Interdum audaces efficit ipse timor.
–Medieval
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
Mark your calendars
Friday, October 13, 2006
Author appearance
The Classical Association of Virginia (CAV) is hosting a weekend workshop:
The Transition to Literature in the Latin Classroom
in Richmond, Friday evening, October 27
through Sunday morning October 29.
One of our authors, Rose Williams (Cicero the Patriot, Vergil for Beginners) will be there as a presenter.
The seminar will address the shifting of literature from Latin 5-6 classes to Latin 4 in preparation for external testing and credit (AP and IB). There will be four speakers/facilitators who will demonstrate what teachers at each of the first four levels of Latin can do to prepare all students to read real Latin literature. We will cover topics such as meter, poetic devices, rhetorical devices, reading strategies and more. There will be four main sessions, each devoted to what goes on in a given year of Latin in different textbooks. Participants will be required to research the appearance and treatment of specific topics in the textbooks which they use. Each speaker will make a presentation for about an hour and then the teachers will be divided into three groups led by the other speakers to address assigned problems. Each session will end with group reports. In the final session all four speakers will provide summations and assign projects to be completed later and shared with the group by email. An effort will be made to publish the outcomes in the Forum section of the Classical Journal.
The Transition to Literature in the Latin Classroom
in Richmond, Friday evening, October 27
through Sunday morning October 29.
One of our authors, Rose Williams (Cicero the Patriot, Vergil for Beginners) will be there as a presenter.
The seminar will address the shifting of literature from Latin 5-6 classes to Latin 4 in preparation for external testing and credit (AP and IB). There will be four speakers/facilitators who will demonstrate what teachers at each of the first four levels of Latin can do to prepare all students to read real Latin literature. We will cover topics such as meter, poetic devices, rhetorical devices, reading strategies and more. There will be four main sessions, each devoted to what goes on in a given year of Latin in different textbooks. Participants will be required to research the appearance and treatment of specific topics in the textbooks which they use. Each speaker will make a presentation for about an hour and then the teachers will be divided into three groups led by the other speakers to address assigned problems. Each session will end with group reports. In the final session all four speakers will provide summations and assign projects to be completed later and shared with the group by email. An effort will be made to publish the outcomes in the Forum section of the Classical Journal.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Excerpt from The Latin Lady
by Dawn LaFon
Dexter was riding his bike down the block and waved politely when Gladys Louise sang out, “Hi there” but made sure to be going really, really fast so that he wouldn’t have to talk. But he had to admit to himself that knowing her had actually come in handy. The teacher had asked if anyone knew any Latin and he had reluctantly said that he knew that the word rex meant “king.” He didn’t tell the class that it was his crazy neighbor’s dog’s name. Everyone decided that the new kid must be smart if he knew some Latin and when it came time for group work, he was eagerly welcomed.
When Dexter got home, he found his mom cooking again. She sure was cooking a lot now that she was home all day. Then there was a knock on the door.
“Well, hello there!” It was Miss Tucker and this time there was no place to get away quickly.
“Hello, Miss Tucker,” said Dexter’s father.
“Remember it’s Gladys Louise! I’d like to hire Dexter.”
Everyone but Dexter was smiling at this remark.
“You see my nephew comes to visit about twice a year. He was here about six weeks ago and he bought me a computer and hooked it up and then got me an e-mail account—whatever that is. He wants me to write about my days as a schoolteacher and says that he’s not going to call again until I send him an e-mail. I was thinking that the word ‘computer’ really means ‘thinking together’ and since young people are the only ones who know how to work these things, Dexter, I was hoping that we could think together and you would help me learn how to work this thing. I’ll be happy to pay you.”
“No, Gladys Louise, neighbors help each other. You don’t have to pay him,” said his Dad.
“No, he has a skill that I need and people should be paid for sharing their expertise. Dexter, could you come on over while I’m in the mood to tackle this hydra?”
Dexter didn’t know what a hydra was but was already beginning to realize that anything that he didn’t know had something to do with Latin and he would quickly get an explanation.
“You see one of Hercules’ labors was to kill the hydra. It was a snake with seven heads. Every time he cut one off, two grew back in its place. Every time I do one thing with this computer, two more things pop up! So see you in about an hour?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He was so not looking forward to this.
In an hour, with his face set just like when his grandmother had insisted that he try a dose of castor oil, he went across the street to Gladys Louise’s house. Before he could knock on the door, Gladys Louise had opened it.
“Come on in, magister! Magister is Latin for ‘teacher’ and that’s just what you are!”
The only thing that looked remotely new in her house was the computer set up on a sturdy green vinyl card table and Rex’s dog bed. A calico cat was stretched out on an old afghan on top of the plastic that covered a yellow brocade couch. She jumped down and rubbed against his leg. He petted her and grinned at how loudly she purred.
“Well, Prissy sure has turned on her purr box for you! She doesn’t just do that for just anyone! Thank you so much for coming to help me. So, what do we do first?”
“Well, we need to turn it on.” Dexter pushed the on switch and the computer started humming. Prissy jumped up on the table and tried to walk across the keyboard and Rex settled down at his feet. Gladys Louise sat beside him with a small yellow legal pad and a pencil. “Now, tell me everything and I’ll write it down so that I can remember it for the test.” Dexter looked at her. “Oh, all good teachers give tests and I want you to quiz me just not today! Now what’s that thing that you are moving around?”
“It’s a mouse,” said Dexter.
“A mouse! No wonder Prissy likes being up here!” said Gladys Louise. “I’ll tell you something interesting about the word ‘mouse.’” Dexter tried not to groan. “The word for ‘mouse’ in Latin is mus. Muscles are called ‘muscles’ because when people saw a muscle with blood still running through it in an exposed wound, they thought that the muscles looked like little mice.”
Dexter got on line and then told Gladys Louise to type in her password. She had to think about it but she typed it in real fast. She had several messages from her nephew and one with pictures attached. Dexter opened them for her and she squealed with delight at her twin great nephews sitting on the baby blankets that she had knitted for them! Aren’t those babies cute!” It had already been an hour and Dexter was ready to go home. Gladys Louise looked at the clock and said, “Well, tempus fugit! Time does fly! Thank you so much, Dexter. If you’ve got some time tomorrow, would you come again?”
He agreed to do that and petted Rex and Prissy. “Is Prissy a Latin name too?” He could not believe that he asked that question but it really was interesting to know about these words.
“Oh, yes, Prissy is short for Priscilla which means old fashioned. This Prissy looks just like the calico cat that I had when I was a girl.” Gladys Louise held the door open for him and Dexter walked back toward his own house.
Dexter was riding his bike down the block and waved politely when Gladys Louise sang out, “Hi there” but made sure to be going really, really fast so that he wouldn’t have to talk. But he had to admit to himself that knowing her had actually come in handy. The teacher had asked if anyone knew any Latin and he had reluctantly said that he knew that the word rex meant “king.” He didn’t tell the class that it was his crazy neighbor’s dog’s name. Everyone decided that the new kid must be smart if he knew some Latin and when it came time for group work, he was eagerly welcomed.
When Dexter got home, he found his mom cooking again. She sure was cooking a lot now that she was home all day. Then there was a knock on the door.
“Well, hello there!” It was Miss Tucker and this time there was no place to get away quickly.
“Hello, Miss Tucker,” said Dexter’s father.
“Remember it’s Gladys Louise! I’d like to hire Dexter.”
Everyone but Dexter was smiling at this remark.
“You see my nephew comes to visit about twice a year. He was here about six weeks ago and he bought me a computer and hooked it up and then got me an e-mail account—whatever that is. He wants me to write about my days as a schoolteacher and says that he’s not going to call again until I send him an e-mail. I was thinking that the word ‘computer’ really means ‘thinking together’ and since young people are the only ones who know how to work these things, Dexter, I was hoping that we could think together and you would help me learn how to work this thing. I’ll be happy to pay you.”
“No, Gladys Louise, neighbors help each other. You don’t have to pay him,” said his Dad.
“No, he has a skill that I need and people should be paid for sharing their expertise. Dexter, could you come on over while I’m in the mood to tackle this hydra?”
Dexter didn’t know what a hydra was but was already beginning to realize that anything that he didn’t know had something to do with Latin and he would quickly get an explanation.
“You see one of Hercules’ labors was to kill the hydra. It was a snake with seven heads. Every time he cut one off, two grew back in its place. Every time I do one thing with this computer, two more things pop up! So see you in about an hour?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He was so not looking forward to this.
In an hour, with his face set just like when his grandmother had insisted that he try a dose of castor oil, he went across the street to Gladys Louise’s house. Before he could knock on the door, Gladys Louise had opened it.
“Come on in, magister! Magister is Latin for ‘teacher’ and that’s just what you are!”
The only thing that looked remotely new in her house was the computer set up on a sturdy green vinyl card table and Rex’s dog bed. A calico cat was stretched out on an old afghan on top of the plastic that covered a yellow brocade couch. She jumped down and rubbed against his leg. He petted her and grinned at how loudly she purred.
“Well, Prissy sure has turned on her purr box for you! She doesn’t just do that for just anyone! Thank you so much for coming to help me. So, what do we do first?”
“Well, we need to turn it on.” Dexter pushed the on switch and the computer started humming. Prissy jumped up on the table and tried to walk across the keyboard and Rex settled down at his feet. Gladys Louise sat beside him with a small yellow legal pad and a pencil. “Now, tell me everything and I’ll write it down so that I can remember it for the test.” Dexter looked at her. “Oh, all good teachers give tests and I want you to quiz me just not today! Now what’s that thing that you are moving around?”
“It’s a mouse,” said Dexter.
“A mouse! No wonder Prissy likes being up here!” said Gladys Louise. “I’ll tell you something interesting about the word ‘mouse.’” Dexter tried not to groan. “The word for ‘mouse’ in Latin is mus. Muscles are called ‘muscles’ because when people saw a muscle with blood still running through it in an exposed wound, they thought that the muscles looked like little mice.”
Dexter got on line and then told Gladys Louise to type in her password. She had to think about it but she typed it in real fast. She had several messages from her nephew and one with pictures attached. Dexter opened them for her and she squealed with delight at her twin great nephews sitting on the baby blankets that she had knitted for them! Aren’t those babies cute!” It had already been an hour and Dexter was ready to go home. Gladys Louise looked at the clock and said, “Well, tempus fugit! Time does fly! Thank you so much, Dexter. If you’ve got some time tomorrow, would you come again?”
He agreed to do that and petted Rex and Prissy. “Is Prissy a Latin name too?” He could not believe that he asked that question but it really was interesting to know about these words.
“Oh, yes, Prissy is short for Priscilla which means old fashioned. This Prissy looks just like the calico cat that I had when I was a girl.” Gladys Louise held the door open for him and Dexter walked back toward his own house.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Mark your calendars!
Friday, October 06, 2006
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
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