should I learn latin now? and other self-ed questions

[squirtymomma]

I've decided to take advice I've found around here and start putting my research energies into self-education. I got SWB's new History of the Ancients a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about halfway through. I'm loving it. My history background is pretty weak, so history is definitely a priority. I want to get into more classic lit as well, but I want to understand the historical context better first. After I'm done with the Ancients, I'm wondering if I should just read through SOTW (starting with the second, obviously), and then fill in more details as her high school level books come out.

 

Also, I'm considering learning some Latin, since so many have mentioned that they wish that they had when their children were younger. I'm wondering if it's a little early, though. Assuming I'd start teaching Latin when my oldest is in 3rd grade, it's going to be another 4-5 years before we get there. Is it worth it to learn now? Will I forget a lot between now and then?

 

Any other ideas for me? My major was math, so that won't be an issue. I think grammar comes fairly naturally to me, so I'm not worried about that either. As far as literature, I have the book "Invitation to the Classics" by Os Guiness, etc, which will be a good jumping-off place.

 

Oh yeah, and I want to be a better writer. I think I have pretty good ideas, but I have trouble expressing them well. Is there anything out there that you would recommend for teaching an old mom to write better? LOL. I really like the idea of the progym, but I've got be realistic about what I'd really follow through on. I also can't spend a ton of money right now.

 

Thanks for any ideas!

[SonshineLearner]

If you have time and dedication, you could start with Latina Christiana I and II and learn them before you start your children. My mom has taught these to my older children and is now teaching them Henle I(with Memoria Press' Henle guide). She's found that she needs to stay farther than they are. It really helps to cement your English grammar and may very well help you decide which direction you want to take with English Grammar as you teach it.

Carrie:-)

[lionfamily1999]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/618/01/

 

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_a.htm

 

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature.html

 

These are all links we used in my American Lit. class this semester. The articles that will pop up are mostly on analyzing literature, but there's a lot of info on those sites.

 

I would recommend a college lit. book, we used the "Concise Anthology of American Literature," only because they include historical info and everything before the stories.

 

You could also check out a local community college and see if they offer online classes.

 

As for Latin, order the stuff you plan on using with dc and use those to teach yourself. :)

[Nan in Mass]

I wish I had read Hewitt's Conceptual Physics. It isn't just physics; it answers questions like why the sky is blue and what causes the tides, too. I also wish I'd read more natural history when my children were little. There are lots of fun books for this. And I wish I'd improved my French earlier, so I could have started speaking it to my children earlier, and reading them stories. That is the easy way to learn a foreign language, but it requires some fluency on the mother's part GRIN. I also wish I'd read the information on music education, Orff and Kodally especially, and learned it myself so I could teach it.

[latinteach]

I would like to suggest that you consider, in addition to SWB's History of the Ancients, that you consider getting copies of her "Well Educated Mind" (about Classical Self Education) and Drew Campbell's "Latin Centered Curriculum, Second Edition."

 

"The Well Educated Mind" has a lot of wonderful suggestions and reading lists. "The Latin Centered Curriculum" is also well-worth reading (it's short and to the point) because you may just find, depending on the Latin curriculum you choose for yourself, that you can learn Latin at the same time that you are catching up on some history, art, grammar, literature, etc. While you might consider working through some of the elementary Latin textbooks intended for 3-6th graders, you might actually find that you would prefer a program for the secondary or university level that isn't just straight memorization of forms, but centered around learning the language as part of Classical history and culture.

 

You might also consider working through a very elementary textbook like Latin for Children or Latina Christiana, then pick up with Wheelocks or Lingua Latina or Latin for the New Millennium.

 

I've decided to take advice I've found around here and start putting my research energies into self-education. I got SWB's new History of the Ancients a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about halfway through. I'm loving it. My history background is pretty weak, so history is definitely a priority. I want to get into more classic lit as well, but I want to understand the historical context better first. After I'm done with the Ancients, I'm wondering if I should just read through SOTW (starting with the second, obviously), and then fill in more details as her high school level books come out.

 

Also, I'm considering learning some Latin, since so many have mentioned that they wish that they had when their children were younger. I'm wondering if it's a little early, though. Assuming I'd start teaching Latin when my oldest is in 3rd grade, it's going to be another 4-5 years before we get there. Is it worth it to learn now? Will I forget a lot between now and then?

Edited December 20, 2008 by latinteach

[squirtymomma]

I wish I had read Hewitt's Conceptual Physics. It isn't just physics; it answers questions like why the sky is blue and what causes the tides, too. I also wish I'd read more natural history when my children were little. There are lots of fun books for this. And I wish I'd improved my French earlier, so I could have started speaking it to my children earlier, and reading them stories. That is the easy way to learn a foreign language, but it requires some fluency on the mother's part GRIN. I also wish I'd read the information on music education, Orff and Kodally especially, and learned it myself so I could teach it.

 

I actually have Hewitt's Conceptual Physics because I took two semesters of Conceptual Physics in college. I'll have to get them out. Also, I teach Musikgarten classes, which draw from Orff/Kodally/Gordon/etc. So, my kids learn rhythmic and tonal patterns, and we sing and listen to music all the time. My 3.5 yr old probably has a repertoire of 100 songs that she knows.

 

Do you think it would be better for me to brush up on a modern language, so I can speak it to my kids now, or to work on Latin?

 

I would like to suggest that you consider, in addition to SWB's History of the Ancients, that you consider getting copies of her "Well Educated Mind" (about Classical Self Education) and Drew Campbell's "Latin Centered Curriculum, Second Edition."

 

"The Well Educated Mind" has a lot of wonderful suggestions and reading lists. "The Latin Centered Curriculum" is also well-worth reading (it's short and to the point) because you may just find, depending on the Latin curriculum you choose for yourself, that you can learn Latin at the same time that you are catching up on some history, art, grammar, literature, etc. While you might consider working through some of the elementary Latin textbooks intended for 3-6th graders, you might actually find that you would prefer a program for the secondary or university level that isn't just straight memorization of forms, but centered around learning the language as part of Classical history and culture.

 

You might also consider working through a very elementary textbook like Latin for Children or Latina Christiana, then pick up with Wheelocks or Lingua Latina or Latin for the New Millennium.

 

I do plan on checking out TWEM from our library to get more ideas... thanks. Would Drew Campbell's book likely be at the library, or is there another I might find there about LCC? I'm not sure what I think of it yet.

 

I was considering getting Lingua Latina with the College Guide (I think it's called... that explains the grammar) to teach myself. I thought that might be a style I would be more likely to stick with. Do you recommend it for someone with no background in Latin? I do like the idea of eventually being able to read classics in Latin, and it looks like LL could get me there.

[latinteach]

I do plan on checking out TWEM from our library to get more ideas... thanks. Would Drew Campbell's book likely be at the library, or is there another I might find there about LCC? I'm not sure what I think of it yet.

 

See his webpage, which has a lot of articles:

http://www.latincentered.com/

 

I was considering getting Lingua Latina with the College Guide (I think it's called... that explains the grammar) to teach myself. I thought that might be a style I would be more likely to stick with. Do you recommend it for someone with no background in Latin? I do like the idea of eventually being able to read classics in Latin, and it looks like LL could get me there.

 

The College Companion was written by a university professor who found that her students really wanted to have a commentary in English. You'll find it very helpful.

[Nan in Mass]

I would do the modern language now, and save the Latin for later. Yes, it is nice to know Latin when your children start learning it, but they go slowly when they are young and you will probably be able to keep up fine. If I were doing Latin just for me, I would do Lingua Latina. That is definately more my style of language-learning. I envy you your music background. : )

[MotherLode]

I've decided to take advice I've found around here and start putting my research energies into self-education. I got SWB's new History of the Ancients a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about halfway through. I'm loving it. My history background is pretty weak, so history is definitely a priority. I want to get into more classic lit as well, but I want to understand the historical context better first. After I'm done with the Ancients, I'm wondering if I should just read through SOTW (starting with the second, obviously), and then fill in more details as her high school level books come out.

 

Also, I'm considering learning some Latin, since so many have mentioned that they wish that they had when their children were younger. I'm wondering if it's a little early, though. Assuming I'd start teaching Latin when my oldest is in 3rd grade, it's going to be another 4-5 years before we get there. Is it worth it to learn now? Will I forget a lot between now and then?

 

Any other ideas for me? My major was math, so that won't be an issue. I think grammar comes fairly naturally to me, so I'm not worried about that either. As far as literature, I have the book "Invitation to the Classics" by Os Guiness, etc, which will be a good jumping-off place.

 

Oh yeah, and I want to be a better writer. I think I have pretty good ideas, but I have trouble expressing them well. Is there anything out there that you would recommend for teaching an old mom to write better? LOL. I really like the idea of the progym, but I've got be realistic about what I'd really follow through on. I also can't spend a ton of money right now.

 

Thanks for any ideas!

 

Squirty, it's wonderful that you have decided to improve upon your own education!

 

While your children are young, I'd recommend reading Never Too Early (Claggett), and considering what materials you want to expose your little ones to. I was very picky about the books for the children. For instance, I didn't want anything that put down dad, mom, or other elders (this is a very common attitude in entertainment media, both print and video). Think through what you believe and why, and keep your eyes open for teach these value, as well as educational materials that entertain...and entertaining materials that educate!

 

While your babes are watching you learn, they will want to, too! Our dd, who was home with daddy during the day as a tot, is a voracious reader, because she saw him reading all the time. Our ds, was home with me, and his interest follow more closely to mine. It's nature, and nurture!

 

If you are planning to home school nearly all materials provide more than sufficient explanations (teacher's scripting). If you don't know something, they won't know you don't know it! You'll find yourself learning (or re-learning) the material as you teach it them!

 

Children have bright eager minds waiting to be filled, so fill them thoughtfully and with care! Embrace these early tender years of education - they are a blast!

 

ML

 

OH YES...Latin! There are some good Latin materials for young children. Not as young as yours, but 3rd grade and on. You don't need to know Latin to teach it, and you can learn it while they are. I had Latin in 9th & 10th gr in government school. It has helped a wee bit, but the materials have done the most! Latin Primers 1-3 (Mars Hill) and Prima Latin (Memoria) both have high recommendations. I get the impression that Mars Hill takes the language further than Memoria. Both are primers and focus on the basics, which will prep (all of) you for a regular Latin course and translations. And it will make teaching English so easy! Here too, think through what you want them to translate - church materials or Roman battles or a combination of the two? (Church materials are far easier than the battles, although the battles are exciting!) And you'll have years to cover them all. Latin is a course like Math...it will be part of your core lessons!

Edited December 27, 2008 by MotherLode

[Moni]

Latin...Is it worth it to learn now?

No.

I would wait.

If you are going to start with a student below 9th grade, you will still be able to learn a lot more quickly then they will. If you start with a single-digit-aged student, you will learn a lot more quickly than they do so you don't need to "learn ahead" of them. You will recognize a lot of the Latin vocab because you already know the English derivative word, but the student won't know either and will have to memorize both.

 

 

Will I forget a lot between now and then

Yep.

:-)

 

 

:seeya:

[Beth in SW WA]

Is it worth it to learn now? Will I forget a lot between now and then?

 

 

Non-Latin mom here...:)

 

I don't know Latin but thankfully we have great online options. With precious free time I'm working on history/lit. I'll leave Latin to Mr. Spotts at TPS.

[laughing lioness]

I would suggest IEW if you want to improve your writing. Start with TWSS and go through the DVD's with workbook in hand. It might seem spendy upfront but it contains years worth of material and if you consider that it's really the only writing program you or your kids will ever need it's very cost effective.