“Salvete, discipuli!” This is Latin for “Hello students.” In our only section of Junior High Latin 2, we have ten dedicated students. If you like analyzing and deciphering then you would like Latin. JH Latin 1 and 2 are equivalent to HS Latin 1. We go at a slower pace, by going over the same material in two years instead of one. Here's what one of the students said about Latin. “I was dreading the day Latin would start and I was upset that I had to do it. However, after a couple weeks of class, Latin was my favorite subject. I plan on taking it for several more years.”
A normal class starts with the reading of our previously assigned chapter and exercises. Mr. Spotts always asks us if we have any questions concerning the exercises or assigned reading. Several questions usually follow before we move on to dissecting an exercise that Mr. Spotts particularly wants to focus on. Then, taking turns, we go into the normal routine of reading, translating into English, and explaining the reasons behind our answers. Though explaining “why” isn't our favorite, we learn a lot in doing it.
After focusing on the previous week’s work, we move into unfamiliar territory. Mr. Spotts guides us through the new chapter, pointing out the different vocabulary words and the new grammatical forms. Lastly, Mr. Spotts goes through and explains how to do the upcoming exercises. Normally, we get three to five exercises in which we must insert the correct endings, fill in the blanks, or answer the questions. When we have completed the exercises, our parents check them and give us a chance to fix them. This practice is so much better then having them instantly counted wrong, because now we can determine WHY we got them wrong. You learn a lot more this way. After explaining how to do the new exercises class is over, and Mr Spotts wraps it up by reminding us of what we need to accomplish before the next class.
Latin is a lot of fun. Mr. Spotts is funny and he always makes class interesting. Most of the students in the class love it. On commenting on the class, EricaL said: “Though Latin is a dead language, I have personally learned that Latin is still a very useful language for learning English.” HannahH2 agreed, “Mr. Spotts is fun and I really enjoy going to class.”
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