Wheelock's: Best way for me to get going?

[profmom]

What do you recommend for me to get going with Wheelock's? Accountability and structure would be helpful! Also, what is a reasonable pace?

[profmom]

If you have successfully self-educated using Wheelock's, how have you done it? Were you able to stay on-track on your own? Did you sign up for an online study group?

[Michelle in MO]

I almost answered your question yesterday, but I was in a hurry, and I was also unsure whether you were using Wheelock's for your children or for yourself.

 

I can enthusiastically recommend this online course through the University of Georgia at Athens-Independent and Distance Learning Office. The University of Georgia has a very large classics department, and the course is taught by Professor Richard LaFleur, who is the editor of Wheelock's Latin and the co-author of Wheelock's Latin, and the author of a number of other works and helps for Wheelock's Latin. I'm taking the Elementary Latin 1002 right now, and just finished the Latin 1001 course.

 

You don't actually "meet" the professor online via any teleconference or "viewing" mode through the internet, but the course begins with 4-5 oral/aural reading assignments associated with each lesson. You can definitely move through the course very quickly, and the actual assignments which are done in the Workbook for Wheelock's Latin and then submitted online are really not very long. Had I done just that, I would have easily finished in 2-3 months; generally speaking, I was able to finish one chapter per week. However, I don't know if you would truly master Latin doing only the selections from the Workbook that you type up and submit electronically. I did every translation in every chapter, as well as all of the Exercises at the back of the book, and every exercise in the Workbook. There is another assigned reading, The Romans, by Anthony Kamm (this edition is different than the one I ordered through the U of GA bookstore); he has you read and summarize one chapter per week, and then turn it in for Lesson 10 (i.e., halfway through the course) before the midterm. Also, the final was constructed in such a way, I thought, to make sure that students who were taking the course were truly trying to master the concepts instead of just "getting by". In retrospect, I'm very glad I took the time that I did to study, study, study. Since my kids are at school, I have that luxury right now, but I honestly did study a minimum of three hours per day.

 

You do get 4 college credits for this course, and the tuition was not terribly expensive, IMO, compared to how tuition runs at private schools. I think it was around $700.00.

 

Anyway, I found this course to be very helpful, but one of my goals is to become certified to teach Latin at the high school level, so that is also one of the reasons why I spent so much time on it.

 

I found Professor LaFleur to be very responsive when I had questions and extremely kind while he listened to me read assignments over the phone. It has been a great experience!

 

HTH!

[profmom]

Thanks, Michelle! Your class sounds great! Since no one else has responded, I wonder if homeschooling moms have a difficult time fitting in and sticking to Latin studies without enrolling in a class. I took an online class with LitCT for one semester a year ago, and it really helped to have the outside accountability. I may consider an online class again (Wheelock's this time), but I would be more likely to choose one of the less expensive options. I wonder if the free study groups would provide enough structure and accountability.

 

So, you're studying for 3 hours a day to keep a pace of 1 chapter a week (with lots of go-along practice and reading)? If I can only spare about 1 hour a day, should I plan on a pace of 1 chapter every 2 weeks?

 

Thanks!

[Michelle in MO]

Thanks, Michelle! Your class sounds great! Since no one else has responded, I wonder if homeschooling moms have a difficult time fitting in and sticking to Latin studies without enrolling in a class. I took an online class with LitCT for one semester a year ago, and it really helped to have the outside accountability. I may consider an online class again (Wheelock's this time), but I would be more likely to choose one of the less expensive options. I wonder if the free study groups would provide enough structure and accountability.

 

So, you're studying for 3 hours a day to keep a pace of 1 chapter a week (with lots of go-along practice and reading)? If I can only spare about 1 hour a day, should I plan on a pace of 1 chapter every 2 weeks?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Yes, I think you could do that. If I remember correctly, I believe you are allowed nine full months for the course, or the equivalent of one calendar school year, so you could do one semester of Latin one year and one semester of Latin a second year. Also, if you've taken a year of Latin already, you might contact the University of GA-IDL (Independent and Distance Learning) by phone and see if you can test out of the first semester of Latin, or simply take a placement test to best determine what would be the right course for you.

 

I don't think I could have completed the course without the outside accountability. I have bought materials over the years for which I've had the best intentions of completing on my own :) only to find that the demands of homeschooling and simply being a mom were overwhelming enough, as I'm sure you're well aware of!

[Cindy in Indy]

Thanks, Michelle! Your class sounds great! Since no one else has responded, I wonder if homeschooling moms have a difficult time fitting in and sticking to Latin studies without enrolling in a class. I took an online class with LitCT for one semester a year ago, and it really helped to have the outside accountability. I may consider an online class again (Wheelock's this time), but I would be more likely to choose one of the less expensive options. I wonder if the free study groups would provide enough structure and accountability.

 

So, you're studying for 3 hours a day to keep a pace of 1 chapter a week (with lots of go-along practice and reading)? If I can only spare about 1 hour a day, should I plan on a pace of 1 chapter every 2 weeks?

 

Thanks!

 

I agree that Michelle's approach sounds great. I'll share what I did with Wheelock's this year (not as successful).

 

First, let me say that I'm teaching my freshman son using Henle 1. We had done LC1 and LC2 in previous years; I had no prior Latin (although I did study German, which has helped me navigate Latin grammar). I kept reading about Wheelock's, so I checked out a copy from the library and set myself a goal of completing a chapter a week (doing the exercises out of the back). The early chapters were a lot of review, and I enjoyed doing it. But as the content grew, I couldn't keep up the pace. My other studies - Omnibus I, Chemistry (teaching co-op) took precedence, and my roles as mother of 3, wife, daughter, friend, church member, etc. could not be neglected. So I returned the Wheelock's to the library and am continuing to learn with my ds15 at the "Henle pace". I think it will be fine.

 

If you're committed to learning Latin with Wheelock's, I think a study group would be great for outside accountability. As with anything you wish to master, you have to make it your priority. That's what I couldn't do in this season. At least I have my son and Henle to spur me on. (It's kind of fun learning with him - especially when he gets it right and I make a mistake :glare:. He has the satisfaction of outdoing the "teacher" ;), which is great fun for a 15-yo!)

 

HTH,

Cindy

[Alphabetika]

My dd takes Latin using Wheelock's through Lukeion.org. They welcome adults, too! Check out their website, or ask me and I'll give you more info. It's been a wonderful year of Latin for her, but it's definitely time-consuming.