I've discovered that Latin is the secret to successful homeschooling in high school

[Jean in Newcastle]

At least that's what has turned the tide of opinion in recent "how can you homeschool your son in highschool" questions. They'll ask me lots of part confrontational/part sincere questions (which is why I keep answering). Then I mention Latin in passing and they all of a sudden are all for it!

 

I'm thinking of shortening the process.

 

Q: "You homeschool?"

 

A: "Yes."

 

Q. "But what about high school?"

 

A: "My son is in high school and I'm still homeschooling him."

 

Q. "But are you qualified?"

 

A: "I teach him Latin."

 

Their response: "Oooooooh!" :D

 

(I think it's a hoot that Latin is seen as so hard that it automatically proves that I must be able to also teach chemistry, algebra, literature etc.)

Edited February 17, 2012 by Jean in Newcastle

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

:lol::lol::lol:

[sassenach]

That's really funny.

[Addicted2Coffee]

:lol:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

At least that's what has turned the tide of opinion in recent "how can you homeschool your son in highschool" questions. They'll ask me lots of part confrontational/part sincere questions (which is why I keep answering). Then I mention Latin in passing and they all of a sudden are all for it!

 

I'm thinking of shortening the process.

 

Q: "You homeschool?"

 

A: "Yes."

 

Q. "But what about high school?"

 

A: "My son is in high school and I'm still homeschooling him."

 

Q. "But are you qualified?"

 

A: "I teach him Latin."

 

Their response: "Oooooooh!" :D

 

(I think it's a hoot that Latin is seen as so hard that it automatically proves that I must be able to also teach chemistry, algebra, literature etc.)

 

The fact that I've been seen at recent scout meetings with Latin, algebra and classic lit books seems to be keeping nay sayers at bay here too.

[Miss Marple]

The fact that I've been seen at recent scout meetings with Latin, algebra and classic lit books seems to be keeping nay sayers at bay here too.

 

LOL! Some of our scout moms are public school teachers. After getting to know me and my boys they said that I'm "doing it the right way" compared to all the other homeschoolers they "know". I think they just haven't gotten to know many homeschoolers :D

[Haiku]

I casually mention that dd10 will be studying Latin and logic in 5th grade, and that shuts people up right quick!

 

Tara

[momacacia]

:lol:

:D

 

You should just wear a lapel pin that says, "Latin Teacher."

 

I had mentioned to DH about girl younger than 7yo who seemed further along in piano and the "oh, I just can't keep up with it all, are we shortchanging dd, blah, blah, blah," and DH just said, "Yes, but the other little girl probably doesn't know any Latin." True. I was satisfied. Must be all about the Latin (which impact SAT scores, which translates into potential college $, which makes NMS DH really happy).

 

(Thank you CC for helping me retain my sanity. ;))

[GoVanGogh]

For us, it was Greek.

 

Conversation between DS and a public school teacher:

 

Teacher: What is your favorite subject in school?

DS: Greek

Teacher: Greek? Don't you mean Greece?

DS: No. Greek.

Teacher: But you are studying the country, right? Then you would say Greece, not Greek.

DS: No. Greek. Language.

Teacher: Language?

DS: You know... Alpha, beta, gamma... (He then went on to recite the entire alphabet and explained where our word "alphabet" comes from.)

[WTMCassandra]

This is hilarious. I'm going to capitalize on this more often. And I can do a double whammy because we study both Latin AND Greek (although, full disclosure, they have a private tutor for Gree).

[WTMCassandra]

LOL! Some of our scout moms are public school teachers. After getting to know me and my boys they said that I'm "doing it the right way" compared to all the other homeschoolers they "know". I think they just haven't gotten to know many homeschoolers :D

 

Yes, I've gotten this kind of response too.

[Rivka]

:lol: That is hilarious.

 

Do you think it would diminish their admiration if they knew that my three-year-old can say "agricola, agricolae, mas-ka-lin"? :D

[Liz CA]

Ora et labora has once again proven to be effective! :D

[momacacia]

For us, it was Greek.

 

Conversation between DS and a public school teacher:

 

Teacher: What is your favorite subject in school?

DS: Greek

Teacher: Greek? Don't you mean Greece?

DS: No. Greek.

Teacher: But you are studying the country, right? Then you would say Greece, not Greek.

DS: No. Greek. Language.

Teacher: Language?

DS: You know... Alpha, beta, gamma... (He then went on to recite the entire alphabet and explained where our word "alphabet" comes from.)

 

Awesome!! :lol:

[Zoo Keeper]

Yes, Latin is our secret weapon as well.

 

Shuts 'em up every time. ;)

[lovemykids]

I found that out recently, too, for homeschooling in general. :D (not teaching high school yet, but I will keep this in my back pocket for when I need it)

 

We are so doing Latin in HS. ;)

[Belacqua]

Yes, Latin is our secret weapon as well.

 

Shuts 'em up every time. ;)

 

I'm so employing this (never mind that our Latin class is online so I have nothing to do with it...nobody needs to know that part). And maybe I can try to convince people that I'm smart just by waving my hands enigmatically in front of them and saying, "Laaaaaatin...". Worth a shot.

 

Suzanne, that Greek/Greece story slays me. The poor kid was so diplomatic, as he must have though the teacher a complete thicko.

[3peasinapod]

BWahahahahahahaha!! :lol: I love that!

[Tarreymere]

This cracks me up. We were questioned by our family doctor who disapproved of homeschooling. Dd was bored during the discussion and as she often does she began to sing. She sang songs from Song School Latin.......Can you just see the puzzled doctor stopping mid-sentence? Encouraged, Dd began to recite the Table Blessing.....Family doctor doesn't question homeschooling anymore. :lol:

 

Now we practice our (very minimal) Latin around any potential nay-sayers and rarely run into negative homeschool comments. Yay Latin!

[Sharon H in IL]

For us, it was Greek.

 

Conversation between DS and a public school teacher:

 

Teacher: What is your favorite subject in school?

DS: Greek

Teacher: Greek? Don't you mean Greece?

DS: No. Greek.

Teacher: But you are studying the country, right? Then you would say Greece, not Greek.

DS: No. Greek. Language.

Teacher: Language?

DS: You know... Alpha, beta, gamma... (He then went on to recite the entire alphabet and explained where our word "alphabet" comes from.)

 

Suzanne, I think I have a crush on you. Or at least on your homeschool. :001_smile:

[G5052]

Just hope that you don't come across someone who truly KNOWS it.

 

I teach a local Latin II class to high schoolers because no one else in the group could do it, and I'm not bad for a bumbling Latin teacher. As long as I stick to the book, I'm OK. I'm strong on grammar, OK on vocab, and have to look up the conjugations. My oldest has surpassed me and takes it with a REAL teacher, and he checks my handouts, quizzes, and tests.

 

I have an ongoing fear though that someone who knows what they're doing will come along, and then I will go dooown. My abilities really don't go that deep, but thankfully very few adults know more than I do!

[ereks mom]

At least that's what has turned the tide of opinion in recent "how can you homeschool your son in highschool" questions. They'll ask me lots of part confrontational/part sincere questions (which is why I keep answering). Then I mention Latin in passing and they all of a sudden are all for it!

 

I'm thinking of shortening the process.

 

Q: "You homeschool?"

 

A: "Yes."

 

Q. "But what about high school?"

 

A: "My son is in high school and I'm still homeschooling him."

 

Q. "But are you qualified?"

 

A: "I teach him Latin."

 

Their response: "Oooooooh!" :D

 

(I think it's a hoot that Latin is seen as so hard that it automatically proves that I must be able to also teach chemistry, algebra, literature etc.)

 

:lol:

[Daisy]

At least that's what has turned the tide of opinion in recent "how can you homeschool your son in highschool" questions. They'll ask me lots of part confrontational/part sincere questions (which is why I keep answering). Then I mention Latin in passing and they all of a sudden are all for it!

 

I'm thinking of shortening the process.

 

Q: "You homeschool?"

 

A: "Yes."

 

Q. "But what about high school?"

 

A: "My son is in high school and I'm still homeschooling him."

 

Q. "But are you qualified?"

 

A: "I teach him Latin."

 

Their response: "Oooooooh!" :D

 

(I think it's a hoot that Latin is seen as so hard that it automatically proves that I must be able to also teach chemistry, algebra, literature etc.)

 

That's awesome. You just made my day! :lol::lol:

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

Yeah, I concur about Latin.

 

At church (and we're Catholic) my daughter mentionned that she was studying Mandarin at home. The priest then asked my son if he was also studying it, and he answered, "No, I speak Latin, pater". :D

 

And just yesterday, he told the orthodontist who was trying to explain what retrognacie was ('retro' is latin for back/before, and 'gnacy' is latin for jaw), "No, gnacie is from a Greek root, not Latin!"

 

that's how the orthodontist learned we homeschool :lol:

[Belacqua]

Then again, Latin did almost get us tossed out of a restaurant. We were dutifully studying flashcards while we waited for the food to come, and (as always happens) the place fell silent just as the kid recited a particular conjugation that sounds not unlike a very, very unacceptable word in English. I probably didn't help the situation by giggling like a fool when everybody turned to us with shocked expressions.

 

Nope, I don't think we'll be welcomed back at Thai Palace any time soon.

[Ester Maria]

Just hope that you don't come across someone who truly KNOWS it.

LOL, true!

 

A friend with a doctorate in Latin: "Wait. *YOU* are teaching them Latin?"

EM: "Well... yes."

Friend: "Okay, okay, I get, they learn at home *with* you around, but you do not mean that you are their main source of Latin?"

EM: "Uhm... yes."

Friend: "But you said they get privately tutored for some subjects."

EM: "True, but not Latin."

Friend: "So how far did they come? I imagine they are on syntax already, right?"

EM: "Well... past syntax... you know, we started young... so it is all literature now."

Friend: "In other words... you presume to know Latin if you are teaching them past morphosyntax?"

EM: *blush*

Friend: :lol::lol::lol: "Ester, Ester... Your self-confidence has always been charming... scary charming sometimes." *change of topic*

 

:glare:

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

We went to the Sushi Shop to find the guy there with an arm tattoo in Latin. And he actually did know Latin! I never expected to have a latin discussion in a sushi shop with a tattooed man... :D

[Maus]

We went to the Sushi Shop to find the guy there with an arm tattoo in Latin. And he actually did know Latin! I never expected to have a latin discussion in a sushi shop with a tattooed man... :D

Awesome! :lol:

[Mommyfaithe]

We went to the Sushi Shop to find the guy there with an arm tattoo in Latin. And he actually did know Latin! I never expected to have a latin discussion in a sushi shop with a tattooed man... :D

 

How about a tattooed mom.....who also teaches Latin?!.:lol::lol::lol:

 

Faithe

[freeindeed]

At least that's what has turned the tide of opinion in recent "how can you homeschool your son in highschool" questions. They'll ask me lots of part confrontational/part sincere questions (which is why I keep answering). Then I mention Latin in passing and they all of a sudden are all for it!

 

I'm thinking of shortening the process.

 

Q: "You homeschool?"

 

A: "Yes."

 

Q. "But what about high school?"

 

A: "My son is in high school and I'm still homeschooling him."

 

Q. "But are you qualified?"

 

A: "I teach him Latin."

 

Their response: "Oooooooh!" :D

 

(I think it's a hoot that Latin is seen as so hard that it automatically proves that I must be able to also teach chemistry, algebra, literature etc.)

 

:D That's good to know, especially since I teach Latin to my children, too. Thanks for the ammo.

[Audrey]

At least that's what has turned the tide of opinion in recent "how can you homeschool your son in highschool" questions. They'll ask me lots of part confrontational/part sincere questions (which is why I keep answering). Then I mention Latin in passing and they all of a sudden are all for it!

 

I'm thinking of shortening the process.

 

Q: "You homeschool?"

 

A: "Yes."

 

Q. "But what about high school?"

 

A: "My son is in high school and I'm still homeschooling him."

 

Q. "But are you qualified?"

 

A: "I teach him Latin."

 

Their response: "Oooooooh!" :D

 

(I think it's a hoot that Latin is seen as so hard that it automatically proves that I must be able to also teach chemistry, algebra, literature etc.)

 

I have found the same thing, Jean. As soon as they find out ds is learning Latin, they almost always shut right up with the judgmental/confrontational questions. It's rare that I have pull out the big guns and wave my degrees in their faces anymore. :D

Edited February 17, 2012 by Audrey

[Alicia64]

:lol: That is hilarious.

 

Do you think it would diminish their admiration if they knew that my three-year-old can say "agricola, agricolae, mas-ka-lin"? :D

 

This made me laugh. So cute.

[elegantlion]

Jean, we've found the same. I mention Latin and Japanese and suddenly I appear much smarter.

[Jean in Newcastle]

All your stories made my day.:001_smile:

[crazyforlatin]

Just hope that you don't come across someone who truly KNOWS it.

 

I teach a local Latin II class to high schoolers because no one else in the group could do it, and I'm not bad for a bumbling Latin teacher. As long as I stick to the book, I'm OK. I'm strong on grammar, OK on vocab, and have to look up the conjugations. My oldest has surpassed me and takes it with a REAL teacher, and he checks my handouts, quizzes, and tests.

 

I have an ongoing fear though that someone who knows what they're doing will come along, and then I will go dooown. My abilities really don't go that deep, but thankfully very few adults know more than I do!

 

:lol:

 

So true! I haven't met anyone yet who knows Latin. People know phrases, but that's about it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

:lol:

 

So true! I haven't met anyone yet who knows Latin. People know phrases, but that's about it.

 

I don't have to have a PhD in Latin. I know the vocabulary, phrases and syntax for the level that my children are studying. Isn't that what most teachers know?

[musicianmom]

It doesn't work on my MIL. She thinks teaching Latin to dd is "just ridiculous." Just another proof of why dd needs to be in ps, I guess she's thinking.

[GoVanGogh]

It doesn't work on my MIL. She thinks teaching Latin to dd is "just ridiculous." Just another proof of why dd needs to be in ps, I guess she's thinking.

Yeah. But (most) MILs are not normal people. :tongue_smilie:

(I really think my MIL wrote the letter in "Miss Manners" column yesterday, complaining about her DIL not listening to her advice. :glare: The list of complaints was eerily similar to what my MIL said to me when she visited recently. :lol:)

[Ester Maria]

I don't have to have a PhD in Latin. I know the vocabulary, phrases and syntax for the level that my children are studying. Isn't that what most teachers know?

We know quite a few classically educated people and those who are professionally into classical languages, and have a tradition of studying Latin in family / social circles / even country as a whole, etc. So, when you have such a situation, studying Latin is not only not particularly impressive since it is by many people considered a regular school subject on par with math, but you also end up faced with the same mild suspicion as when you teach math to your children without a professional background in the field. Saying that we study Latin has rarely, if ever, particularly impressed anyone, except if we specified just how far along we were. The only people who were truly impressed were those whom I allowed to check out my kids' knowledge for themselves.

 

Most teachers I know do know Latin way beyond what they actually teach even if they do not have doctorates in the field. They teach at high school level what they themselves studied at high school level, but obviously they went on to specialize in it at university, which is a whole different level of approaching the language and literature.

 

But good for you if you found a way for people to quit being suspicious. :D I will have probably stopped homeschooling by the time I find a perfect argument which makes them wow, LOL.

[bethben]

You all made me realize something. I have a new neighbor. I told her we homeschool and was just making conversation about how the hardest part was me learning Latin. I wasn't bragging, but just was mentioning that I may as well learn it since I have to teach 2 more children it. I think it has given me super mom status.

 

Beth

[Dmmetler]

For us, it was Greek.

 

Conversation between DS and a public school teacher:

 

Teacher: What is your favorite subject in school?

DS: Greek

Teacher: Greek? Don't you mean Greece?

DS: No. Greek.

Teacher: But you are studying the country, right? Then you would say Greece, not Greek.

DS: No. Greek. Language.

Teacher: Language?

DS: You know... Alpha, beta, gamma... (He then went on to recite the entire alphabet and explained where our word "alphabet" comes from.)

 

My DD had this conversation with her gymnastics coach-who asked the girls what their favorite subjects were, and DD replied "Greek, Latin, Grammar and Algebra!".

 

For some reason, the one that her gymnastics coach was most amazed at was Greek :).

 

 

We also once had this dialog at cheer team

 

Older girl "You just wait until next year! Third grade is HARD. We have tests each week in math, spelling, reading comprehension, AND vocabulary"

 

DD-I don't take tests. I'm homeschooled

 

OG-LUCKY!

 

DD-Yes, I am! It gives more time for fun stuff, like Greek and Latin!

 

:tongue_smilie:

[Dmmetler]

We know quite a few classically educated people and those who are professionally into classical languages, and have a tradition of studying Latin in family / social circles / even country as a whole, etc. So, when you have such a situation, studying Latin is not only not particularly impressive since it is by many people considered a regular school subject on par with math, but you also end up faced with the same mild suspicion as when you teach math to your children without a professional background in the field. Saying that we study Latin has rarely, if ever, particularly impressed anyone, except if we specified just how far along we were. The only people who were truly impressed were those whom I allowed to check out my kids' knowledge for themselves.

 

Most teachers I know do know Latin way beyond what they actually teach even if they do not have doctorates in the field. They teach at high school level what they themselves studied at high school level, but obviously they went on to specialize in it at university, which is a whole different level of approaching the language and literature.

 

But good for you if you found a way for people to quit being suspicious. :D I will have probably stopped homeschooling by the time I find a perfect argument which makes them wow, LOL.

 

 

I think it's because few US public schools even offer Latin as a subject anymore, and even when most adults were in school, the emphasis tended to be on taking a modern language, and usually you only took one. I was very unusual in that I took both French and Latin. I think there was only one other student in my high school magnet program who did (and he eventually ended up getting a college degree in Russian Literature).

 

My Latin teacher friend, who has been so supportive in my teaching DD, is the ONLY Latin teacher left in her entire school district, and, every year about this time, expects to get the "your position has been eliminated" letter, but so far, there have always been just enough parents who see Latin as a good thing who have enough influence to keep her job. As it is, her comment is that she's had to water down Latin instruction a lot for the group, and then add additional content and teach the 2-3 kids who actually want to know the language in any depth after school/at lunch because she can't teach what was a real Latin course when she started teaching 20 years ago or so and keep students in it beyond those 2-3 a year who actually get to the level of being able to take the National Latin exam, place into upper level college courses, and so on. Which may be one reason why her suggestions are working well for a 7 yr old :).

[Ester Maria]

As it is, her comment is that she's had to water down Latin instruction a lot for the group, and then add additional content and teach the 2-3 kids who actually want to know the language in any depth after school/at lunch because she can't teach what was a real Latin course when she started teaching 20 years ago

This is sad. :(

[Jean in Newcastle]

But good for you if you found a way for people to quit being suspicious. :D I will have probably stopped homeschooling by the time I find a perfect argument which makes them wow, LOL.

 

Well, the people who have been impressed are more casual acquaintances.;)

 

I did have one lady ask me though how we handled getting fluent in Latin conversation. I just looked at her and then she went "Oh".

 

Ironically, I was speaking to a Moroccan man recently who was telling me about how he (and all his friends) just naturally learned 3 languages from birth. His English, which was quite good, was his 5th language. I was quite impressed on my end. I got a bit of a chuckle because what impressed him in turn was not my teaching my kids Latin or Japanese but the fact that ds knows the Greek myths!

[Violet Crown]

My Latin teacher friend, who has been so supportive in my teaching DD, is the ONLY Latin teacher left in her entire school district, and, every year about this time, expects to get the "your position has been eliminated" letter, but so far, there have always been just enough parents who see Latin as a good thing who have enough influence to keep her job. As it is, her comment is that she's had to water down Latin instruction a lot for the group, and then add additional content and teach the 2-3 kids who actually want to know the language in any depth after school/at lunch because she can't teach what was a real Latin course when she started teaching 20 years ago or so and keep students in it beyond those 2-3 a year who actually get to the level of being able to take the National Latin exam, place into upper level college courses, and so on. Which may be one reason why her suggestions are working well for a 7 yr old :).

 

Great Girl was terrified of the Vergil class she's auditing at Big State U. this semester, because the pre-req was third-year high school (or third-semester college) Latin, and she had only had the two-year Artes Latinae course. It turns out she's way beyond the rest of the class in Latin, and the professor yesterday (they were walking the same direction) unexpectedly confessed to her his despair at the inability of the majority of the students to translate or pronounce Latin.

 

Great Girl is no Latin scholar, by any means. One is just forced to assume that high schools that still offer Latin are now taking three years to (fail to) teach what used to take two years.

[Tarreymere]

No public or private school in my area teaches Latin. We have a few universities but I don't think they offer Latin either or at least I haven't seen it (and I have looked). Even the Catholic school (a Seton K-8) teaches Spanish.

 

 

It's like a mystical subject around here.....like saying you study alchemy only with better street cred.

[SunD]

It's like a mystical subject around here.....like saying you study alchemy only with better street cred.

 

:lol:

 

Yes, that's it exactly!

 

I did take Latin in high school, but that was at a very specialized school. No public schools anywhere near here teach Latin. So my sad attempts at deciphering school mottoes, explaining what things like "Et tu, Brute?" mean, and such absolutely astound people.

 

Just saying I can (sort of) read Latin myself shuts people up. I don't even have to say that I plan to teach it!

[macpuffins]

I took Latin in university during my second Bachelor's Degree. It was my 'mental floss' course, and taught me more grammar than I'd ever been taught by any other means. When the 1st year was complete, there were 11 of us who finished the course (30 chapters of Wheelock). I was the only one who completed the 2nd year course (the remainder of Wheelock, and Wheelock's Latin Reader). My professor taught the course at the 2nd year level out of abject LOVE of the subject. Had I not already planned on (and been accepted for) a Masters Degree in Psychology, I would have gone Comparative Linguistics, focusing on the evolution of language as it relates to Psychological process development. He supplemented the Reader with external exercises to help me with more difficult grammatical forms, and I accidentally got to translate some rather "mature" subject material by Ovid.

Long story short - took Latin, LOVED it. Can NOT wait to impart that upon my child :)

[Jean in Newcastle]

I took Latin in university during my second Bachelor's Degree. It was my 'mental floss' course, and taught me more grammar than I'd ever been taught by any other means. When the 1st year was complete, there were 11 of us who finished the course (30 chapters of Wheelock). I was the only one who completed the 2nd year course (the remainder of Wheelock, and Wheelock's Latin Reader). My professor taught the course at the 2nd year level out of abject LOVE of the subject. Had I not already planned on (and been accepted for) a Masters Degree in Psychology, I would have gone Comparative Linguistics, focusing on the evolution of language as it relates to Psychological process development. He supplemented the Reader with external exercises to help me with more difficult grammatical forms, and I accidentally got to translate some rather "mature" subject material by Ovid.

Long story short - took Latin, LOVED it. Can NOT wait to impart that upon my child :)

 

It's great to read about how much you loved it!

 

I took Latin in high school but hated it. Then I took koine Greek in grad school and did very well though I can't say that it was my favorite. It has been helpful though because when I've reached a deadend in Latin, my Greek has always kicked in to help me figure it out. Dh is always a good resource for grammatical things too since he uses his Greek all the time.

[Education Explorers]

Okay, as a newbie HSer, I was not about to tackle Latin in our first year. I think I really would like to start it with my rising "middle schooler" for next year.

 

Where do I start? What would you recommend???? What about for a rising 3rd grader?? Should he get Latin too?

 

The Hive has a lot of collective wisdom. I'm hoping you guys can help me out.

 

FYI: I know no Latin! Unless you count Semper Fi because my dad was a Marine. But let's face it... I didn't even know that it was "Semper Fidelis" until I looked it up.

 

HELP PLEASE!