 BC
Listen to the oldest complaint from the registered client: from the old SUMERIA 1750 BC
Based in Seoul, Colin MArshall Written and broadcastTS on cities, language and culture. His projects include the substack newsletter Books on cities And the book The stateless city: a walk through Los Angeles from the 21st century. Follow it on the social network formerly known as Twitter in @ColinmArshall.
At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.