Blogging to teach Latin: a Success Story

[Andrew Reinhard]

For those of you who subscribe to the Latinteach discussion list, you have been treated to real eLearning in action in a high school Latin classroom, specifically Latin 3 (AP Catullus). The teacher is Robert Patrick (aka Magister Patricius), and his blog, Carmina Catulli, is used by his students to reflect on the Catullus poems presented in class, not only on the grammar, but going deeper into the construction of each poem and how the writing supports the overall theme and meaning. It's this kind of synthesis that produces lifelong Latin readers instead of Latin students who cram and regurgitate. Granted, a solid Latin foundation must be built to get to the point where one is able to read and interpret (and thus able to answer Magister Patricius' questions), but this school appears to have it right.

The blog is employed as a supplement to classroom instruction, encourages dialogue and active participation, and draws both students and teacher together into understanding some of the greatest poetry ever put to paper. This use of technology is simple and effective, requires little in the way of technical knowledge, and has a clearly defined focus. I highly recommend that you take a look at the blog and then consider setting up one of your own (it's free) for your own classes (at any level).

I wonder if anyone else is doing something similar....