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Erin
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Helen,
Thank you so much for this advice. What you have to say really makes sense. I'm going to take your advice and 'run' with it. I'm off now to see how much the Latin word cards cost and where I can purchase them. 
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Erin
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Helen
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I'm sorry, I should have included a link.
Here is Emmanuel Books
and Favorite resources of Catholic Homseschoolers (Love2learn) They have a link to Emmanuel Books as well.
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Kelly
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Oh, something I've mentioned before but that bears mentioning again is the Society of St. Jerome---it's a program available on tape (and I think it's on cd, now, too) that is geared completely towards spoken Latin. We attended classes at a local college last year, once a week, and it was very worthwhile. All it entails is listening and repeating, and preferably following along in the book as you listen. The class we attended was free-you only had to get the tapes/book, about $65, which you could use for the whole family. The program is prepared by a monk or priest, can't remember his name, and is Catholic, though the class we did was at a public university. Anyway, you might check and see if there's a group in your area. Even if you only go occasionally, it's kind of a shot in the arm to hear it SPOKEN!
PS If you had a group of teens, this could be something to implement as a group activity, followed by a little gathering afterwards. It would be very easy to do:get a group together, play the tapes, listen, repeat.
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aussieannie
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I would like to share my thoughts on this even though this thread is old. I had tried to get Latin off the ground a few years ago using Henle's Latin and found myself saying, "As if I haven't enough to do to get through the basic subjects!",  even though I knew the importance of Latin supporting English grammar etc. Being consistant every day with even the smallest amount of time can be hard and that is what confounded me those years ago.
Since then I have been fortunate to have a Catholic lady in Brisbane (Australia) who teaches Latin once a week to homeschooling families at a most reasonable price and she is extremely talented at what she does! What a blessing! Mothers sit in on the class their child attends and so I have started to do up a Weekly Lesson Sheet from what I have written down during her class so that if in the future she is not available for all my children I will be able to teach it to them in a weekly, step-by step fashion.
My point here though, is that I make up my own 'homework sheets' from this weekly lesson, it takes my 15mins or so of my time on the weekend after the lesson(Friday afternoons) so that it is ready for the following week. Others could do the same from a book they are following.
I print up enough so that my son can wake up each morning and spend his first half hour of schooling filling out his worksheets (I make up others for other subjects as well, as daily drill for him) I am not with him (which is where things had come unstuck in the past, trying to commit the time to work with him.) I check his worksheets at a time of the day where I am checking other schooling work anyway and so I do up his corrections on the back of the sheet for him to drill over the next morning with his fresh sheet for the next day.
I will only have to design these sheets once as I save them in my homeschooling worksheet folders on the computer and all my children in time will benefit from them for homework without me planning for them at all. Latin in particular is all about drill and memorization and doing a little daily rather than alot weekly. I feel this an easy way for us both to get it done.
If anyone would like to see one of my sheets as an example, feel free to send me a personal message and I could email it to you.
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Karen T
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I started my oldest ds in Latina Christiana in 6th grade. He really didn't care for it, esp. listening to the CD's (we didn't have the video option), and I realized after about the first half, when more of the grammar was being introduced, that he really didn't have much grasp of English grammar (he'd been in ps before that), so he was getting lost in the Latin grammar.
This past year we used The Latin Road to English Grammar (someone else mentioned it as the Schola program - that's the publisher).
I can't say enough good things about this program, for both Latin and English grammar. We are almost done with the 1st year program and will finish it up in the fall and then start the 2nd year program.
You can request a sample of the program to see how you like it; what they sent me was basically the first chapter. There is a student text and a teacher's book, which has day-by-day lesson plans, and CD's for pronunciation. There are also DVD's to help you teach it, which I did not get (I'd had high school Latin and even though it was long ago, it comes back pretty easily). I think even w/o any Latin background you could teach this easily just by staying a week or two ahead of the student. I've also read a review by one mom whose dd taught herself by using the teacher's book along with her student book.
here is the website Latin Road
We're planning to add Spanish next year, too, but will focus mostly on vocabulary since we'll have both. I'll also probably slow down on the 2nd year Latin and take longer to cover each chapter, stretching it into the following year.
Karen
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StephanieA
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This past year we used The Latin Road to English Grammar (someone else mentioned it as the Schola program - that's the publisher).
Actually Schola Latina is not the same as Latin Road to English Grammar or produced by the same company. Schola Latina is very similar in scope and sequence to Latina Christiana, but I liked the presentation better and the weekly conversation that you learn, so we switched. Schola Latina has a CD and 2 levels, again similar to Latina Christiana. It is not as extensive as Latin Road to English Grammar.
Blessings,
Stephanie
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mary
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i have latina prima but my 8yr old has not been interested. now that he is an avid birder, he is interested in learning latin because he wants to learn the scientific names of the birds. that's my road in! i'm planning on retrying LP this summer and see if i can use this interest to teach latin. i wonder if it's the program that matters? or the student's interest? what's that expression, when the student is ready, the teacher will come?!
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Karen T
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StephanieA wrote:
Actually Schola Latina is not the same as Latin Road to English Grammar or produced by the same company. Schola Latina is very similar in scope and sequence to Latina Christiana, but I liked the presentation better and the weekly conversation that you learn, so we switched. Schola Latina has a CD and 2 levels, again similar to Latina Christiana. It is not as extensive as Latin Road to English Grammar.
Blessings,
Stephanie |
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sorry for the confusion. LREG is published by Schola Publications. I don't know about the other one, then. Funny they should use the same name.
Karen T
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Momsix
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Again, coming in as a newbie, and way late on the discussion.
We start with English from the Roots up in 3rd, then Latina Christiana I in 4 and 5th. Then we go on to LCII in 6th and 7th. I hope to do Henle in 8th, but we'll see.
My dd (19) just wouldn't do Latin in high school, so she did Power Glide Spanish. Then she went to Ave Maria University, where they required a year of Wheelock's Latin!
My ds, 21, attempted Henle, many years ago now, and just couldn't "get it". And I knew no Latin at the time, so I wasn't much help. He did two years of Latin, one with me and one with a tutor, but retained none of it. He is a computer geek and prefers languages with lots of 1's and 0's! He is now a senior at University of Maryland and is trying to fulfill their humanities requirements by taking German. We both wish now that we had done a better job of Latin in high school. Fortunately he isn't having any problem with the German.
Barbara
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ALmom
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Well, we are into the school year now and Latin is going so well at our house - but I am not teaching it!!! Maybe that says something about me  .
Anyways - after bumbling around with just about every program, in desperation, I found a Latin tutor (retired (and has done tons of stuff including engineering consulting, teaching at high school and college levels, etc. and turns out to be Catholic to boot and though teaching classical Latin, he is also teaching other pronunciations including Liturgical) and offered the opportunity to do classes to other homeschoolers in the area. He only charged us $50 per hour for up to 12 students so we have a great bargain here! There are 12 high schoolers in this class - but the best part of the whole deal is that a whole Catholic co-op grew up around this. We have a Biology lab, and a mom who has taught Latina Christiana I to younger ages (I think it includes anyone reading through 7th or 8th graders who did not feel up to the high school class). My 8 yo and 6th grader are both in this class and loving it. Now when I used Latina Christiana my kids hated it, I was frustrated and we all bogged down. But however this mom is using it, they love it. One thing that I learned in my co-op experience is that I simply am not good at working with more than one child at a time. I always wondered why unit studies never worked here, and combining children in subjects, etc. I just have my limits. Anyways, I had a hard time figuring out how to contribute to this co-op as I have no large group skills - turns out I am the story reader for the youngers (a huge number of 3 - 6 yo). I find it delightful and it keeps me with my 4 yo. We drive less than 20 minutes to get to co-op and meet on 1 morning per week - end at noon with the Angelus. For those of us that want to, we take our lunch to a nearby park and have an afternoon to chat and play. (My older two ride with my sis to my father's house for archery lessons).
Anyways, I am finding that I am able to answer individual Latin questions as they come up (not with the high schooler but she is doing fine)so I am learning a bit here and there as well - but without the pressure of having to teach what I totally do not know.
Anyways, this has been a great discovery for me - it helps me recognize that when I see something as important but just cannot seem to get it done myself, if I just persevere, God really has opened the doors. Our co-op had to get insurance in order to use the facility in question, we had to find teachers, pull together volunteers, etc. Sometimes it was frustrating that things are so much easier for the other co-ops around here - they don't have to plan for moms with 10 plus children (ie if mom teaches then there has to be something exciting going on for her young children or it won't work and you have to accomodate that young crowd who is not ready for real formal education). We meet once per week at a central location, anyone with younger children must stay and help - but we have families coming in from over an 1 hour away. We've had to work out bugs but everyone has been so charitable and we are making it work and we even have a dad volunteering to teach pre-Algebra - and he is great. He'll be doing art next semester. We have a mom doing physical fitness training and my children have one other gap that is being filled.
And it all started with my desperation to get Latin. But other moms jumped in and did so much (all I did was find a Latin tutor - who is using Wheelock and is a superb teacher). Of course the first test he was a bit stunned as no one read directions - but that is Ok, they're learning that little skill too and the tutor seems so pleased to work with so many (12 students) that are so enthused and excited and independent learners.
Just wanted to give hope to those out there like me who have absolutely no Latin background and feel overwhelmed. I did try but the kids were always waiting for me to try and figure it out (I think my perfectionist tendencies got in my way cause I was never confident enough to teach it at all) and things just fizzled quickly. Now the same text taught by a mom with some Latin background has my whole family excited about Latin - I think it is one of their favorite subjects and the spillover benefits are tremendous - particularly in grammar and vocabulary.
We just found out that our Latin tutor also has experience directing a Schola - and has taught English, German (he is a native German) and plays the organ. We are already plotting other ways to hire him - we'd love to have an audition only schola. Who knows where God will lead in all this.
But if you find yourself floundering and unable to teach Latin, somehow simply not giving up, eventually the right opportunity comes together and it works without undue stress and agony.
Janet
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Rachel May
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ALmom wrote:
| We just found out that our Latin tutor also has experience directing a Schola - and has taught English, German (he is a native German) and plays the organ. We are already plotting other ways to hire him - we'd love to have an audition only schola. Who knows where God will lead in all this. |
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This makes me add my 2 cents about hiring a Latin tutor. After leaving the seminary, my brother worked as a Latin tutor for a homeschooling family. He had spent 8 years with the Norbertines discerning his vocation and finally acknowledged that God had called him to the married life. He married one of his students. I have the most wonderful sister-in-law. You truly never know where God will lead.
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StephanieA
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[QUOTE=ALmom] Well, we are into the school year now and Latin is going so well at our house - but I am not teaching it!!!
Dear Janet,
Thank you so much for posting your post 
A Latin tutor is an impossibility here....as in no one knows Latin, even the local Catholic prep school does not teach it. (We live in a small, Bible belt community). However, it is a call to be realistic with what we can do. It is also interesting to note that your kids did not like it alone, but with the support of others, they are thriving. My oldest son was like this with math. Once in a classroom in college, he thrived. I have tainted the older 3 with a distaste for Latin too, so I am doing things a little differently with the others. Latin IS different than history or English literature. With these subjects if you don't cover it ALL, that's OK. But with Latin, if you don't understand declensions, conjugated verbs, etc. you can't go any further. Like math, you can't go on to long division if the child doesn't know his timetables. Now imagine YOU don't know your timetables, and you are trying to teach your child what they are. Frustrating! Some kids can go it on their own, but mine needed real input in the high school years with Latin. God will open doors if He wants them open for you. I am learning this slowly, but surely. Congradulations on your success!
Blessings,
Stephanie
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ALmom
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Stephanie:
We also live in the Bible belt and have watched the Protestant co-ops thrive (sometimes it is hard not to be angry at the little support we get in comparison to our Protestant friends). We tried for years to get something going here for us and it never seemed to work - not enough Catholics to get a critical mass of people for a co-op, no place that was open to us and affordable, and no one who could really teach cause we all had bookoodles of littles, etc., etc. When my oldest was still at home (she is in college now), we tried to put together a Spanish class for her - but no one was interested - they could do things more cheaply through other co-ops. Anyways, we paid mega bucks for her Spanish tutor all by ourselves and were so discouraged because anything we tried to set up - no one showed. We really don't know why this year is suddenly different - just thankful.
We opened our Latin class to non-Catholics as well and since no one else offers Latin, we've had lots of interest - actually a waiting list. None of us knew of a Latin tutor until just this year - kind of came out of the word work. He was a bit disappointed not to work with the kids at least 2 X per week, but we knew we just wouldn't get the numbers if we had people having to drive twice per week, so he agreed to try 1 1/2 hour classes once per week and see where we get. Most of us may have to wing it (or hire him through the summer) to finish up a years worth of Latin but our thought was something was better than nothing and we'll go from here.
Don't get discouraged, just persevere and do the best you can. Trust that if you do your best and pray for His help, He will make sure your children have what is truely essential for them in plenty of time. I also have learned not to worry if we don't start things super early. Our oldest didn't have any Latin - but if she needs it, she'll have to get it at college or later on her own. Our next is being introduced in 9th grade, etc. I just spoke to an engineer who never even had geometry in high school - but that is OK. Our children really can fill in the gaps if needed. I don't purposely leave gaps, but they are certainly some no matter what you do and it helps not to feel like you have to do everything perfectly.
I also found it a great grace to discover why I never seemed to be able to do what all these moms do - so exciting work with everyone together. Everytime we've tried to do something together it has been a big flop - but it is not because my kids don't enjoy working together, they do. They have done plenty of their own self-directed projects together. But I just cannot work with a group. I was a great tutor - that is how I earned money for college - but was a flop in the classroom my Sr. year of college. I thought it was just too many, and not free to do things my way. But in homeschooling, I find I cannot even work with 2 children at the same time. Sometimes I worry because my dc miss out on so much because of my limits - but it is better for me to use a more structured approach (even workbooks) and have individual time with each child - even with 6, than to try to do the whole family or even 2 together thing. It is my own limitations and my children are learning and thriving. The projects, group learning, etc. is either through hired tutors or whatever they pull off on their own. If I just make sure we have the correct balance of discipline, diligence and free time, we do fine - not perfect, but fine.
I suspect my children will eventually be teaching me Latin. I never ever could have taught it myself. I know one of the students in our Latin class, actually taught herself about halfway through the Wheelock book - an amazing girl, but she still wants the benefit of a real teacher so she is taking the class and pushing everyone else to keep up with her  . My children might have attempted to teach themselves a different language, but not Latin. They needed the group environment with an enthusiastic and confident teacher to inspire them. We have no access to anything Latin - no Tridentine Mass, never hear chants or traditional Latin hymms (unless mom plays them on CD), so it was hard for them to see it as relevant.
Janet
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LaMere Academy
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I need to reread LCC. We use Latina Christiana I w/ the DVD's. I don't think the kids are as enthusiastic about latin as I am, but I love learning Latina and figuring out the roots of our English words.
~Becky
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Cleo
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We did and still do quite a mix here. My son begged for Latin when he was 6. I got Prima Latina for him, and we went through it in less than 2 months. He was really keen. However, the CD is unusable for us because of the Southern accent. We are French speaking, so just imagine someone trying to pronounce Latin while imitating a Southern accent, and throwing in a French accent. It was just ridiculous. I just skipped the CD completely.
We've tried Latina Christiana 1 twice. We always end up giving up around lesson 16. I've set it aside for now, and we're doing Minimus.
As for myself, I am also learning Latin, so that I have an idea of what's coming. I started with Wheelock and the online LatinStudy group. I ran up against a wall about midway (a bit more than midway) because Wheelock is English and I'm not. So I was trying to translate Latin into French by going through English, it just didn't make sense.
Since then, I've joined another study group online that aims for *spoken* Latin. Yes, Latin is still being spoken. You can even go to camp at various universities (mainly in Europe, but there's one in Kentucky) where you will spend a week in complete Latin immersion. Last year, I studied with 'Le Latin Sans Peine", a French conversation book. It's developped my ear for Latin, instead of just grammar rules and mechanics. I am in year two now, but alas, I just don't have the free time anymore.
Oh, and there are some drawbacks to having kids learn Latin. On Friday, a squigee kid (you know, those homeless teenagers that want to wash your windshields for a few bucks?) got to my car. My son said quite clearly "puer squalidus est " ! Thankfully, the squeegee kid didn't know Latin! I never expected my son to insult anyone in Latin before!
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nissag
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We currently use Memoria Press Books, and will move on to Wheelock's for our eldest (dd 14). I've been working on a book to help children and parents learn Latin from a Real perspective. If I could only find some quiet time to work on it!
Blessings,
Nissa
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LH
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Coming in late
we used
Prima Latina
Latina Christiana 1
Latina Christiana 2
and how
in Henle :-)
I don't teach it either, but I set my son up to learn independently. I hold the answer key :-)
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Dawn
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mary wrote:
| i have latina prima but my 8yr old has not been interested. now that he is an avid birder, he is interested in learning latin because he wants to learn the scientific names of the birds. that's my road in! |
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Mary, what a fabulous idea! We have not done a speck of Latin so far,  but my package from CHC just arrived yesterday, bearing Latina Christiana I and Lingua Angelica. I am hoping they click!
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Wendi DeGrandpr
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We are also using Latina Christiana - dd (11) just completed I and we are awaiting the arrival of II. She does this w/ the DVD very independently so it works out great.
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God Bless,
Wendi
Mom to four blessings
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~Rachel~
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We are just about to graduate to LCII.
DS and even DD have loved it... DD might be only 2, but she picks things up while DS is VERY proud of his Latin
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Latin at your house?
