At Woodbridge High School, next year’s schedule requests are being taken until January 25th, making electives the topic of discussion for students. The Barron Perspective spoke to Ms. Hain, an English teacher with 20 years experience, who teaches AP Literature, 10th grade Honors English, The World According to Satire, and Comparative Mythology.

BP: How long have you been teaching Comparative Mythology?
Ms. Hain: I have been teaching Mythology for 12 years.

BP: Why do you think students should take the course?
Ms. Hain: This is a great opportunity to examine ancient civilizations and their philosophies and beliefs. We get to examine different ancient cultures from around the world and understand how even though people come from different places and have different practices, at the core, we are all the same.

BP: What do you enjoy about teaching the course?
Ms. Hain: I love being able to discover these ancient people with my students and to have in-depth discussions about the philosophies and beliefs of the different civilizations.

BP: What makes mythology interesting to you?
Ms. Hain: I love the hero tales where we read about what each culture considered to be valiant and honorable behaviors. And, of course, learning about all of the different gods and goddesses and how the belief in them affected the stories that were told about them.

BP: Why do you think comparative mythology is important for students?
Ms. Hain:  I think that mythology is Important because it allows students to examine ancient philosophies/religions through their stories. It allows students to develop a greater understanding of those civilizations, but also to draw comparisons to modern day beliefs and practices and to recognize the parallels throughout human history.

BP: What kind of academic purposes do you think comparative mythology provides students?
Ms. Hain: Mythology enhances a student’s knowledge of history, sociology, and literature. The class also creates opportunities for students to discuss the ideas presented in the myth and to be able to articulate their own understanding through discussion and writing.