Asheville Latin Seminars
Welcome to Asheville Latin Seminars, a website designed by Cole Maita. Here you'll be able to find certain homework assignments, different posts regarding the books in class as well as on other subjects of interest, reminders, notes of encouragement, helps for your home studies, and a few shambling observations.
In addition to teaching, I also do some writing. I write various columns for magazines and book reviews for the Smoky Mountain News. I have also self-published two novels - Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings - as well as a book of essays, Learning As I Go. This spring should see a fourth book published: Movies Make The Man: The Hollywood Guide to Life, Love, and Faith for Young Men. These books may be ordered on Amazon.com.
"Inveniemus viam aut viam faciemus."
--attr. to Hannibal "We will find a way or we will make a way."
Academic Calendar
Monday August 8…. Parent/student meeting at Trinity Presbyterian Church Tuition is due at this time. You will receive a reminder of this meeting in late July. Checks should be made to Asheville Latin, Inc.
Monday August 22…First day of classes
Week of November 21…Thanksgiving holiday break
Thursday December 15…Last day of classes/Christmas break
Monday January 9…Classes resume
Week of March 13…National Latin Exam
Week of March 20…Spring Break (Same as AB-Tech)
Thursday May 11…Last day of classes
AP Testing Dates:
Wednesday May 3 at 8 a.m. AP Literature
Wednesday May 10 at 8 a.m. AP Composition
Thursday May 11 at 8 a.m. AP World History
Friday May 12 at noon AP Latin
Church and Classroom Directives:
2016-2017
Jeffrey Minick
Address: 141 Cumberland Ave. #4, Asheville, NC 28801
Telephone: 828-400-8132
E-mail: ashevillelatin@charter.net
Payment: Please pay by the semester or by the year.
Inclement weather policy: Unless you hear otherwise by a general email, we will have classes.
Homework policies: Students in all classes always have homework. Students in the history and literature classes will receive a syllabus every month or so containing the upcoming assignments. Because their progress is less predictable, Latin students don’t receive a syllabus. Their homework assignments will be posted on the above blog. Students will also be assigned homework partners to call if they miss a class or lose their assignment.
Grades: Your work will be graded frequently both in and out of the classroom. Neatness and punctuality count. It is inadvisable to do written work in the car on the way to class. Complete all work by the required deadlines or suffer a lower grade. I will issue semester grades before Christmas and at the end of the year.
Grade scale:
A……..90--100
B……..80--89
C……..70--79
D……..65--69
F……..Below 65
Note: On papers written for class, an A indicates writing that is well-organized, thoughtful, and free of errors in grammar or punctuation. A paper which is weak in its arguments, which is sloppy or badly constructed, earns a B. A paper containing many grammar errors, faulty conclusions, or poor organization earns a C. The grade of D reflects a paper even more poorly written on which the student spent little time or effort. F is reserved for papers that come nowhere near the standard set for the class. (The grade of 0 is reserved for those who copy other papers or who fail to turn in their work).
Parents and grades: Please email me directly if you have any question or concerns about your student’s performance in class. I will try to answer your emails as promptly as possible.
In the case of Latin I students and 3Rs students, I will contact parents if the grades slip or the work is incomplete. Students in all other classes are responsible for keeping their parents informed about their grades.
Parents should gauge the amount of work your student does at home. You will factor this amount of work into their final grade.
Tutors: Students who need assistance may avail themselves of the services of our student tutors. These tutors are available free of charge at specified hours.
Church policies:
Please park in designated areas of the parking lot. Be vigilant in regard to others, particularly young children. Do not drive on the grass.
Drivers should park away from the front of the church.
Drivers should be particularly aware that the traffic circle near the church is hazardous. Be cautious when pulling into the traffic circle.
Treat church property with respect. Do not slide on the banisters, stand on tables, or run in the building. Ball games should be played outside.
Please enter and leave the building quietly. Use the stairwell on the office side of the building to enter the classroom.
The room adjacent to our classroom is for lunch and for breaks between classes. Please eat your lunch in this room. When classes are in session, this room is a study hall.
Important: Students should not congregate in the foyer outside the office. They should be in class, in the break room, or on the fields outside.
Classroom policies:
Be on time for class. Have the materials you need for that class out of your book bag and on the desk before class begins. If you are late for class, please enter as quietly as possible.
All students except for those in Latin will need a composition book.
All students will need a notebook.
Latin students will need note cards.
Do not pack up books before the class has ended.
Cell phones may not be used during class. This year, cell phones must be turned off during class or placed in the basket at the back of the room when the seminar is in session.
Don’t eat during class. Water bottles may be brought to class as well as drinks in non-spill containers.
Practice personal honor. Do not use work on papers or on tests that doesn’t belong to you. Don’t copy homework. This is cheating.
If you are unable to complete an assignment, bring a note from a parent stating the reason for the missed assignment.
Dress appropriately for class. If you are in doubt about your attire, glance into a mirror and ask yourself whether your nonagenarian great-grandmother might approve.
Polite behavior toward your fellow students is expected at all times.
Bring pencils, pens, notebooks, books, and enthusiasm to class.
Choosing to take Latin for a high school language requirement might seem odd to some people. I spent countless hours studying a "dead" language. I'll never be able to walk up to someone and say "Vale!" and have them know what I mean and respond in kind. But, if I had to re-do my high school education, I would once again choose Latin as the language I would study. Latin taught me more than just how to translate random sentences or passages; it taught me study skills, the nuances of the English language, and it opened my eyes to literature I wouldn't have otherwise considered.
Studying Latin was a challenge simply because of the sheer amount of information I had to learn to get a good grade. Memorization, word associations, and logic were all things that I put into practice while studying Latin. Also, before I took Latin, I had never heard of a declension or a conjugation. I already had a solid grasp on English grammar, but if you had asked me what the ablative case of a noun was, I would have looked at you like you were speaking French (or Latin!) While I already was rather aware of the rules of grammar, I now have a fuller grasp of language itself. After analyzing sentence constructions, noun usage, and those dreaded subjunctive verbs, I know a little more about how language works to put together a coherent and meaningful sentence in any language I speak or study.
But, my personal top reason that I am glad I took Latin is the literature and the culture. Ancient Rome was a fascinating place. In my Latin classes, I learned about Rome's governmental structure, religion, and, my personal favorite, literature. I was able to (and still can) translate passages from the Vulgate Bible. Because of Latin, I read the Aeneid (which I otherwise would have never picked up). I translated the Aeneid from its original Latin. I read and translated the writings of Caesar, Catullus, Vergil, and so many other famous orators, poets, and writers of prose. Without Latin I never would have picked up a book of epic poetry. I never would have considered studying Roman history, much less being able to read about it in the original language.
The reasons for taking Latin go beyond its use as a language. It offers a much more important lesson in learning—going outside the normal course of high school study and discovering what you really can learn when you put your mind to it.
Mary Kania
The Challenge of Latin
Asheville Latin Seminars
2016—2017
Registration
Name of student _____________________________________________
Age___________ Date of Birth_____________________________
Name of Parents or Guardians___________________________________
Address_______________________________________________________
(Please put full address.)
Telephone____________________________________________________
Emails_____________________________________________(Please print clearly.)
Emergency Contact With Telephone Number______________________________________________
Classes (Please indicate correct class with a check mark:
Mon. ___ Beginning Latin II ___3Rs I ____Beginning Latin I
_____AP English Language and Composition
Tues. ____Latin III ____History: Art, Literature, Philosophy ____Latin II
Weds. ___3Rs II ____Latin I ____ World At War
Thursday ___AP World History ___AP Latin ___AP Literature
N.B.: You must check the underscored line appearing before the course to be properly registered for the seminar. If you check the wrong line, you risk being bumped from the class you want.
2016—2017 Class Schedule
Monday
9:00—9:50 Beginning Latin II
10:00—11:30 3Rs I
11:50—12:40 Beginning Latin I
1:00—2:50 AP Language and Composition (class ends at 2:50)
Tuesday
9:00—10:50 Latin III
11:15—1:05 World History: Art, Literature, and Philosophy
1:15—3:05 Latin II
Wednesday
9:00—10:50 3Rs II
11:15—1:05 Latin I
1:15—3:05 World History: Art, Literature, and Philosophy
Thursday
9:00—10:50 AP World History
11:15—1:05 AP Latin
1:15—3:05 AP English Literature
Cost per class per semester:
Beginning Latin I and II….$125
3Rs I…….$175
All other classes…$225
Brief notes on each course:
The Beginning Latin courses are appropriate for grade school and early middle school students.
The Latin courses are for high school. (I’ve had middle school students successfully complete Latin I.)
The 3Rs courses are aimed at upper elementary and middle school students through ninth grade.
I’ve changed my history curriculum this year.
World History: Art, Literature, and Philosophy will focus on these subjects and their roles in history. The course will center on European history, but we will visit other parts of the world as well.
World At War: History and Literature is a military history course. We’ll touch on other areas of the world, but will focus on European and American military history.
The Advanced Placement courses aim at preparing students for the AP exams in May.
Book List: 2016-2017
Notes on the book list:
Please order books marked with an asterisk by the ISBN. This is the number following the title and author or editor of the book.
Please note the summer assignments at the end of each reading list.
AP English Literature and Composition
*Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama 6th edition (978-0673525093)
*5 Steps to a 5 (978-0071846288)
*Keys To Great Writing (978-1-58297-492-7)
*How to Read Literature Like a Professor (978-0-06-00942-7)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (any complete edition)
*So We Read On by Maureen Corrigan (978-0316230063)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (any complete edition)
The Power and the Glory By Graham Greene (any complete edition)
The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne (Book provided in class)
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (Book provided in class)
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (any edition)
*Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe (978-0743297318)
Plays and poetry in Literature textbook
Summer reading assignment: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
AP English Language and Composition
*Barron’s AP English Language and Composition, 6th Edition (978-1438004969)
*Keys To Great Writing (978-1-58297-492-7)
A Curmudgeon’s Guide to Getting Ahead by Charles Murray (any edition)
*The Bedford Reader, Tenth Edition by X.J. Kennedy and others (978-0-312-66779-5)
An Education For Our Time by Josiah Bunting (any edition)
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard P. Feynman (any edition)
West With The Night by Beryl Markham (any edition)
American Essays (Provided in class)
Sports Essays (Provided in class)
The Writer’s Workshop (Provided in class)
With Love and Prayers (Provided in class)
Summer reading assignment: Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard P. Feynman
3Rs I
Writer’s Inc. (provided in class)
*Harp and Laurel Wreath edited by Laura Berquist (ISBN 0-89870-716-1)
*Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus (978-1118785560)
The Bible (King James or RSV recommended)
Gift of the Magi (0-486-27061-0)
Importance of Being Earnest (provided in class)
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and A Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall (any edition)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (any edition)
Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison by Lois Lenski (any edition)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (provided in class)
Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (provided in class)
Summer reading assignment: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
3Rs II
Writer’s Inc. (provided in class)
*Harp and Laurel Wreath edited by Laura Berquist (ISBN 0-89870-716-1)
*Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus (978-1118785560) Note: If you used a different edition of this book in 3Rs I, you may continue to use that edition.
The Bible (King James or RSV recommended)
The Princess Bride (provided in class)
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (provided in class)
*Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (978-0743482776)
*War Stories by Paul Dowswell (ISBN 978-0794514990)
To Kill A Mockingbird (any complete edition)
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology (provided in class)
Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis: any complete edition)
Old Man and the Boy by Robert Ruark (any editon)
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (any edition)
Summer reading assignment: The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
History: Art, Literature, and Philosophy
*The Complete Idiot’s Guide to World History, 2nd Edition (978-1615641482)
The Bible
Antigone (Provided in class)
Phaedo (Provided in class)
Paris (Provided in class)
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (any edition)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (any edition)
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (any edition)
Heart of Darkness (Provided in class)
West With The Night by Beryl Markham (any edition)
With Love and Prayers (Provided in class)
The Aeneid (0553210416)
-
*Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (978-0743482745)
Various online sources for poetry and history
Summer reading assignment: The Books of Genesis and Exodus from The Old Testament. Read these two books as you would read a story. I suggest using a translation like the King James or the RSV.
AP World History (Literature component included)
Cracking the AP: World History Exam: Princeton Review (Wait for the 2017 edition)
*Global History (AMSCO) (ISBN 1-56765-607-2)
*Complete Idiot’s Guide to World History ( 978-1615641482)
*Eyewitness to History edited by John Carey ( 978-0380729685)
Heart of Darkness (Provided in class)
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Antigone (provided in class)
Online Sources
Summer reading assignment: Read Genesis and Exodus from the Old Testament. Read the first four chapters, called Sura, from the Koran, found at this link: http://www.clearquran.com/002.html.
Latin I
*Henle Latin First Year (0829410260)
*Henle Grammar (978-0-8294-0112-7)
*Review Text in Latin Two Years (978-0877205555)
Latin I: No summer assignment
Latin II
*Henle Latin First Year (0829410260)
*Henle Grammar (978-0-8294-0112-7)
*Review Text in Latin Two Years (978-0877205555)
Summer assignment: Review the following:
Grammar, 5-13, 44-47
Text (purple book) Vocabulary list pages 91-98, 217-220.
Latin III
Latin for Americans (provided in-class)
Wheelock’s Latin (provided in-class)
*Review Text in Latin Three and Four Years by Freundlich (978-0877205586)
Vulgate Bible (provided in class)
Summer assignment: Review the following:
Grammar: 5-13, 44-47, 48-51, 56-59
Text (purple book), 217-224
Advanced Placement Latin
*AP Virgil--Aeneid (978-0-86516-764-3)
AP Virgil Workbook (978-0-86516-7742)
AP--Gallic Wars (978-0-86516-778-0)
Workbook for Caesar’s Gallic Wars (978-0-86516-753-7)
Review Text in Latin in Three and Four Years (978-0877205586)
Aeneid in English (Translation by Mandelbaum recommended)
Summer assignment: Memorize the pull out sheet from the Aeneid. Read the first six books of the Aeneid in English.
Beginning Latin I
Latina Christiana I Third Edition (9781930953024)
Note: If you wish to order auxiliary materials, like CDs, for this book, please Google Memoria Press.
No summer assignment.
Beginning Latin II
Latina Christiana 2, Third Edition
Note: If you wish to order auxiliary materials, like CDs, for this book, please Google Memoria Press.
Summer assignment: Review your vocabulary and forms from the Latina Christiana I book.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Each of the seminars listed below lasts two hours per week. Classes meet from mid-August until early May.
Beginning Latin I—An introduction to Latin for elementary and early middle-school students. The students are introduced to declensions and conjugations, a good amount of vocabulary, and learn some Roman history and culture. The textbook, Latina Christiana, was designed to lead the student into Henle Latin I. Two hours weekly study outside of class.
Beginning Latin II—We continue our exploration of Latin with deeper study of the language and with additional vocabulary. This course is aimed at those who took Beginning Latin I who are too young to begin high school Latin I. All students will take the Introductory National Latin Examination in March. The text is Latina Christiana II.
Latin I—A first-year high school course. Covered in this course are Latin vocabulary, grammar, and syntax as well as some Roman history and culture. Grammar includes the five declensions, active indicative verb conjugations, and the use of adjectives and pronouns. All students take the National Latin Exam in March. All students must pass a final exam in May to enter Latin II. Work outside of class: 3-4 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List. Suggested student age: 7th grade and up.
Latin II—A second-year high school course. Students continue to develop their grammar skills by learning subjunctive verbs, comparative adjectives and adverbs, indirect statements, ablative absolutes, etc. Students read some Latin poetry and selections from the Vulgate Bible. All students take the National Latin Exam in March. All students must pass a final exam in May to enter Latin III. Work outside of class: 3-4 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List.
Latin III—A third-year high school course. Students read from various authors: Caesar, Cicero, Catullus, Pliny, etc. All students take the National Latin Exam in March. Work outside of class: 3-4 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List.
Advanced Placement Latin—This class meets the standards of the Advanced Placement Latin test for Virgil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s Gallic Wars. We will engage in an in-depth study of both authors. All students take the National Latin Exam in March. Students are strongly encouraged to take the Advanced Placement exam in May. Work outside of class: 4-6 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List.
Reading, Writing, and Rhetoric I (3Rs I)—Aimed at students in upper elementary and early middle school, this class offers a literature-based approach to writing. Mastering the essay is a primary goal of the class. Typically the student reads and discusses a work of literature—Treasure Island, for example, or Animal Farm—and then writes a paper about the book. Students keep a journal for the year as well as engage in other writing projects. Work outside of class: 3-4 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List
Reading, Writing, and Rhetoric II (3Rs II)—Like 3Rs I, this class offers a literature-based approach to writing. Mastering the essay is again a goal of the class. Students do not have to take 3Rs I to enroll in this class. Work outside of class: 3-4 hours. Texts: See Reading List.
World History: Art, Literature, and Philosophy—This course counts as credits for both history and literature. We will focus on art and ideas and their roles in history. The course will center on European history, but we will visit other parts of the world as well. This course includes a good deal of reading each week, various essays and papers, and class discussions. Work outside of class: 5-7 hours weekly. Students unwilling to put that amount of time into the course will perform poorly. Texts: See Reading List. (Taught every third year).
English History and Literature—In this course, the students receive credit for both history and literature. Because of the combined subjects, the students should expect to do extra work at home. We cover the history of England from the time of the Roman invasions to the present and read the literature produced by this island nation. The fundamentals of writing essays are stressed in this seminar, and papers and in-class essays are a part of the class. Recommended ages: 13—18.
United States History and Literature—This course counts as credit for both history and literature. The history part offers a survey of American history from colonial times to the present. The accompanying literature allows students to read novels, plays, and poetry from various periods in American history.
Advanced Placement English Literature—This class seeks to meet the standards of the Advanced Placement English Literature examination. Members of this class will examine selected works of literature in depth and will master the analytical tools standard in such a course. Students taking this course are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement test in May. Work outside of class: 4-6 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List.
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition—The object of this course is to give older students who are already familiar with the essay the opportunity to further develop their writing, analytical, and rhetorical skills. Students will study the works of a various writers, ranging from Annie Dillard to Walker Percy. Students will also learn how to analyze the rhetorical devices used by different writers and how to employ those devices in their own writing. Work outside of class: 4-6 hours weekly. Texts: See Reading List.
Advanced Placement World History—The object of this course is to provide the student with a survey of world history and to prepare for the AP examination in May. We will use the textbook found on the reading list, but we will also do a great deal of work using online resources. Recommended for grades 10-12. This course requires 6-7 hours of study outside the classroom. Texts: See Reading List.
Advanced Placement US History--The object of this course is to give students an in-depth history of the United States and to prepare them for the AP examination. For resources, we use a textbook, an AP workbook aimed at the new exam, and various other books and online resources. Recommended for grades 10-12. To succeed on the examination, students should expect to spend 6 hours per week studying outside of class.
Advanced Placement European History--This course covers European history from 1500 to the present. The object of AP European History is to learn more about the history of modern Europe and to prepare for the test in the spring. Recommended for students grades 11-12.