AWRC member Eleanor Dickey is the project lead on the Reading Ancient School Room initiative.  The Ancient Schoolroom gives students and young learners the experience of what it was like to attend school in the ancient Roman world.  The re-creation of the school is based on the research of academics from the University of Reading. Within the replica school, participants are encouraged to wear Roman dress and use replica writing materials and instruments including wax tablets, styluses, reed pens, inkwells, ostraca, and papyrus. The students are engaged in the type of exercises that were commonly done in ancient schools (in English or Latin) based on ancient (rather than modern) educational conventions. These conventions include entering the schoolroom one by one and greeting the teacher, the lack of lecturing from the teacher, and students working individually at their own pace.

The ancient schoolroom can be booked by primary or secondary schools and holds periodic events for families and the general public.

The Reading Ancient Schoolroom is a registered charity (number 1204349). It is run by: 

Eleanor Dickey, FBA (Professor of Classics, University of Reading, and Associate Member of Common Room at Wolfson), director and founder, who has conducted most of the relevant research.

Nadin Marsovszki (University of Reading MA graduate), associate director, who does much of the work.

Charles Stewart (University of Reading MA graduate), Trustee, who does much of the work.

Emma Aston (Professor of Classics, University of Reading), Trustee.

Christa Gray (Professor of Classics, University of Reading), Trustee.

Marigold Norbye (Lecturer, University College London), Trustee.

Further information can be found on the project in the video above, and on this website, www.readingancientschoolroom.com .