Teaching Latin again

* Aulus Sergius

Teaching Latin again

May 4 , 2009

And now it is over.

Posted at 00:00 EST

OK, Friday, May 1st, I wrapped up my long term (12 weeks) sub assignment as the Latin teacher in the two West Des Moines high schools. The Latin IV class suprised me with a sheet cake, punch, mylar balloons and a poster board sign taped up on the white board reading "Thanks for everything, Mr. S."

Later in the day, the second of my two Latin I classses at the 9th grade high school brought in cupcakes and a home-made card with the message "Gratias tibi ago" and signed by all the students in both periods. OK, so they should have made that 1st person plural, but let's just let that slide, as I seem to have something in my eye right now...

March 2 , 2009

On just now a month on the job. some observations

Posted at 01:15 EST

1. I am pleasantly surprised that all the grammatical points and such are coming back w. no effort. After all, it has been nearly 35 years since I last taught Latin.

2. I honestly do not recall having a much trouble remembering how to form the imperfect in verbs and keeping nouns and adjectives in agreement in case, number and gender, like so many of my Latin I kids when I was their age and younger.

3. How is that that Latin IIs and Latin IVs are so ignorant of basic Greco-Roman mythology?

4. I was wondering the same about Greek and Roman history until I realised I didn't really get into that, big time, until I was in college. At least now they have heard of Sir Ronald Syme (hallowed be his name) and have seen what a mess the Julio-Claudian family relations were. It's cute to watch a high school junior's eyes bug out and hear them ask, "He/she married (fill in the blank)?!?! Ewwww!"

5. Somehow, four hours of parent/teacher conferences after a full day of teaching at two schools doesn't feel so bad when a parent tells you, "Our son told us yesterday 'Mr. S explains things so well. He was explaining this thing in class yesterday and it was like a light went on in my head! I got it and I had never got it before.'"

I just wish the parents were able to recall just what it was that I was explaining.

February 8 , 2009

First entry

Posted at 02:00 EST

As some of you know, I had the great good fortune to happen upon a long term sub assignment for a high school Latin teacher who is out on maternity leave.

I have just finished a bit over a week in the job. It is going to run for 12 weeks.

Honest to God, I am having just about the best fun of my life. It has been just shy of 35 years since I last taught Latin, but I found myself slipping into it with almost no problems with presentation or remembering what to do. You cannot imagine what a relief that is.

Of course, demographically, Valley High (grades 10-12) and Valley Southwoods (just grade 9), is pretty much loaded with kids from upper middle class and lower upper class families who take a very serious interest in their kids' education. Even keeping that in mind, I am blown away by how good these kids are. Granted, anyone taking Latin is going to be of the more serious academic persuasion, but I have subbed for a couple of other middle and high school classes in the West Des Moines district and found much of the same. I don't know why I didn't get in on that sooner.

Anyway, aside from a few glitches, I am having the time of my life, even though I am rediscovering that there is one hell of a lot of work to get through as a full-time teacher. I had forgotten what a stone drag it is to wade through grading of quizzes and exams. Oh, and top of that, prepare to be able to guide the Latin IV class through the satires of Horace (BTW, they hate him, already, IOW a good sign) and now Martial. Oh, how they love Martial.

You know, I was recently reviewing the passage in Herodotus where Solon meets Croesus, et seq. (my reason is wrapped up in local politics, but more on that later) where we get the bit about "Count no man happy until he is dead." Of course, I can see that logic, but right now, I am feeling happy/blessed/whatever. You see, I got another chance to do what I trained for and yearned to do as a young man. Not only that, but I have discovered that I still can do it, after almost 35 years from when I last taught Latin and a bit more than three months shy of my 60th birthday. Now, I don't plan on dieing soon, especially since I have a darling nine year old granddaughter I want to see grow up and that her mother is expecting twins in July. Yeah, twins, and one of them is a boy, my first grandson. I really want to be around to see them grow up. However, God, fate, whatever, has granted me this little teaching blessing, perhaps last hurrah, and I am going to run with it for all I am worth.

Count me happy, for now, at least.