Teaching Mythology

Apr 02 2024 18 ep. 18 mins 15
Teaching Mythology Podcast artwork

Teaching Mythology is a podcast for teachers who want to explore the meanings and applications of myths through a modern-day lens.

  Education  History  Religion & Spirituality
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018: The Return of the Hero - The Heroic Journey - Part 3

Apr 02 2024 13 mins  
Today we are discussing the final stages of the Hero's Journey and illustrating each stage with examples from popular films like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and The Lord of the Rings. Next I'll describe how to teach these concepts in a classroom setting, including the use of movies like Disney's Hercules and Willow to help students identify the stages of the Heroic Journey. The Heroic

017: The Road of Trials: Exploring the Hero's Journey - Part 2

Feb 10 2024 16 mins  
In this episode, we continue exploring the Hero's Journey in Part Two, focusing on the Initiation or Road of Trials. Using examples from popular stories like Harry Potter and Star Wars, the episode discusses various stages of the initiation. Each stage is analyzed, providing insights into how these events shape the hero and prepare them for their ultimate quest.Want to teach the He

016: The Heroic Journey: Understanding Joseph Campbell's Monomyth Through Iconic Pop Culture - Part 1

Jan 25 2024 15 mins  
After a two-year hiatus, I'm back discussing Joseph Campbell's Monomyth or Heroic Journey. Diving into this narrative archetype used in storytelling worldwide, I'll use examples from 'Star Wars' and 'Harry Potter' to illustrate the stages of this journey, including the departure, initiation, and return. This episode covers the first act, elaborating on the hero's separation from th

015: Christmas Stories From Around the World

Dec 06 2021 32 mins  
Our Christmas and holiday traditions are steeped in centuries-old traditions and folktales that date back to the pagan era. In this episode, I will retell and discuss 11 different witches, , grandmothers, trickster boys and old me, and goddesses from mythology that all relate to the winter solstice and winter holiday traditions.Here is who I will be talking about in brief (you can

014: The Truth About the Greek Underworld

Nov 30 2021 22 mins  
Take a walk with me through the Greek Underworld, past the river Styx, through the gates of Hades as we explore the Elysian Fields and Tartarus. What you may think the Underworld is like, is probably not really how it is. I also share my favorite assignment to do with my students to help them explore the Underworld - students create their own map of the Underworld as they read desc

013: The Origin of Seasons According to Greek Mythology (and happy Fall Equinox!)

Sep 21 2021 17 mins  
According to the Greeks, we have seasons thanks to Demeter, Persephone, and Hades. But you may not know that the myth of seasons is really a myth about life, death, and rebirth. It is also one of the greatest love stories in Greek Mythology. It is a story about the love of a mother for her daughter and the love between Persephone and Hades. Don't believe me? Take a listen.Read the

012: Can We Cheat Death? A Lesson from Sisyphus.

Sep 12 2021 15 mins  
It seems as though every culture or mythological system has death myths. The preoccupation with the afterlife is something that has transferred very quickly into our modern world. We see it with the never-ending pursuit of that youthful glow. In Ancient Greece, Sisyphus's obsession over not dying led him to trick Gods, force his wife to not bury him, and negotiating with the goddes

011: Should We Censor the Myths?

Sep 04 2021 14 mins  
This is a serious episode today - more serious than I originally intended when I planned it. Today, I'm going to talk about whether or not we should censor mythology and things you should consider when choosing what myths to teach in your classroom.I've made this Google Doc of How I Map out My Year of Mythology to help you. In it, I have links to resources, website, and myths. This

010: How I Plan and Map Out My Mythology Units

Aug 14 2021 21 mins  
Are you teaching mythology, but don't know where to start or what to include for the time you have? In this episode, I outline what I would teach if I had 2 weeks, 1 month, 1 quarter, 1 semester, or a full year of teaching mythology.I've made this Google Doc of How I Map out My Year of Mythology to help you. In it, I have links to resources, website, and myths. This is a living doc

009: Resources and Tips for Teaching Mythology

Jul 30 2021 26 mins  
Are you looking for resources for teaching Mythology? Do you need some help with how to get started teaching Mythology? Here are some of my favorite resources and tips for teaching mythology. I mention a ton of links in the show. I have the links below, but you can also get them at the Show Notes on my blog.Click here to get 3 Free Mythology Lessons.Here are my two blog posts I tal