Articles From The Classical Teacher

     Latin should be restored to its former place of honor as the Basic Subject in the elementary years. Latin provides a much needed focus and direction for an often fragmented curriculum in grades 3-8.  But how can a busy homeschooling mom with no background in Latin be successful in teaching it?   Here are some keys to a successful Latin program.

1.  Teaching.   The good news is that you can teach your children Latin!  The bad news is that you can teach your children Latin!  In other words, you must learn it along with them. The materials are available for a successful elementary Latin program, but it is unrealistic to think that  children will learn Latin without a teacher.  They cannot be handed a Latin program and expected to learn this rigorous subject alone.There is a good alternative, however, and that is for a mom, or several moms in your homeschooling group to take on the task of learning and teaching Latin for interested families.  Many parents, in fact, have had a year or two of Latin and that will certainly make it easier, but it is not necessary. 

2.   Group setting.  I recommend, if possible, organizing a little Latin class, either within a family or by combining children from several homeschooling families  Peer pressure (the fear of showing up unprepared) is a great motivator for students to keep up with the daily work of mastering forms and vocabulary. Group recitation of forms, vocabulary, prayers, songs and competitive games make learning Latin a lot more fun in a group. 

3.  Time. Pace yourself.  Most people overestimate what they can accomplish in one year and underestimate what they can accomplish in five.  One reason for starting Latin in the 3rd or 4th grade is to give you and your children plenty of time to learn a challenging subject.  Learning Latin may seem like an overwhelming task but when it is broken down into one workable lesson a week , it becomes just a matter of discipline, "sticking to it". 

4.  Basics.  Latin must be approached as a basic subject, like arithmetic.  We give our children 7 or 8 years to master arithmetic.  It's part of the daily routine.  No one thinks of dropping arithmetic because the kids don't like it or because it's hard or boring or not needed anymore because of computers.  Latin must be thought of the same way.  Students derive their expectations from parents and if Latin is presented to them as a basic subject necessary for a complete education, like math, they will accept that and learn it, year after year.  If it is presented as a new subject that's going to be lots of fun, or as enrichment, or optional, then when it gets to be routine and hard, students will want to drop it and take up something else that appears new and fun. 

5. Front and Center.  Make Latin the center of your language arts curriculum, not something your child is required to do after he has completed all of his other "English" assignments.  You may find that a lot of those assignments are unnecessary.  Children will be a lot more positive about doing Latin if they see that it takes the place of some of the English work they disliked anyway, instead of being additional work to do after an already overloaded curriculum has been completed.  For instance, there certainly is no need for Latin students to study a separate English grammar or vocabulary course.  I design most of my history and geography study around Latin, as well as some spelling and composition.  Students feel that their subjects are being consolidated rather than expanding; their retention increases because much of what they are learning is connected.  Properly taught Latin will provide the focus and direction for the elementary curriculum. 

6.  History and culture.  Students will be unmotivated to learn a language if they know nothing of the people who spoke it. Famous Men of  Rome is a delightful introduction to Roman history.  Students will learn about the natural virtues of the Romans, and why they have inspired so much admiration throughout history. Since the Romans are more suitable for younger ages it is best to sacrifice chronological order and study Rome in grades 3-5 and Greece in grades 6-8.  Students will then have the opportunity to compare and contrast the Greeks and the Romans and understand their impact on subsequent history.  After this foundation in the classical age, students will have a deeper knowledge of  "the fullness of time" and have some appreciation of the momentous change brought about by the coming of Christ.  Latin continued as the language of learning through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.  Studying ancient and medieveal history along with Latin makes both the history and language come alive in a way that simply is not possible when either is studied alone.

7. Have fun.  If you approach this subject with enthusiasm, then your children will pick up that love and enthusiasm too. Teaching techniques are important in Latin.  Memorizing through oral drills and recitations can be "fun".  Singing songs and saying prayers in Latin motivate students and make Latin a part of everyday life.  The greatest satisfaction, however, is the feeling of accomplishment when something is finished.   The feeling of accomplishment when the child looks back over what has been learned in one year can be exhilarating.  At the end of the third grade, students can say over twenty sets of  grammar forms and twenty-five Latin sayings from memory.  They look at each other and can't believe they did it.  When we have learned all five declensions we have a celebration.  It is a great feeling.   When we have a test over all four conjugations , six tenses, active and passive voice, it is a milestone. 

Latin is methodical, it is systematic, it is cumulative, it is relentless.  The student thinks it will never end, he will never learn it all.  But then one day he is sitting on top of this Mt. Everest we call Latin grammar and thinking, well, I guess it really wasn't that difficult after all.   He has learned an important lesson in life.  Hard work and perseverance, not genius, are the keys to success.

Cheryl Lowe is the author of Latina Christiana I and Latina Christiana II, an introduction to Christian Latin recommended for grades 3 and up.