When do you stop Latin? (x-post)

[Colleen]

I'm not a die-hard classicist by any stretch of the imagination. I've never harbored a desire to teach Latin to the point of reading works in the original. Because I like languages, and because, as a child, I read Asterix;), I waded into the Latin waters years ago. There are of course a myriad of benefits to studying Latin, all of which we've enjoyed. I'm wondering now, though, how far I want to go until we set it aside.

 

My oldest is a rising 8th grader. His first exposure to Latin was via Minimus, during early elementary. Later, he went through Prima Latina, LC I, and roughly half of LC II. This year we switched to Galore Park Latin. My other boys are/are going to use Prima Latina and Galore Park. I like the idea of doing Latin in late-elementary and the early part of middle school. I don't know, though, that there's a point in keeping with it beyond that point, given my goals (or lack thereof, one might argue).

 

I'm at that point with my oldest wherein there seems to be Too Much to Study and Too Little Time. He's learning German, and will ramp that up in high school. It's also important to me that all the boys learn some Spanish, and he (my oldest) is eager to begin doing that now. I feel rather like he's just going through the paces, where Latin is concerned. On the other hand, I'm suffering from an odd, self-inflicted guilt about setting it aside.

 

What say those of you with older children?

[LisaNY]

Colleen,

 

Latin provides an *excellent* foundation in language study. It enriches our own vocabulary as well as challenging our knowlege of grammar. Further study will allow us to read the Classics in the original languages, if, of course, that's what floats one's boat. :001_smile: I would say that two years of hs Latin will provide a *very* good foundation for further language study. My older dd went to ps in 10th gr. and the few years of Latin she had at home allowed her to place into Spanish III. She made the Spanish Honor's Society, so I guess she did pretty well. She does have an aptitude for language.

 

All that being said, if your dc are not really into it, and are eager to study other languages, why not just study those exclusively? *Any* language study takes time and discipline, and does train & exercise the mind. (Perhaps not in the same way as Latin, since it is a highly inflected language.)

 

My feeling is that if you and your boys are not hog-wild about Latin, and you just need someone to tell you it's okay to drop it in the near future, consider yourself released. :D

 

I almost dropped with my younger dd, because she and Latin were not clicking at all last year. I finally decided on another program, and now she is doing fine. My plan is to do Latin for the next two years until she goes to ps in 10th gr., where she will study Spanish.

[Mama Lynx]

I agree.

 

You're pretty pragmatic, Colleen. On the one hand, if your lingering guilt is because you just like Latin and don't *want* to drop it, you could keep it but do it more slowly, putting the other languages center stage. But if not, everything Lisa says is true: Your son has had some of the great benefits of Latin, and any language study is extremely beneficial. The Latin he's had will make the Spanish that much easier.

 

You don't have any particular goals for Latin: It's perfectly fine to drop it, and move on.

[Janice in NJ]

Older ds has dropped it. Latin will not appear on his high school transcript.

 

Dd is in 7th grade and will probably work through AP Latin. She completed an online Latin I class this year; she received an A in the class and a Silver Medal on the NLE. She is also taking French. Her voice teacher wants her to begin Italian. We are gently keeping Greek in the mix with a couple of lessons a week from Elementary Greek III. It REALLY is a juggling process. Oh. My. It's no joke. But I think we'll at least try to keep on keepin' on.

 

Younger ds? Not sure. He is still doing Latin, but I'm not sure how his high-school schedule is going to play out. Music takes up a HUGE part of his day as a 5th grader, and I see that passion growing not diminishing, so we'll see....

 

That's been our experience. At first it was hard to drop Latin with my oldest, but it has been a good choice for us. No regrets here.

 

Have fun!

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

[Denise in NE]

My 9th grade daughter dropped (Henle) Latin this year. She will have 1 year of high school Latin on her transcript. The End. Her 7th grade sister finished Latina Christiana I and about 1/3 of Latina Christiana II before she dropped it at the beginning of last year due to a flare up of her OCD. She just told me today that she wants to continue Latin next year - after I sold all of my curriculum and supplements :)

 

Anyway, I think that ANY amount of Latin is good. Latin is certainly beneficial but I personally wouldn't push it on a high school student. Any modern language study will suffice for this age.

 

I do commiserate with you. I was really disappointed that my oldest didn't want to continue. She did very well with it.

 

Denise in NE

[Colleen]

Yes, I'm actually resurrecting this discussion! Between the time I originally posted and just recently, I was virtually never able to access the board. An odd, server glitch, I believe. Anyway, now that I'm back in the saddle (I hope!) I'm still right where I was one month ago: Undecided as to when to study Latin, and for how long.

 

In the case of my oldest, I'll likely set aside Latin after this next year (8th grade). We've enjoyed the journey, but I'd prefer he turn his attention to other subjects. My only regret is that he won't garner any actual "credit" for his Latin studies. Yes, I know it's benefitted him in a myriad of ways unseen; I do appreciate that. But I can't over this nagging little feeling that I should have started him later and thereby shifted the Latin years to middle and/or high school.

 

So I'm vacillating as to how to go about it with my next two boys. The rising 5th grader is now in his second year of studying Latin. If I move ahead as I've been doing thus far, he'll do Latin another few years and drop it around 8th, like my oldest. Same for my rising 3rd grader, whom I'd originally planned would start an easy intro to Latin this fall. But part of me thinks I should just put Latin on hold for both of them and cover it later ~ perhaps spend a few years on it from 7th-9th, for example.

 

This is my one big area of indecision for the upcoming school year. Thus, my resurrected thread: I'm hoping to hear more opinions! Thanks to those who have replied thus far, btw.

[Michelle in MO]

was finishing the Henle I book, as SWB suggested in TWTM. That accomplished our two years of high school level Latin. It was apparent that neither one of my girls had developed any inclination for moving on in the subject. I wanted them to, but the inclination just wasn't there. In fact, had I continued, there would have been a minor rebellion in our house!

 

I'm glad we did it; I would like to study Latin further myself. But, it was time to let it go. If your boys really are not interested and show no signs of developing that interest, I would let it go. Be at peace!

[Colleen]

was finishing the Henle I book, as SWB suggested in TWTM. That accomplished our two years of high school level Latin. It was apparent that neither one of my girls had developed any inclination for moving on in the subject. I wanted them to, but the inclination just wasn't there. In fact, had I continued, there would have been a minor rebellion in our house! I'm glad we did it; I would like to study Latin further myself. But, it was time to let it go. If your boys really are not interested and show no signs of developing that interest, I would let it go. Be at peace!

 

Thanks for your reply, Michelle.:) I want to clarify, though, because I think perhaps I've not explained myself well. First, I definitely plan to have each of my boys spend at least a few years on Latin; whether or not we study Latin isn't in question. Second, they're fine with that concept ~ studying some Latin, that is. No minor rebellions or complaining or anything of the sort. They pretty much do what I want them to do, no questions asked. I certainly wouldn't say my older two (the only two who are learning Latin right now) are passionate about the subject, but neither do they complain. And in the case of my oldest, I am just thinking he's covered enough at this point.

 

I'm ultimately trying to decide two things: 1) Whether to have my oldest continue Latin long enough to earn some high school credit for his efforts. 2) When to have my other boys study Latin. My plan has always been to ease into it in 3rd grade, but given that I only want them to spend a few years on it, and given that I now feel bad about having my oldest spend those few years prior to high school (and thus, earn no actual "credit"), I'm rethinking my time frame.

 

Clear as mud?;) I wish I could change my thread subject line because "When do you stop Latin?" is only part of what I'm asking. I'm considering when I want is the best time for my guys to actually delve into the subject.

[Kathy in MD]

I'm looking at the high school years now and trying to figure out what to drop. Latin is high on the list if my ds wants to take a modern language.

 

If you'd like your ds's to get Latin on their hs transcripts, what about taking the National Latin Exam in the 8th grade or early in the 9th? That could be listed as awards, yet not take much studying time in high school.

[Cathy in TX]

My oldest is a rising 8th grader. His first exposure to Latin was via Minimus, during early elementary. Later, he went through Prima Latina, LC I, and roughly half of LC II. This year we switched to Galore Park Latin.

 

 

Colleen,

 

I hear you with the whole "Should I have started Latin so early" question. Lately I've been wondering if my second child, a rising 6th grader, will continue Latin long enough to get high school credit for his work. Meanwhile, my youngest, a rising fifth grader, is dragging her heels with her Latin study, and I'm perfectly fine with that. She 's due to begin Henle next year, but we'll see if that happens. If I had something to fill in a gap year, I'd probably use it.

 

On a different note, having completed the first five units of Henle with my older two, I have to say I wouldn't consider Latina Christiana I and II (which we used prior to Henle) to be high school level work. Having never seen Galore Park, I can't comment on that.

 

I don't know if this information helps you with your decision, but hopefully it will. At least you know others are contemplating the same issue.

 

Best of luck,

 

Cathy

[Crissy]

Colleen,

I wonder what benefit there would be to having a single year of Latin on a high school transcript, especially if your sons will be studying German through their high school years. Would colleges view your students differently with the addition of that single credit?

Do keep in mind that I am just getting started with a hs freshman this summer, so I may not know what I'm talking about. :tongue_smilie:

Still, if I were in your position, I would enjoy on the benefits they've gained from Latin from elementary school through the middle school years and let it go. I would focus on German as their only language study, thereby freeing up the time we would have spent on Latin for all the other subjects that will begin demanding more time.

 

Elementary school decisions were so much easier, weren't they? :)

[Colleen]

If you'd like your ds's to get Latin on their hs transcripts, what about taking the National Latin Exam in the 8th grade or early in the 9th? That could be listed as awards, yet not take much studying time in high school.

 

I hadn't thought of that. I've heard people mention the National Latin Exam; I'll have to look into it. Thanks, Kathy!

[amber in GA]

middle school. 8th grade ends it for us. We've completed LC1 and LC2 and we will do EcceRomani level 1 this year (8th) and then i've promised her we can move on to another language for high school.

 

amber

[Colleen]

On a different note, having completed the first five units of Henle with my older two, I have to say I wouldn't consider Latina Christiana I and II (which we used prior to Henle) to be high school level work. Having never seen Galore Park, I can't comment on that.

 

Oh, I agree. Halfway into the first Galore Park text, one surpasses the material in both LC I and LC II combined. I'd certainly not award a high school credit to a student who had studied only LC I and LC II. Among other things, they offer virtually no translation, so students don't truly gain a working knowledge of the language.

 

I don't know if this information helps you with your decision, but hopefully it will. At least you know others are contemplating the same issue.

 

Yes, it does help to know I'm not alone in my thinking. I appreciate the replies ~ even though I still don't know what I'm doing.:tongue_smilie:

[Colleen]

I wonder what benefit there would be to having a single year of Latin on a high school transcript, especially if your sons will be studying German through their high school years. Would colleges view your students differently with the addition of that single credit?

 

Good question ~ and, um, I don't have a clue.:tongue_smilie: Again, it isn't as if we study Latin solely to make an impression for college admissions. I don't consider college the be-all, end-all, and have no idea if any or all of my guys will go that route. Just seems nice to be able to have it on a transcript. Something kinda unique, anyway.

 

if I were in your position, I would enjoy on the benefits they've gained from Latin from elementary school through the middle school years and let it go. I would focus on German as their only language study, thereby freeing up the time we would have spent on Latin for all the other subjects that will begin demanding more time.

 

Yeah, I'm leaning this direction, so your words of advice are helpful.

 

Elementary school decisions were so much easier, weren't they? :)

 

YES! That's why, when I get overwhelmed reading this board, I go over to the K-8 board and answer questions about spelling in first grade and such.;)

[runningirl71]

 

I'm ultimately trying to decide two things: 1) Whether to have my oldest continue Latin long enough to earn some high school credit for his efforts. 2) When to have my other boys study Latin. My plan has always been to ease into it in 3rd grade, but given that I only want them to spend a few years on it, and given that I now feel bad about having my oldest spend those few years prior to high school (and thus, earn no actual "credit"), I'm rethinking my time frame.

 

I'm not quite in the same boat here, but similar. Forest is going to public school 8th grade next year. I have always been a big proponent of Latin, and if he would have home schooled through highschool, I would have required him to study it all through highschool. There are just too many career choices out there where the study of Latin would benefit. He wants to be a lawyer (he thinks) so I'm still requiring him studying Latin, but now, only for 2 years. He won't get highschool credit for it, but there are other benefits that will make it worth it in my mind.

 

For us, I started Latin in the elementary years because I feel it is good for vocabulary development, understanding our western roots, and as a base to studying modern languages. If children are given the chance to memorize vocab, declensions, and such in the grammar stage, it just makes it that much easier for them when they start highschool Latin. But, I wouldn't say it is necessary.

 

Have you looked at Henle I at all? I am going through this myself. From my understanding, Henle I is a two year highschool Latin course. Memoria Press has a syllabus that takes a very gentle approach to this text. Henle I can be started in 7th grade, even with no previous Latin experience. This is an option: if you aren't so much into doing a great books course where your kids will be translating and reading Latin texts, why not start them in Henle starting in 7th and when they finish the book, give them 1 highschool credit for Latin? To me, Latin isn't anything I would say was a waste of time to study. I can only see positives in studying it. It is great for excercising the mind, as it takes careful work and discipline to get through!

 

I've read somewhere that if your kids do highschool work in jr. high, they can get highschool credit for it. I know that my son will be taking French this coming year in 8th in the public school and he'll get highschool credit for it. He'll also get highschool credit for his math.

 

And, I wouldn't feel at all guilty that you are not totally into Latin! You've got to prioritize and you know your goals for your kids! :)

 

ETA: I re-read some of your posts and see you are using GP Latin. Are you doing the Latin Prep series? I would think that doing the 3 Latin Prep books along with SYRWTLL book 3 would qualify for 2 years of highschool Latin. We have the GP books and they are rigorous.