My Online Teaching Experience So Far
I have been very fortunate in my experience with Carmenta Online. The Head of School is a kind scholar who supports his faculty and students alike with expertise. I began last fall (2015) with a class of six third year students beginning in Chapter 25 in Wheelock’s Latin. All of my students are focused and well-prepared. They are dutiful in attending and performing and turning in their homework. They are simultaneously enrolled in a separate Latin conversation course that supplements their foundation and understanding. The school has a set schedule for completion of a chapter including all exercises offered in the text and workbook. Faithful execution provides a solid base for progress.
Of course, the students vary in ages and abilities. I have felt confident in working extra here and there with some of the younger students. Parents are mostly supportive as well. Halfway through the semester, I picked up a section of Juniors who are much younger and working at their own rate through Lingua Latina Familia Romana. Students are eager and polite and patient while I work with each of them and interested in the Latin and accompanying culture and history as well as etymology of the vocabulary. It is a rich experience for us all. The pace is gentle and encouraging with no homework unless they want more of a challenge.
I have been using my own webpage and or website for assigning homework and enrichment links for decades. With this new position, I have shared vocabulary games for our text as well as videos of the Roman Villa, Alma-Tadema paintings, art inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a recording of Hurrian 6, the world’s oldest written song, and an article on Saturnalia customs. The students submit all homework online within specified time frame. Classes are recorded as audio MP3’s on Quicktime for students who are unable to attend.
My students are enthusiastic about their conversation classes. I have never sat in with them. I have certainly derived benefit from the Conventiculum Bostoniense on Cape Cod and know full well the advantages of including in my teaching spoken language. We do use some Latin words and phrases in our classes. You may visit the school online to explore at: http://www.carmentalatin.com/ Please contact us with questions and comments!
Kat Braden is a former Hawaii surfing amateur, CANE aficionado, retired teacher from Bow High School (NH), and lives in Concord, NH, with 3 cats and one dude husband, with an international travel that includes horse-races, parliamentary debate, and hobnobbing with British pop and rock stars. She starred as Minerva ithe 2006 APA dramatic production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘The Gods Must Die’ or ‘Thespis’ (6th c. Greek poet and tragedian).