My teaching philosophy centers on the conviction that experiential learning is essential to cultivating a deep and lasting understanding of the ancient world. I design courses that move beyond passive reception, creating dynamic classroom environments in which students actively engage with the material culture of the past. Through hands-on, immersive experiences, I aim to bring ancient art and archaeology to life while fostering critical thinking, analytical rigor, and transferable skills.
A core component of my pedagogy is the integration of physical artifacts and object-based learning. Whenever possible, I incorporate sample materials into the classroom, allowing students to develop best practices in object handling and firsthand visual analysis. In courses on Greek pottery, for example, students examine ceramic fragments to distinguish between production techniques, identify vessel forms, and analyze surface decoration. These exercises introduce students to the methods of archaeological interpretation and encourage close, sensory engagement with ancient materials.
I extend this experiential approach beyond the classroom through visits to local museums and collections. Encountering objects in person enables students to form more meaningful and lasting connections with the ancient Mediterranean than is possible through digital images alone. I also incorporate visits to working studios and production spaces; in my seminar on Classical sculpture, students observe the lost-wax casting process in a campus foundry, linking ancient techniques to contemporary artistic practice.
I extend this experiential approach beyond the classroom through visits to local museums and collections. Encountering objects in person enables students to form more meaningful and lasting connections with the ancient Mediterranean than is possible through digital images alone. I also incorporate visits to working studios and production spaces; in my seminar on Classical sculpture, students observe the lost-wax casting process in a campus foundry, linking ancient techniques to contemporary artistic practice.
Alongside object-based learning, I emphasize critical and reflective engagement with the interpretive and ethical dimensions of the field. Structured debates, such as an in-class simulation on the future of the Parthenon Marbles, invite students to grapple with questions of cultural heritage, repatriation, and the politics of museum collections while refining their skills in research, argumentation, and public speaking.
My assignments further encourage creative and analytical inquiry. Students design hypothetical exhibitions, developing themes, selecting objects, and composing interpretive texts, thereby gaining insight into curatorial practice and the construction of historical narratives. Writing assignments connect ancient material to contemporary issues; for instance, students examine the Roman practice of damnatio memoriae in relation to modern debates over monument removal in the United States.
Across these varied approaches, I seek to cultivate an inclusive and intellectually rigorous learning environment in which students engage the ancient world as both a subject of study and a lens for understanding the present. By combining experiential learning, critical inquiry, and creative practice, I aim to equip students with the tools to think deeply about the past and its continuing relevance today.
Course Feedback
"I loved Professor Benson! She was very kind and responsive. She was always understanding of student's situation. She gave so many opportunities for students to do well. She definitely cares about her students and genuinely interested in the material. Recommend this class and this professor." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2024
"I loved Professor Benson! She was very kind and responsive. She was always understanding of student's situation. She gave so many opportunities for students to do well. She definitely cares about her students and genuinely interested in the material. Recommend this class and this professor." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2024
"Professor Benson made lecturers so engaging and fun, she made an effort to connect ideas from ancient greece and rome to the modern world, encouraged us to put forth our opinions and facilitated group discussions – all of which made the lecture and this courser overall very informative and fun." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2024
"Bailey Benson is consistently extremely well prepared. She is very knowledgeable in the subject area, and seemingly had the entire class prepared for the semester on day 1. She has been extremely timely with presentations and diligent in moving through material. There are not enough good things to say about this woman. I have nothing negative to contribute." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2024
"Professor Benson was extremely organized and presented all of the course information in an engaging and straightforward manner. Additionally, she was very dedicated to her students and provided ample extra credit assignments as well as opportunities to meet with her for writing assignments. I truly enjoyed this class, and I recommend Professor Benson to future students." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2024
"Professor Benson was extremely organized and presented all of the course information in an engaging and straightforward manner. Additionally, she was very dedicated to her students and provided ample extra credit assignments as well as opportunities to meet with her for writing assignments. I truly enjoyed this class, and I recommend Professor Benson to future students." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2024
"Professor Bailey Benson's enthusiasm and incredible base of knowledge allowed for thoughtful consideration of the archeological record and its implications. Additionally, her vast experience in the field and personal observations of sites and artifacts is invaluable in enriching the course content." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2024
"You can tell how knowledgeable and passionate Professor is about archaeology. It makes the class all the more enjoyable. I have truly never had such a passionate teacher in the Arts and Sciences. She takes the time to answer every question and go off on tangents." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2024
"You can tell how knowledgeable and passionate Professor is about archaeology. It makes the class all the more enjoyable. I have truly never had such a passionate teacher in the Arts and Sciences. She takes the time to answer every question and go off on tangents." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2024
"Reading and writing assignments added a lot of context and value to the content instead of piling more on or being repetitive of lecture. Assignments are critical instead of requiring memorization. Professor did a great job of running through an immense amount of content while keeping students engaged." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2024
"[Q: What skills or knowledge did you learn or improve in this course?] Most of all my understanding of portraiture and art, I feel like my eyes have been opened to something I knew so little about and I have context for history that I never had. It is very fun to look at things today and understand the roots from what I learned in this class." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2024
"Bailey rocks!! You can really tell how passionate and knowledgeable she is. Most of the students were in the class for a hub unit, but she made it super interesting and engaging. I learned so much, and the workload was the right amount. I enjoyed writing the papers, and I especially liked how she related the older content to modern issues." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"Overall, I feel that Professor Benson created a welcoming environment in which learning was made fun and easy. The coursework was always relevant, and genuinely interesting to complete, and I feel that I learned something new with every class and through completing the assignments." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I took this class for hub credit & wasn't particularly excited about having to take a class involving history and writing, but I am ultimately glad I took it! I learned a lot about archaeology & was pleasantly surprised by the content taught. I have seen structures around Boston and will spontaneously point out Greek and Roman features of these monuments." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I wasn’t sure what to expect from this course going into it, and I ended up loving it. It was by far my favorite course of the semester and was so well organized and executed. Prof. Benson is one of the best lecturers I’ve had at BU, knows all her information extremely well, presents it in a fun, energetic, and engaging manner, and always leaves time and space for questions and discussion. She is very accessible out of class and willing to help us workshop ideas, find sources, craft citations, etc. She really helped foster an interest in Classics and classical archaeology, and I would love to peruse it further if I can." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I genuinely enjoyed this class and learning from Professor Benson. She obviously cares for her students well–being, both inside and outside of the course, and is always there to provide support to her students." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"Initially, I didn’t realize just how much the ancient world affects the modern era until I took this course." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"The feedback and help provided for assignments was incredibly valuable. I not only learned about the course matter, but Professor Benson helped me to form a better understanding of writing research papers as well." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"[Q: What were the most valuable aspects of the course?] A: the essays, because they forced us to connect what we learn to today's world, and that was cool." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I think being able to write critically is what I picked up most from this course. Being able to think creatively and make an argument about something we learned in class." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"Overall, I feel that Professor Benson created a welcoming environment in which learning was made fun and easy. The coursework was always relevant, and genuinely interesting to complete, and I feel that I learned something new with every class and through completing the assignments." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I took this class for hub credit & wasn't particularly excited about having to take a class involving history and writing, but I am ultimately glad I took it! I learned a lot about archaeology & was pleasantly surprised by the content taught. I have seen structures around Boston and will spontaneously point out Greek and Roman features of these monuments." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I wasn’t sure what to expect from this course going into it, and I ended up loving it. It was by far my favorite course of the semester and was so well organized and executed. Prof. Benson is one of the best lecturers I’ve had at BU, knows all her information extremely well, presents it in a fun, energetic, and engaging manner, and always leaves time and space for questions and discussion. She is very accessible out of class and willing to help us workshop ideas, find sources, craft citations, etc. She really helped foster an interest in Classics and classical archaeology, and I would love to peruse it further if I can." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I genuinely enjoyed this class and learning from Professor Benson. She obviously cares for her students well–being, both inside and outside of the course, and is always there to provide support to her students." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"Initially, I didn’t realize just how much the ancient world affects the modern era until I took this course." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"The feedback and help provided for assignments was incredibly valuable. I not only learned about the course matter, but Professor Benson helped me to form a better understanding of writing research papers as well." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"[Q: What were the most valuable aspects of the course?] A: the essays, because they forced us to connect what we learn to today's world, and that was cool." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"I think being able to write critically is what I picked up most from this course. Being able to think creatively and make an argument about something we learned in class." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Fall 2023
"Great insight into Greek and Roman history, architecture, and art. Anyone interested in that field will thoroughly enjoy this class." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2023
"She knows everything by heart and it's a lot more fun to listen and pay attention. She engages the students in fun class activities at very well–timed sections in a 3–hour class to maintain engagement. Very kind and approachable." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2023
"Bailey was a great instructor, she was very engaging, always available, and gave helpful feedback on assignments." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2023
"She knows everything by heart and it's a lot more fun to listen and pay attention. She engages the students in fun class activities at very well–timed sections in a 3–hour class to maintain engagement. Very kind and approachable." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2023
"Bailey was a great instructor, she was very engaging, always available, and gave helpful feedback on assignments." — Greek and Roman Archaeology, Summer 2023
"She is clearly very knowledgeable in her field and enthusiastic about the content she teaches. She leaves opportunities to answer questions and is clear in her responses." — Pyramids to Cathedrals, Summer 2023
"She leads the class well and has a lot of passion for related topics. Since the artworks change in order of the times, she explained the flow of the times using history and maps, and she also told me her experiences, making students want to know more about this topic." — Pyramids to Cathedrals, Summer 2023
"Instructor was a very good match for the course, knew the material very well but was not afraid to say what she didn’t know. The outlines were very clear and helpful. Helpful study techniques shown. Very good lecturer." — Pyramids to Cathedrals, Summer 2023
"She leads the class well and has a lot of passion for related topics. Since the artworks change in order of the times, she explained the flow of the times using history and maps, and she also told me her experiences, making students want to know more about this topic." — Pyramids to Cathedrals, Summer 2023
"Instructor was a very good match for the course, knew the material very well but was not afraid to say what she didn’t know. The outlines were very clear and helpful. Helpful study techniques shown. Very good lecturer." — Pyramids to Cathedrals, Summer 2023