|
|
|
The Catholic Homeschool -- August 2001
The Why and How of Latin
by Kathy Harkins
Why teach Latin, a “dead” language? Perhaps Dorothy Sayers, in her essay “The Lost Tools of Learning,” explains it best: “simply because even a rudimentary knowledge of Latin cuts down the la-bor and pains of learning almost any other subject by at least 50 percent. It is the key to the vocabulary and structure of all the Romance languages and to the structure of all the Teutonic languages, as well as to the technical vocabulary of all the sciences and to the literature of the entire Mediterranean civilization, together with all its historical documents.” Plus, students who take Latin reportedly average a whopping 85 points higher on their SAT scores!
Learning Latin is a building-block process. Begin with vocabulary, then move on to sentences. Gram-mar is generally last. The process takes time, perhaps several years, unless you are teaching a high schooler or a very gifted student. Younger children may excel at memorization, but their ability to apply grammar is limited. A Latin course for younger children focuses more on vocabulary. The basic verb forms repeated in a sing-song manner (amo, amas, amat, etc.) is a good starting place for young minds
Select a supportive program, one that is easy to use and won’t take up a lot of time. A good answer key and a pronunciation tape are absolutely essential.
English From the Roots Up Word Cards – This is a set of one hundred Latin and Greek roots with derivatives and definitions on the back. Go through several cards daily using them as flash cards, so the student can learn vocabulary and derivatives.
Chant Chart Set – This is something new, an over-view of conjugations and declensions on three double-sided laminated sheets.
Latina Christiana I – In addition to the workbook, the teacher’s key and audio tape are essential. Have students listen to the vocabulary once a day, fill in a homework sheet three times a week, do the work- book page, ing no more than 15 minutes or so per day. There is even a website where children can go over their vocabulary (run a search for Latina Christiana). Printed Latin flash cards are also now available.
Latina Christiana II – Depending on the students’ ability, I use this as a straight vocabulary and verb form builder, perhaps with some grammar thrown in. Our Roman Roots – This “homeschooling-friendly” program should take about 20 minutes per day. There are hints of grammar and the text is enjoyable, and goes by quickly enough for junior high students to finish in one year. This program is done by the student, with the teacher’s key and audio tape. I look over assignments and grade the 5th day’s quiz.
Basic Language Principles through Latin Background – Here’s a way to relate English grammar with some Latin. I have the teacher’s key and will “teach” this one to my 7th grader because English grammar is one of those subjects that I have never had a student pick up entirely on his own.
Fr. Robert Henle’s Latin – Henle’s Latin is highly recommended for High School and my students enjoy it. The essentials include the Henle text, a Latin grammar text, an answer key, and, for a busy mother, Laura Berquist’s syllabus. The syllabus lays out a one-year plan and a two-year plan for an excellent course in Latin.
Remember, you are passing on not only a wonderful tradition but also a golden key to learning. Be flexible, and when you get off track due to that sometimes overfull homeschooling schedule, take heart in the fact that Latin is both a learning skill and an accumulation of knowledge - if your students learn only 50 vocabulary words out of 200, count it as plus 50.
Kathy Harkins is a homechooling mother of seven and has taught Latin at Wednesday Co-op as well as to her children at home. Most resources mentioned here are available from Emmanuel Books, www. emmanuelbooks.com
Top 10 Reasons to Homeschool
by Sue Russell
1. Parental responsibility. Marriage, by its nature, is ordered toward the pro-creation and education of children. The Church has frequently taught about parents’ privileges and duties toward their children. Homeschooling maximizes parents’ opportunity to educate their children in all areas: spiritual, mental, social, and physical.
2. Catholic living. Families who homeschool are ideally situated to make their beliefs part of their daily routine. Morning prayers or Mass, noontime Angelus, evening Rosary, and other periodic devotions are easy to incorporate into the schedule and are often offered as part of homeschool support group activities.
3. Family togetherness. When you homeschool, you’re not limited to evening and weekend togetherness. The family that prays together stays together – and families who pray, play, eat, and learn together have a tremendous advantage!
4. Curriculum choice. Is your math (or science or literature or history) book not working for your child? Get a new one! There are a variety of curriculum options available: full-service providers, schools offering curriculum guidance, and design-your-own schooling. Use the materials that work for your family.
5. Time. Homeschooling easily accommodates the morning person, the night person, and afternoon errands. Schedule your days and weeks around your life and activities, not around the classroom agenda. Children aren’t using their time to line up, wait for other children to be quiet, or listen to instruction they don’t need – they can use their time to learn!
6. Money. How much does an education cost? That’s up to the family! Home-schoolers don’t pay large tuitions, and they don’t have to participate in school fundraisers. You can use a correspondence school (most expensive), lots and lots of library resources (least expensive), or anything in between.
7. Recreation. Vacation anywhere, anytime – your schedule is your own! Take advantage of vacations and family outings to enhance your students’ studies. Many homeschool group activities are designed to include lessons in religion, art, physical education, music, and more.
8. Peer relations. Your children won’t experience the daily challenge of having to defend faith, family, and feelings to classmates. Instead, parents have much greater control over their children’s friendships. Homeschoolers often gather as families, so there are lots of adults around to supervise their children’s activities, less chances for children to cause problems with each other, and more opportunity for healthy playtimes.
9. Personal interests. What are your children’s hobbies? Talents? Home-schooling children frequently can finish their daily “required” academic work in a few hours, leaving lots of time each day to explore their favorite subjects, jobs, or other activities.
10. College. More and more, colleges are seeing that homeschooled children are self-motivated, excellent students who are serious about their education – and they are welcoming these students and actively recruiting them into their campuses.
Sue Russell, homeschooling mother of seven, serves on the steering committee of the St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association.
The Yearly Patron Saint
by Evann Duplantier
As Catholic homeschoolers, we take every opportunity that presents itself to introduce the saints to our children. But, if you really want to get to know a saint, try spending an entire year with him. We call our homeschool All Saints Academy, and for five years now we have chosen a different patron saint each year. We start the school year by placing a picture of our saint in a prominent place in the schoolroom. Each family member gets the saint’s holy card and medal. We use books, videos, coloring books, and crafts to get to know our new saint, and make a note of their important feast days, prayers, and novenas. We turn everything over to our chosen patron and petition him daily to watch over us and guide us through another homeschool year.
Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Holy Mother Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On August 15 we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, and on August 22 the Feast of the Immaculate Heart. To celebrate these two great Marian feasts with the intervening octave, begin your novena August 14, and end on August 22. The novena is simple. State your intention, pray the Magnificat, and pray the Litany of Loreto (or the Blessed Virgin Mary).
|
|
