Class #31--8th Grade Latin

Thursday, January 6, 1:00 P.M. 8th Grade Latin Class. Class #31 on my “50 Classes or Bust!” marathon. Dr. Pietropaoli, or “Dr. P” for short, starts class by reminding students to bring their (fully charged) laptops to class next week, as they will be needed throughout the week in Latin. Dr. P., who studied Latin in Rome, quickly turns to the word of the day, “conspicuous,” which he discusses with the class. The students learn that “conspicuous” comes from the Latin root “conspicio,” which means “to catch sight of.” The saying of the week is “Potest ex casa magnus vir exire,” from Seneca, translated as, “A great man can come out of a little hut.” As the students open their laptops, Dr. P. projects a chart of adjectives onto the board. The class reviews how gender and number affect the spelling of the adjective in question. “The adjective always refers back to the noun, which is already set. You have to make your adjective agree with the noun.” he explains. Dr. P. explains the intricacies of declensions while calling on a wide variety of students for answers. Next, the students leave their seats and make their way to one of the three white boards in the classroom. They write one of their homework answers on the board, and then Dr. P. enthusiastically reviews the responses with the whole class. Words and phrases I have not heard since I took Latin in 8th grade are flying around the classroom, such as “nominative” and “accusative plural.” I am very impressed at how much the students know after just four months of Latin. My rust is falling off, and I am starting to remember old Latin rules, when the bell rings to end class!