latn002 description 2018s - haverford...

Course Description

Last semester you acquired the fundamental elements of Latin: its structure, behaviors, core vocabulary, and essential forms. This semester you will complete your tour of the elements of the language while cultivating your the ability to read and understand even more complex (and interesting!) thoughts and ideas. We will, of course, continue to learn about the Romans and their linguistic heirs as we deepen our experience with Latin.

Our primary readings this semester will remain in Latin: the continuing tale of Quintus Horatius Flaccus or Horace, the son of a freed slave who became one of the most brilliant, beloved, and influential Latin poets. We will also encounter with increasing frequency Latin from other early masters, including Caesar, Cicero, Vergil, and Ovid, as well works from the vast reservoir of Latin texts from the medieval and early modern eras. We will explore the language of those of lesser renown that survives on the wall and tombstone, and in the political slogan, the love poem, and the quotidian life of a culture both strangely familiar and refreshingly exotic.

The course has five formal meetings per week, during which we will review recent encounters with Latin, discover new aspects of the language, and delve into Latin literature and culture though a farrago of group reading, discussion, and other activities. Now that you are

Prerequisites: The completion of LATN001 or equivalent. Students with other experiences must secure

permission to enroll in the course.

Course goals

Course information Magister: Bret Mulligan Conclave: Hall 107 Horae: MWF 9:30–10:30, TR 9–10

Inscriptio-E: [email protected] Studiolum: Hall 109 Horae in Studiolo: TBA, schedule @ bit.ly/mulligan-officehour

http://iris.haverford.edu/scrinium/ hosts detailed daily assignments, supplementary materials, and resources. Daily assignments are available on a page titled FASTI (“calendar”).

ADIUTORES OR TAs

Reinforce your mastery of the essential elements of Latin by reading, pronouncing, and composing Latin sentences of increasing complexity in thought and structure.

Refine strategies to comprehend Latin as a brilliantly rich and nuanced language, rather than as a code to be deciphered.

Cultivate a basic working vocabulary of almost 900 Latin words.

Cultivate a knowledge of the most important aspects of advanced Latin syntax and the ability to identify these in action.

Understand and explain the historical, social, and cultural context in which the Latin language developed and flourished.

Gain a familiarity with vitally important authors, genres, and events in Roman literature and history.

VERE MMXVIII LATN002: SCHOLA SECUNDA AD LATINITATEM DISCENDAM

LATN002: SCHOLA SECUNDA AD LATINITATEM DISCENDAM VERE MMXVIII

Mary Sweeney ([email protected]) will continue to be involved in class activities in various ways. Sh will also hold regular help sessions in person and on the Latin channel (#taberna) on Slack (bit.ly/slackclassics).

Oxford Latin Course, College Edition (2 vols. 978-0199862962, 9780199862979; $49.95), which consists of:

Grammar, Exercises, Context (GEC) & Readings and Vocabulary (RAV)

Civis Romanus: a Reader for the the First Two Years of Latin (978-0865165694. $28.00).

A Commentāriī Periodicī, i.e. a large notebook with document pockets; e.g. a Haverford College 3 Subject Notebook ($5.49). But chose a notebook that is durable and pleasant to write in for the long haul.

Notecards (of some sort), a folder or binder (of some sort), and at least two colors of pens or pencils.

Nota bene: purchase physical copies of the books. They are worth the investment, as you cannot annotate the digital copies.

I and Haverford College are committed to supporting the learning process for all students. There are also many resources on campus available to you, including the Office of Academic Resources and the Office of Access and Disability Services. If you think you may need accommodations because of a disability, please contact Sherrie Borowsky, Coordinator of Accommodations, Office of Access and Disability Services at [email protected]. If you have already been approved to receive academic accommodations and would like to request accommodations in this course because of a disability, please meet with me privately at the beginning of the semester (ideally within the first two weeks) with your verification letter.

Having difficulties? Interested in discussing something further? Concerned, perplexed, or otherwise vexed? My door is always open and I am happy to discuss any topic or concern during my office hours — whether particular to the course, Classics, or the human condition. If you need assistance “after hours” feel free to email me. I will always endeavor to respond within 24 hours. You should also avail yourself of the help that your peers in the class and TAs can provide (in person or via the #taberna channel on Slack).

Learning a language rewards your willingness to discover and consider new material carefully and diligently. Like Nietschze’s philology, learning a language is,

“that venerable art which demands of its votaries one thing above all: to go aside, to take time, to become still, to become slow — it is a goldsmith’s art and connoisseurship of the word which has nothing but delicate, cautious work to do and achieves nothing if it does not achieve it lento. But for precisely this reason it is more necessary than ever today, by precisely this means does it entice and enchant us the most, in the midst of an age of “work,” that is to say, of hurry, of indecent and perspiring haste, which wants to “get everything done” at once, including every old or new book: this art does not so easily get anything done, it teaches to read well, that is to say, to read slowly, deeply, looking cautiously before and aft, with reservations, with doors left open, with delicate eyes and fingers.” — Daybreak (1886)

So I exhort you: do not work to “get everything done” but read “with delicate eyes and fingers”. Indulge in the awakening of your knowledge of and your curiosity for new linguistic and cultural worlds.

Welcome to LATN002: Schola secunda ad latinitatem discendam!

REQUIRED BOOKS AND MATERIALS

ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES

OFFICE HOURS AND CONTACTING ME

PHILOSOPHICAL PROLOGUE, OR THE PROCESS AND A POINT OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

PAGINA !II


This course will likely be unlike other courses you are taking this year: it is a year-long course (although you can only take one semester); it meets every day (so we and Latin will be spending a lot of time together); it’s a course in which you have the chance to discover Latin, which means it will be amazing.

Before we delve into any details, here are VII res you need to know about the course:

I. I want you to be successful in the class. You’ve decided that you want to learn Latin. I want what you want! (volo quod vis!) My job is to help you learn and develop a deep understanding of Latin, a powerful language that I love. I invite you to come speak with me at any time about the course and your progress in it.

II. I invite you to be actively engaged in your learning. You will learn a language, when you do that language by reading it, by hearing it, and by producing it. I encourage you to work actively and to contribute to the efforts of your classmates (socii). We’ll be cultivating your mastery of Latin through a range of activities. Many of these will focus on a challenge: your mission is to embrace the challenge and ask those questions — of me, of the TAs, of your socii, of other experienced Latinists in the BiCo community — that will help you grow and understand.

III. The sine qua non for success is through Preparation before coming to class. To participate in our in-class activities and therefore have the foundation for the other work we do in the class, you need to prepare and prepare consistantly and well. Just as running a marathon requires training, so too learning. Embrace your Guided Practice (pensa).

IV. Learning is better with a friend. Since, language is communication and best when shared as a convivial and communal activity, I encourage you to work in pairs or small groups to share insights and help one another through challenges. Work together in person or hang out on Slack as your learn Latin. The single most durable indicator of success and enjoyment in learning Latin (and most things) is experiencing it with a friend.

V. This course uses specification grading. In our system, you can chose the grade you want by successfully completing activities that are evaluated on a high-standards satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis using detailed checklists of requirements and expectations. The idea is to give you a nurturing environment in which to take intellectual chances and make mistakes and then to learn from your mistakes — rather than using those mistakes as the basis of your evaluation. In this system, you won’t have to fret whether some minute fluctuation in your average spells the difference between a B+ and an A-. You can remain entirely focused on the process and joys of learning.

VI. You will have opportunities to demonstrate mastery repeatedly on each objective throughout the semester. Before your work is evaluated, you will have the opportunity to master words and concepts rather than just getting things half-right so as to hustle onto the next task. Because the goal is learning, you’ll have opportunities to revise assignments in case you don’t complete them successfully on your first attempt.

VII. You may ask a question about anything at any time, especially in office hours. Mastering Latin is possible: hundreds and hundreds of millions of people have done it, few of them as clever as you. But it won’t always be easy, and at points you will become confused and flummoxed and vexed. This is part of the learning process — it’s a sign that you are pushing the boundaries of what your mind understands — so don’t panic. Instead, seek out help. Ask a question in class, talk to one of the TAs, or come see me. If you cannot make my posted office hours, you can always schedule an appointment and I will prioritize my time to meet you.

MEMENTO: I WANT YOU TO BE ACTIVE; I WANT YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS AND LEARN DEEPLY; AND I WANT YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL. YOU CAN ONLY BE THE LATTER IF YOU EMBRACE THE FORMER.

PAGINA !III


Evaluation of most activities in this course uses the specifications-grading method. In a traditional course, everyone completes the same assignments to receive percentage grades that indicate how close they came to a mysterious standard of perfection, with the final course grade calculated by an alchemical (and somewhat arbitrarily) weighted aggregate of all graded assignments. In a specifications-grading class all assignments are evaluated on a high-standards satisfactory / incomplete basis using detailed checklists of requirements and expectations. Final grades are earned by the successful completion of a certain number and kind of activities.

You might choose to wade into the course content and skills by gaining a familiarity with Latin via the C-level requirements. You might want to take things further and swim around by additionally completing the B-level requirements. Or you might go the distance and dive right in with the A-level challenge. Regardless of your path, I am here to help. The choice is yours!

A specifications-grading system focuses on what you have done and done well during the class in pursuit of the goals shared by everyone in the class. All assignments are evaluated on a high-standards satisfactory / incomplete basis (or since this is Latin: satis / inops) using detailed checklists that specify (get it?) exactly what the assignment aims to accomplish and what you need to do to meet that goal.

Specification-grading builds on well-documented links between high expectations and student success, allows you more choice, and is closer to the kinds of real-world experiences that life entails (think of a driver’s test, or the bar exam, or an office project). Specification-grading creates a safe but challenging environment in which you can thrive, because each assignment is assessed satis / inops, and the requirements for a satis are always clearly delineated. It will be easy for you to tell whether your work is complete, done in good faith, and consistent with expectations and the purpose of the activity.

Effective contribution requires thorough preparation of assigned material and the consistent, enthusiastic attempt to share your work, ideas, and insights with the other members of the class. Much of your contribution will take place during our scheduled class sessions; but I encourage you to think of other venues in which you can contribute to the mutual education of your fellow students (and professor). It goes without saying (praeteritio!) that you must be respectful of your classmates at all times in class. Avoid disrupting your classmates by leaving mid-class or by noisily noshing on food (drinking is fine... but not the hard stuff).

When in class, be fully in class: do not use electronic devices unless their use is part of our joint activities.

A full rubric that we will use when evaluating your class contribution is available on-line.

Over the semester you will build a personal Latin Portfolio or Commentāriī Periodicī (CP), full of the work large and small that you’ve perfected, your notes, my feedback, and more. Your CP will help you:

I. Keep your notes, in-class activities, pensa (see below), and my feedback organized and easily accessible for review and recursive activities.

II. Foster a habit of review to identify your successes and challenges in comprehending the material.

III. Allow me to provide regular, cumulative feedback on your work and your progress in the course, after you have had the opportunity to master material.

What goes in the CP? Put everything related to Latin in the CP including class notes, in-class activities, daily exercises, drafts of projects. That way, you’ll have everything in one place whenever you are doing Latin. Your CP should be devoted solely to Latin.

EVALUATION

CONTRIBUTION & DECORUM, OR WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO

COMMENTARII PERIODICI (“JOURNAL” OR “NOTEBOOK”), OR THE SOIL OF YOUR LATIN GARDEN

PAGINA !IV


What happens to the CP? Every two weeks, the FASTI will prompt you to submit your CP for a “Checkup.” Since you will be using your CP for reading notes, class notes, in-class activities and other miscellany, your CP will include a veritable lanx satura (“a dish with various foods”) but to successfully complete a CP Checkup you must successfully complete two elements:

have fully and completely reviewed and revised each of your pensa or daily activities so that they are (virtually) free from error.

appended a two paragraph reflection in which you: ☐ Identify a concept you are comfortable with; a concept you are struggling with; and a concept that you struggled with earlier but feel more comfortable with now. ☐Answer an additional prompt, posted in the FASTI on, e.g., your study habits, approach to the course, interests, etc.

To master Latin you must learn the words that a master of Latin uses to describe the world. At regular intervals as we move through our textbook you will encounter new sets of words to master. To help you do so you must complete the following activities:

On Cerego, our course memory app, begin cultivating all of the vocabulary for a chapter on (or before) the day it appears in the FASTI. You can join the Cerego class at: https://cerego.com/join/bret-mulligan/scrinium

Review and maintain your memories conscientiously by reviewing when prompted and not allowing your memories to languish for more than 24 hours. Nota bene: If your memories languish, Cerego will notify me.

After you have learned and solidified your vocabulary for a chapter (i.e. attained an average of level 1.7 for the set), demonstrate your mastery by completing a self-scheduled vocabulary quiz on-line.

After you have passed your quiz, continue to maintain your memories in Cerego’s “Good for Now” zone.

To master Latin you must use the language by reading and by creating in the language. Every day we will undertake activities to help you to discover new aspects of Latin, to gain understanding of the language, and to strengthen your abilities through review. To successfully complete your Guided Practice activities you must:

Complete in your Commentāriī Periodicī to the best of your abilities before the start of class all activities in the pensum assigned on the FASTI for that class:

Start your new pensum should at the top of a page in your CP. ☐Clearly label the pensum (e.g. Pensum 4.5 11/4”). ☐Leave a margin at the top, sides, and bottom of every page for comments.

Nota bene: pensa must be completed before the start of the class. Because we will often review a pensum in class, if you have not completed it before class you will be unable to participate in the activity. To do so would result in you claiming work that was not your own, i.e. plagiarism. Thus, in addition to damaging your learning of Latin and diminishing the value of class for your classmates, you will be violating the Honor Code.

(…”Eheu! That sounds serious!” “It is.” “But what if I’m sick or overwhelmed and I can’t complete a pensum… am I doomed?” “Minimē (“of course not”). The time will come when you haven’t completed a pensum. When that happens, you can use a tabella, a mechanism we will use to give you more flexibility and choice in the course (see, Tabellae, below).

When you arrive in class and have have made yourself comfortable, take out your CP and leave it open on your table so that I can verify that you have done the pensum to the best of your abilities before class.

As we review, revise your pensum, making improvements, adding notes or questions. Use a different color pen so that you (and I) can clearly see your initial errors and how you corrected them. Continue to revisit the exercise until it is correct. By the time I collect your CP for a “Checkup” it should be (nearly) perfect.

VERBA IPSA (“THE WORDS THEMSELVES”) OR SOWING THE SEEDS FOR YOUR NEW LATIN HARVEST

PENSA (“ALLOTMENTS”) OR CULTIVATING YOUR LATIN GARDEN VIA GUIDED PRACTICE

PAGINA !V


Nota bene: When you arrive in class, your pensum should be done to the best of your ability; but since we will often be diving in with exercises on new and challenging material, you will make mistakes — that is a natural and necessary part of the learning process. But you must correct your mistakes; otherwise you will not learn. You will use a different color pen to correct mistakes so as to preserve a record of your learning. Memento: the purpose of class activities is, always, to learn. Being correct is a worthy ultimate goal but it is not the purpose of an activity: learning is always the purpose.

To provide feedback about your knowledge of specific attributes of Latin and the Roman culture than informs it, we will have frequent quizzes of various kinds. These might be cumulative, covering all material with special focus on the last week or so (a probatio) or short, focused on a single concept or even word (a probatuncula). To complete a quiz satisfactorily, you must:

achieve a grade of 90%. ☐ if your grade is less than 90%, revise the quiz within two days for ½ credit

for the revised answers.

if revising, attach a point-by-point reflection detailing what you misunderstood and why for every error, as well as a “wrapper” that summarizes the kinds of errors and outlines a plan to prevent them in the future.

Because you can revise for ½ credit, you must receive a 80% to revise for credit (or else use a tabella).

Since activities in a language course are cumulative, it is through diligence that you will be successful. You should be consistently reviewing and revisiting your work. It could be said that you know your preparation is sufficient if you do not need to alter your routine to study for a quiz.

Throughout the semester, you’ll be working individually and with classmates (sociī) on Latin acta — these may take the form of a presentation on a Latin author or text, a Latin composition (e.g. translating your favorite contemporary song or children’s book), producing a review activity for the class, staging a Latin performance, identifying the Latin substrate of a passage of English, reporting on a Classics lecture or a trip to a museum or Classical performance, other acta of your own design—and more. Some will be composed in Latin; others may be in English in the form of a presentation or report. They might be a story or a meme or a video. Complete specifications for individual acta will provided.

The high standard for completing activities means that you might need some flexibility a few times this semester to complete your best quality work. This is provided in the form of tabellae, five of which you have at the beginning of the semester. You can use to resubmit an unsuccessful assignment, secure a 24-hour extension, excuse an absence, or secure a pass day in which you did not complete your pensum or are otherwise not able to participate at your best. You may also acquire additional tabellae by (1) performing and documenting an act of public Classics or (2) making a contribution to the learning of your peers (e.g. making a review sheet, an activity, etc.). Other opportunities for acquiring tabellae may appear as the semester unfolds.

PROBATIONES & PROBATUNCULAE (“QUIZZES AND QUIZLETS”) OR SHOWING YOUR PRODUCE AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT (THIS METAPHOR IS GETTING AWAY FROM ME)

ACTA (“ACHIEVEMENTS”) OR CONTRIBUTING TO A MULTIMILLENNIAL CONVERSATION

TABELLAE (”tokens”) or WHY YOU WILL NEVER NEED TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION)

PAGINA !VI


Your final grade in this course is earned by the successful completion of a certain number and kind of activities. In keeping with our subject, your path has been modeled on expansion of the Roman polity from city to empire.

To Establish the Latin League (i.e. earn a 1.0) by the end of this course, you must successfully complete:

a well-organized CP ☐all pensa but nine

all Verba Ipsa activities but seven ☐all probatunculae but nine

all probationes but three

To integrate italy (earn a 2.0), you must successfully complete:

All classes but 5 classes ☐all pensa but seven

all Verba Ipsa activities but five ☐ all probationes but two

all probatunculae but seven ☐at least two acta

To make the mediterranean mare nostrum (earn a 3.0), you must complete successfully:

an adequate contribution to the class throughout the semester

all pensa but five ☐all CP Checkups but one

all Verba Ipsa activities but three ☐all probationes but one

all probatunculae but five ☐at least three acta, including one review activity

the self-scheduled final probatio (revision allowed)

To secure the Danube frontier (earn a 3.3), you must successfully complete:

a good contribution to the class throughout the semester

all CP Checkups ☐all pensa but three

all Verba Ipsa activities but one ☐all probatunculae but three

at least four acta ☐the self-scheduled final probatio (revision allowed)

To be hailed as imperator (earn a 3.7), you must successfully complete:

all pensa but one ☐all Verba Ipsa activities

all probationes ☐at least five acta, including ORALiTea XIII

To establish an imperium sine fine (earn a 4.0), you must successfully complete:

an outstanding contribution to the class throughout the semester

all pensa ☐all probatunculae

at least six acta, including one of your design ☐the self-scheduled final probatio (without revision)

If you complete all the elements of one of the first two levels and one more from the next level, you earn the grade of the completed level +0.3. If you complete all but one of the elements in the first three levels you earn that grade -0.3.

If you cannot Establish the Latin League by the end of the course (i.e. earn a 1.0), you’re experiment with Latin never truly took off and will receive a 0.0.

NOTA ULTIMA OR FINAL GRADE

PAGINA !VII


I want you to be successful in the course and will endeavor to make sure you always have a clear path to success. All of you have already learned (at least) one language: and that language, English, is a monster. Latin will be a stroll in the hortum (“garden”) by comparison. But I cannot walk that garden path for you! There are many steps on the path towards mastering this wonderful language, some more challenging than others. Therefore, here is a synopsis of advice from previous students who have trod the path that you are undertaking:

I. Prepare diligently outside of class and come to class ready to learn Ad astra per aspera

Carefully and diligently prepare pensa for the every class meeting. Endeavor to master core concepts as soon as possible. You should anticipate (and plan) to spend an hour plus on Latin every day outside of class.

Pensa must be completed before the start of the class. If you are doing preparatory work for class in class have you prepared for class? Minimē (“nope”).

II. Learn with allies Sociī sunt optimī

I strongly encourage you to collaborate with other students on pensa and any practice activities given in class. Unless I explicitly say otherwise, assume that you can and should work with your sociī.

III. Come to class Absentēs erudīrī nōn possunt

Language is communication. Since you cannot communicate unless you are fully present (in corpore et animō), attendance is the sine quā nōn of learning a language.

IV. When in class, be engaged and active in your learning. compos mentis Make effective use of the class environment to ask questions of your friends and me, and seek help where you need it and give help to others. When in class, be fully in class: do not use electronic devices unless their use is part of our joint activities.

V. Also be engaged and active in your learning after class Repetitiō est mater studiōrum

Effective learning requires revisiting material; this is especially true when learning a language, as everything builds from what you have previously mastered. “Post-pare” what we discussed in class every day.

Come to office hours or contact me or a TA when you have a question about anything.

VI. Adopt a “growth mindset” for your intellectual development. anima sana in corpore sanō

According to the psychologist Carol Dweck, people with a “fixed mindset” believe their basic qualities such as intelligence or memory or language skill are fixed quantities. Those with a “growth mindset” know that these basic qualities can be improved through dedication and hard work, and when they fail at something, they take it as a learning opportunity and get better by learning from their mistakes. You are in college to grow. Grow!

VII. Practice self-regulated learning. non scholae sed vitae

Be aware at all times of what you are supposed to be learning. Pay attention not only to what you are learning but how you are learning it. Instructors can help you learn but learning can only be done by you.

When you work, work purposefully on activities that show where your learning is in relationship to the learning objectives for the course. Some of these activities are ones that you take on yourself.

Take initiative to seek help or discover activities that will close the gap between your abilities and goals.

VIII. Vivify Latin. Learning a language is easier the more senses you engage. Read everything out-loud. Recordings of the vocabulary and passages from our textbook are available on-line. Be creative: color-code your notecards; associate paradigms and vocabulary with objects in your environment. If your Latin remains confined to the workbook, textbook, and notebook, you will render the (enjoyable) challenge of learning a language more difficult and less fun.

SALUTATORY ADVICE, OR HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN CULTIVATING YOUR LATINITY

PAGINA !VIII

latn002 description 2018s - haverford...

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