Latin course content

[Innisfree]

My dd14 is a freshman in public high school taking Latin 3. I'm starting to get worried about the low expectations of her course, but maybe I'm off base.

 

It seems to me that by the time I was at her level an eon ago, we were starting to translate some original works. I think I remember doing a fair bit of Caesar's Gallic Wars toward the end of Latin 2, and Latin 3 was the Aeneid, all year pretty much.

 

Does anyone know what is standard these days?

 

I'm concerned that her teacher has stated they won't do any original works this year. They are still in the middle of a Latin 2 textbook. The only remaining class the school offers is an online AP Latin class, and even that apparently offers only a few isolated extracts.

 

What is the expected background for the AP exam? I'm afraid dd will be at a disadvantage if other schools offer more rigorous courses, and we are wondering if I should try to find her a summer class or tutoring to fill some gaps.

 

I'll be grateful for any guidance.

[chiguirre]

Our local high school uses Oxford Latin and, apparently, doesn't make the kids memorize much so they never get around to translating real texts. This is one of the reasons Trinqueta isn't attending our local high school. Latin isn't an essential course for us but the way they teach it is representative of how they do many things.

 

All of the online providers I know of spend two years doing grammar with something like Wheelock or Henle Latin or CAP, then they start doing translations in Latin 3. AP Latin is largely the Aeneid. I think you need to find a tutor for your dd if she wants to do the AP Latin exam.

[Corraleno]

Lukeion does 2 years of grammar with Wheelock's, a year of Wheelock's Reader, and then AP, which is Vergil and Caesar. That seems to be considered pretty fast-moving/rigorous, though, compared to many other programs. I think it's more common to do Latin 1-4, and then AP Latin is the 5th year. 

[Chanley]

AP is the 4th year at Lukeion and yes, they translate a lot of original works in the 3rd year, sometimes as many as 80 lines per week. But this is a pretty hardcore Latin program IMO.

[Innisfree]

Okay, thanks. That confirms my concerns.

 

She started out with Lukeion and did well with their Latin 1, but then circumstances forced us to put her in school and I have not been impressed. But I know Lukeion is considered rigorous, so I wasn't sure what the average high schooler was getting. I wish to goodness I could homeschool this kid again.

 

Thanks!