Highlights of the American Classical League Institute 2011

Zee Poerio just posted her video of the highlights of the 2011 American Classical League Institute!

Standards for Latin Teacher Preparation

The American Classical League has just announced that the newly published ACL-APA Standards for Latin Teacher Preparation document is now available for free on its website.

Professor Ronnie Ancona, Vice President of the American Philological Association comments, "This is a valuable document for anyone teaching, planning to teach, or training those to teach Latin. It was written by a joint task force from ACL and APA. There will be a Plenary Session on the Standards at the ACL Institute this summer. We hope to also have a session on them at APA in San Antonio."

The Standards describes "the knowledge, skills, and understanding" of the beginning Latin teacher (a professional with 2 years or less experience in the classroom) in the areas of Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge and Skill, as well as Professional Development. The document is 22 pages, including a table of contents, and is quite readable.

The American Classical League has other reports available on its website, including the Standards for Classical Language Learning (referenced in the Standards for Latin Teacher Preparation) and the Report for State Certification Requirements for Teachers of Latin from the Joint Committee on Classics in American Education, a committee of the American Philological Association and the American Classical Association.

Make that Deadline This Year!

APPROACHING DEADLINES

There's Still Time!

Association foR Latin Teaching

Latin Reading Contest
(United Kingdom-only, I assume. I didn't notice a deadline.)
http://arltblog.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/arlt-reading-competition-2010/

Edited to Add another Contest... Applications for the The Classical Association of the Middle West and South's 2009 Translation Contest are due this Friday, October 30, 2009. (The unofficial word is that they will likely forgive you if you get your registration in a day or two late...)

Golden Sponge Stick Mystery Story Writing Contest
http://flavias.blogspot.com/2009/08/golden-sponge-stick-comp-09.html
Open internationally this year, still open for entries, but the December 10, 2010 entry deadline is approaching.

Phaedrus Latin Contest
http://www.phaedruslatincontest.org/index.php
Entries due March 1, 2010, but you need to sign your students up before the end of 2009 calendar year.

National Mythology Exam
http://www.etclassics.org/nme.html
Deadline: January 15, 2010

Classical Literacy Exam
No Latin required, but will include some memorized phrases and mottoes.
http://abqlatin.com/classical-literacy-exam
Deadline: January 15, 2010

National Latin Exam

http://www.nle.org
Deadline: January 16, 2010

National Greek Exam

http://nge.aclclassics.org

Deadline: January 19, 2010

Medusa Myth Exam
http://www.medusaexam.cjb.net/
Deadline: February 13, 2010

Exploratory Latin Exam
http://www.etclassics.org/ele.html
Exams may be administered at any point between October 1, 2009 and April 1, 2010. Teachers must return completed exams within one week after each administration. Results from all exams, regardless of administration date, will be sent in May 2010.

LINKS TO LAST YEAR'S CONTESTS

Already awarded in 2009

Awaiting New Announcements for 2010

ACL Poster Contest
http://www.aclclassics.org/Institute/2009/Poster.aspx

Bernice Fox Writing Contest
http://department.monm.edu/classics/Department/FoxContest

Updated to Add the C.I.C.E.R.O. competition

http://www.ciceroeuropa.eu/

http://www.youtube.com/user/cicerocertamen

and the Terence Awards sponsored by Bolchazy-Carducci

http://eclassics.ning.com/profiles/blogs/first-annual-terence-awards

North Carolina is For Classicists in the Summer of 2010!

North Carolina is for Classicists in the Summer of 2010!

The American Classical League (ACL) has announced the details for the ACL Institute 2010. The 63rd Annual Institute and 87th Annual Meeting will be held at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina from Saturday, June 26th, 2010, to Monday, June 28, 2010. The theme is "Peace and War: Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento (Hae tibi erunt artes.), pacique imponere morem, parcere subiectis et debellare superbos."

(from Vergil's Aeneid, Book VI, lines 851-3).

There will be pre-institute workshops on Friday June 25th and Saturday, June 26th.

To get more information about the ACL Institute 2010, please see the Call for Pre-Institute Workshops and Call for Institute Papers and Workshops at the American Classical League website.

For Classical Christian school teachers, the Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS) will hold their 2010 ACCS Annual Conference from June 17 through June 18th in Durham, North Carolina at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center.

Minimus is Coming to America!

Barbara Bell, creator and author of Minimus, "the mouse who made Latin cool," will be spending two weeks in the United States (New York, Pittsburgh, and the Baltimore-Washington area) participating in children's events, teacher-training meetings, book-signings, events in conjunction with the Excellence Through Classics organization, and an online webinar!

Minimus: Starting Out in Latin is a popular course for elementary-age students (ages 7-10), which introduces the Latin language, Roman culture and Classical mythology using stories, dialogues and comic strips. The second volume, Minimus Secundus, continues the course through the middle school level (up to age 13). The Minimus series is published by Cambridge University Press. The author resides in the United Kingdom.

Minimus in the U.S.A.: July 12-26, 2009

New York City: The main event will be an “Online Webinar” from the US offices of Cambridge University Press on Tuesday, July 14. From 2-2:30pm Eastern, Barbara will do a Powerpoint presentation on the story of Minimus, followed by a question and answer session. Anyone who wants to take part in the webinar should sign up by contacting Jim Harmon, the Classics specialist at CUP in New York. The webinar makes it possible for teachers nation-wide to participate without having to leave home.

Baltimore-Washington, DC: On Friday, July 17, Barbara will be holding another teacher-training event at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel from 9:30 am-1:00 pm. Plans are also being firmed up for two activities for families: the first one will be held in Takoma Park from 10-11:30 am on Saturday and the second is on Sunday at the Laurel library from 1-3 pm. On both of these days, Barbara will be participating in a children’s celebration of Latin, Roman mythology, and Roman history. For more information, to volunteer or register, contact rabesse17ATgmail.com.

Pittsburgh: In the summer of 2009, the Excellence Through Classics Committee of the American Classical League will celebrate its 20th anniversary for promoting the study of Classics at the elementary and middle school levels. In conjunction with Barbara Bell's visit to the USA, several events are being planned in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 22 - Saturday, July 25th. Highlights include a Welcome TEA Party on Wednesday, a teacher training workshop on Thursday at St. Louise de Marillac Parish Center, a book signing on Friday at Barnes & Noble at South Hills Village Mall, and an event at the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh on Saturday. Details will follow in the next two months. These events will be a collaboration of local, state, national, and international Classics organizations. For more information, contact Zee Ann Poerio, pastchairATetclassics.org, Immediate Past Chair of ETC.


You can find out even more about Minimus by visiting the Official Minimus blog.

Draft Standards for Latin Teacher Training and Certification

The American Classical League and American Philological Association have released a draft copy of the new Standards for Latin Teaching and Certification. You may find a copy of this document on the front page of the ACL Website. The ACL and APA hope that these standards will eventually be used by state and local certification authorities and school boards as well as by schools of education and teacher training programs as they develop programs to train Latin teachers for certification. The ACL and APA plan to present a revised document at the 2009 ACL Institute, which will be held from June 26-28, 2009, at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.

7th Annual National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week

March 2-6, 2009, the first full week of the month.

National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week is sponsored by the American Classical League, the American Philological Assocation, as well as regional and state Classics associations. For more details, visit the Official NLTRW Website. Updated for 2009 are free printable posters (scroll down to find "I Want You to Be a Latin Teacher," "Gladiatrices" and "The Top Ten Reasons to Teach Latin"). There are also several new brochures.

This year Ginny Lindzey, who runs the Anima Altera Cafe Press Shop, has created a wide range of NTLRW 2009 items: professional-quality t-shirts, mini-buttons, mugs, greeting cards, posters, and even yard signs available for purchase at cost, with no additional price mark-up. NLTRW's site has provided links to coupon codes to keep the cost of these items affordable.

2009 National Mythology Exam

If you haven't registered for the 2009 National Mythology Exam, the deadline is fast approaching. The National Mythology Exam is sponsored by ETClassics, Excellence Through Classics, a standing committee of the American Classical League. Forms are due on January 15, 2009 and a study bibliography will be sent upon registration receipt.

The National Mythology Exam is a multiple choice exam designed for grades 3-9. It is also open to students in grades 10-12. Many English, art, social studies and history teachers include this exam as part of their yearly curriculum. The NME consists of a 30-item basic exam plus additional sub-tests, based upon the student's grade level. Visit the ETClassics website for complete information, including sample test questions, packet previews, internet resources, and much more!

ETClassics also sponsors the Exploratory Latin Exam, which closes its registration on March 1, 2009.

Learning Latin is In Because Latin Teachers are Cool!

So says US News and World Report (October 17, 2008), which reports that "dynamic, enthusiastic educators might actually be the key to the language's surging popularity."

Latin is undoubtedly becoming more and more popular because the quality of teaching is high, the methodology varied, and the content rich, rigorous and relevant. Latin teachers are working hard to inspire and educate their students -- by educating themselves through attendance and participation at American Classical League Institutes and Workshops, conversational Latin Conventicula (several listed here which occur annually and have proven so popular that there are often waiting lists), blogs, online discussions, webinars, increased teacher recruitment, and inspired graduate level training. Then they bring what they've learned into the classrooms. Latin teachers don't always agree upon the best way to teach Latin. There are often spirited disagreements, but this is just evidence that they are continually thinking about ways to expand and improve their teaching skills.

Read Latin Surges in Popularity in the On Education section of this week's magazine online.

Minimus is Coming to the US!

Barbara Bell, author of the highly praised Minimus series, is coming to the U.S.! Minimus, as you all know, is the mouse who made Latin cool!

Barbara's visit is tentatively scheduled July 13-27. 2009.

Events will include an "Online Webinar" from the offices of Cambridge University Press in New York. It will solve the problem of having to gather the teachers in a physical spot and will open the event to a nationwide audience. Teachers can, whether they are on vacation or not, log on at a certain time on a given day. Of course, Cambridge and and MinimUS will announce the webinar date and time when all is finalized.

In addition, Barbara will spend a few days in Pittsburgh and hold a workshop for teachers, an event for children, and possibly participate in celebrations being held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the American Classical League's Excellence Through Classics Committee, which has done so much to promote Classics for elementary and middle-school students.

Then, she'll head to the Baltimore area to hold another teacher-training event and a children's Minimus celebration (perhaps in a local museum). She also has a huge following among homeschoolers in this area and will probably be feted one evening! A very busy two weeks...

If you'd like to find out more information, contact Latin teacher Ruth Ann Besse at rabesse17 [at] gmail.com. Ruth Anne teaches Latin at a Catholic high school in Laurel, MD, as well as to homeschooling students and has done a great deal to promote Latin, the Classics, and of course, Minimus, including editing MinimUS, a newsletter for American teachers of the series.

Sample the ACL Institute and Workshops!

Emerita Latin Teacher Rose Williams will be presenting "After the Fall -- Early Medieval Latin Writings for the Latin Class" at the 61st American Classical League Institute at the University of New Hampshire. For those of you who would like to get an idea of what her workshop is all about -- and for those of you who can't make it to Durham this year -- Rose has placed a copy of her basic handout on the ACL site as well as a copy of the full presentation with all the pictures, literature and maps on her own website.

Now, although your first inclination would be to skip the basic handout and download only the full presentation, do be sure to check out the collection of basic handouts at the ACL site, because you'll find previews of other workshops and presentations there as well. It's likely that this site will be updated with more handouts as the presenters upload them.

Last year's handouts from the 60th Institute remain available at the ACL site -- along with memories of previous ACL Institutes from 1948-2007 and pictures of the winning posters from the 2007 ACL Poster Contest (Theme: "So What Can I Do With Latin in My Life?")

There's simply no way that these basic handouts can substitute for attending the actual presentations, but downloading them is a great way to get a small sample of what's on offer from the ACL! The 62nd ACL Institute and Workshop will be held at Loyola Marymount College (in conjunction with the Getty Villa) in Los Angeles, California, so start planning now!

Graduation Gift Ideas for Latin Students and Classics Majors

It's the beginning of May and in a few weeks high school and university seniors will be graduating. Some Latinteach listmembers have been discussing ideas for farewell gifts. Here are a few suggestion :

• Anima Altera has a wide range of Latin-themed products, including beautiful posters, prints, mugs, calendars, notecards, spiral journals, hats, t-shirts, sweats and more. Designed by Latin teacher, Ginny Lindzey, you are sure to find a wide range of wonderful presents. Sentiments that might be appropriate for grads include "Tempus Fugit" and "Carpe Diem," but there are many, many others. If you prefer simply writing a card, Ginny has a wonderful line of stationery too!
  
• Amphora, the American Philological Association's outreach publication, includes "accessible articles written by professional scholars and experts on topics of classical interest that include language, mythology, history, culture, classical tradition, and the arts" as well as book, film and web site reviews. You can read back issues (through early 2007) on the website, but your students will undoubtedly enjoy receiving current print issues via subscription. A one year subscription (2 issues) is only $10 and your student will think of you when they find it in their mailbox. This is a particularly nice gift for students who may not be planning on continuing their classical education -- and for those who will. Who knows? You might want to get a subscription for yourself.
  
• Gift Certificates and Cards are always nice -- and you can be sure the recipient gets exactly what he or she wants!
• Membership in a Classical Assocation is also a thoughtful gift. Membership in the American Classical League or the previously mentioned American Philological Association would be a fantastic present for a recent university graduate or brand-new teacher, especially if he or she will be looking for a job. Both the ACL and APA have placement services for members. If your grad is already a member of a national association, consider one of the regional associations. Museum memberships are also great!
  
• W.H. Adams Antiqarian Books is a small but enchanting brick and mortar bookstore specializing in Greek and Roman, Biblical, Middle Age, Renaissance, Reformation and 17th-19th century texts. You will receive individualized attention from this wonderful shop. This is the real deal, an old-fashioned antiquarian bookstore run by a small and attentive staff. Click on the link to see their online catalog.

Of course, it's the thought that counts and there are some free -- or very nearly free -- possibilities as well.

• You could compose a certificate (in Latin, of course) for your graduates. If you know how to do calligraphy, you could hand letter it yourself. Otherwise, there are calligraphic artists who will design your certificate for a fee. You could, of course, use a nice font and print it out yourself!
• Photographs from JCL inductions, award ceremonies or competitions.

Suggestions are welcome, especially ideas for free and nearly free farewell gifts. This list will be expanded.

6th Annual National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week 2008

National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week is coming up! This year it will be March 3-7, 2008, which is the first full week in March. The theme for this year is Your Future is Our Future. You can find out more about NLTRW, which is sponsored by the American Classical League, the American Philological Association, and other various regional and local classical organziations by visiting the National Committee for Latin and Greek website. There you can read about past celebrations, get ideas for your own promotions, apply for mini-grants, and more!

Ginny Lindzey has designed a number of extremely cool and very professional promotional items for National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week including t-shirts, mini-buttons, mugs, posters, greeting cards, and yard signs. In addition, the NCLG website has loads of free, downloadable items as well including mini-ads, mini-posters, articles, brochures, flyers, bookmarks and more. Check 'em out! They are mirabile dictu!

Technology in Rome -- in Situ and in the Lab!

The American Classical League and its Committee on Educational Computer Applications have just announced an exciting 2 week study tour and workshop in Rome and Campania to be held at the American University of Rome from July 20-August 3, 2008.

Entitled Rome: In Situ & In the Lab, this course (which may be taken for college or continuing education credit) is for teachers of Latin, Greek, the Classics and related disciplines. Participants will visit significant archaeological and museum sites and, in a computer laboratory, learn how to digitally record and use the resulting materials in the classroom and on the web. If you've always wanted to incorporate technology into your classroom, this sounds like a fabulous opportunity!

The instructors are Rob Latousek (Centaur Systems), Julian Morgan (J-PROGS) , Paul Gwynne (American University of Rome), and Cindy Caltagirone (Webmaster of the National Latin Exam and American Classical League websites).

Visit the American Classical League to find out more about the course, view an itinerary or download a registration form. You can also write roblatousek@yahoo.com or contact the American Classical League at 422 Wells Mill Dr., Oxford OH, 45056.

The deadline to register is January 15, 2008!

De Discendi Natura

Undoubtedly, you've noticed that your students learn in many different ways. This means that teachers need to teach in many different ways. Not only does it alleviate boredom, but it allows a teacher to present material more than once and review and practice with students.

Ruth L. Breindel has written a wonderful book entitled De Discendi Natura: Learning Styles in the Teaching of Latin. This is a wonderful book that presents 24 different learning styles and provides concrete examples for each. If you've been searching for ways to vary your teaching presentation style and review material in different ways, this is the book for you. Published by the American Classical League's Teacher's Materials Resource Center (TMRC), this would be a great book to pick up for the summer to prepare for next year.

It's National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week!

National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week is always the first full week in March. Sponsored by both the American Classical League and the American Philological Society, this week is dedicated to encouraging those who study Latin to consider teaching it.

If you need materials to promote Latin, there's quite a bit of free material available.

• Materials Useful for Promoting Latin from the Classical Association of the Middle West and South Committee for the Promotion of Latin
  

• Downloadable Posters from the National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week Site

• SAT Score Brochure and Other Latin Advantage Materials from Bolchazy-Carducci