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Innovating the Classics
INNOVATING
the Classics BY BETH WATTS Chair of World Languages Latin Teacher
HUBERT WORLEY
May 2021 marked the end of a stressful year. Students and teachers had been wearing masks, wiping down desks, and staying six feet apart from each other for months. I wondered how a change in the usual end-of-the-year assignment might allow students to conclude the year invested in their learning rather than going through the motions of memorizing and reiterating information. It may seem paradoxical to talk about modern skills or innovation when teaching a classical language that hasn’t changed for centuries, but innovation is a derivative of the Latin “novus”: to make new. Innovation in teaching involves new methods that engage students and their unique passions. And even if the subject matter stays the same across the years, one aspect changes every year—the students. To meet the demands of an ever-changing class roll, a teacher can use a skills-based pedagogy to engage in self-directed learning. In fact, the Greek word for child is pais or ped, and leader is agogus, so pedagogy literally means “to lead the children,” and in Latin, a “pedagogus” was the person who accompanied the student safely to school. Therefore, good pedagogy guides students safely to a place of learning. That place is where the teacher creates student-centered activities, considers the needs of the students first, and lets the students connect with the curriculum based on their passions.
Focusing on 21st century pedagogical skills such as critical thinking and project-based learning led to amazing work: a cookbook of Roman recipes, a makeup tutorial demonstrating techniques used by Roman matrons, an original equestrian-themed fresco, an explanation of Roman curse tablets, and examples of ancient jewelry. These Latin III projects were as unique as the students who chose them. Over the course of the final nine weeks, third-year Latin students identified an aspect of Roman culture that interested them, developed a research question about that topic, and explored both secondary and primary sources to answer that question.
Students enthusiastically dove into their research. I connected students to experts to interview, helped locate journal articles, and answered hundreds of questions. But mostly I observed. Although I expected students to learn something new about Roman civilization, I didn’t anticipate the excitement and perseverance of the students, especially at the end of this long year. I observed joy as they worked and felt their passion as they presented their projects. No longer was a thirty-page article on Roman law a chore; it was an act of discovery. The student athlete explored the sports of the ancient Olympics; the future doctor could compare early medical practices to modern science. Students became experts on their topic and wanted to enthusiastically share it with others. In short, they became the teacher and I the student.
One student remarked in his reflection, “I am loving this project, and I think it lets students be a genius in their own field that they enjoy.” Another commented, “It sparked my curiosity and led me to watching lots of documentaries about ancient Rome that didn’t even help me with my project.” “Love,” “genius,” “sparked my curiosity.” I could not have planned for a better outcome— outcomes achieved through 21st century pedagogy.
Since the teaching of Classics can be innovative, every subject can. As society steadily changes around us, everyone involved in education (teachers, administrators, students, parents) can embrace cutting-edge pedagogy and welcome innovation.
