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I'm behind in grading. Ok, I've said that before. It's been that kind of year. But I'm monitoring my son doing math and decided I deserved a break to ponder.
It takes me long time to grade tests in the current format--but to sell out and do it all scantron won't do what I need. What do I need? Hell, I need more sleep. Maybe it *is* what I need.
Let me rephrase. WHAT SKILLS must my students master to do well in a college Latin course? In AP Latin? I won't debate whether these are GOOD skills or skills that slow down truly learning how to read fluently. That's neither here nor there. Or rather, it isn't the reality regarding how Latin is currently taught at the uiversity level.
AP needs students who can:
1) translate Latin accurately, esp a passage that has been seen before.
2) be able to answer questions on a sight passage
3) be able to write detailed, intelligent, well-thought out essays.
Ok, my tests don't currently have #3.
I have it currently about half of 50 questions "seen" materials--drills and review material they have practiced on my quia.com pages, where I find that often the most learning takes place. It is the one place where they really discover whether they understand something or not because OMIGOSH THE TEST IS TOMORROW!
Most tests have 10 reading comp questions in Latin and English on the sight passage, 10 more grammar questions on items in the sight passage, and the equivalent of 5 questions of translating a very small amount (20-25 words) of Latin from a passage they have read in the chapters covered.
My son, who takes Latin at a local high school, thinks I work too hard (not that I think he really cares, I think he is just stunned that I do this). He says his tests are all multiple choice. And I'm not criticizing people who use those tests. There are times when I think I'm absolutely STUPID for not doing an all multiple choice test. My semester exams are... but they are also hard! Lots of reading in Latin. (sigh... maybe I should revise them again... maybe they are too hard)
ANYWAY. My point is that as teachers we can't just think about what is convenient now; we have to think about what students need in the future. If we want larger Latin classes at the upper end, we have to teach all the skills we want students to have, not just hope that students are naturally weeded out. I'll work with any student WHO IS REALLY TRYING. I could care less about the actual grade.
I've got one student, in fact, who is the type that probably wants to drop out of school. You can tell it in how he fails class--grandly, with a flagrant demonstration that he doesn't pay attention. I'm getting to him, slowly but surely. His grade was higher on this last test--almost passing but not quite. BUT I COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE. If I can keep getting him to try by increments, who knows where he will be?!
I have another student who took Latin 1 as an 8th grader and did ok, but he really was just squeaking by at the end of the year. So he's auditing this year. OMIGOSH but it is TOTALLY clicking for him. He aced the last test; what a difference in this young man! Part of it is maturity, but part--most assuredly--is having a supportive mother that thought auditing might be a good idea.
So, I'm designing my tests for him and all the other kids who need training in the skills that come easy to our gifted A students.
Anyway. That's what I'm telling myself as I go off to revise a Latin 2 test, finish grading some late-taken Latin 1 tests, not to mention the vocab quizzes. It's why I do what I do.
Maybe others have found a better way that works for them, works with their personal philosophy. Mine doesn't work for my sanity, at least not this year, but it is an incredible feeling to see a kid rise up and tackle my test--esp one that couldn't do that before.
It takes me long time to grade tests in the current format--but to sell out and do it all scantron won't do what I need. What do I need? Hell, I need more sleep. Maybe it *is* what I need.
Let me rephrase. WHAT SKILLS must my students master to do well in a college Latin course? In AP Latin? I won't debate whether these are GOOD skills or skills that slow down truly learning how to read fluently. That's neither here nor there. Or rather, it isn't the reality regarding how Latin is currently taught at the uiversity level.
AP needs students who can:
1) translate Latin accurately, esp a passage that has been seen before.
2) be able to answer questions on a sight passage
3) be able to write detailed, intelligent, well-thought out essays.
Ok, my tests don't currently have #3.
I have it currently about half of 50 questions "seen" materials--drills and review material they have practiced on my quia.com pages, where I find that often the most learning takes place. It is the one place where they really discover whether they understand something or not because OMIGOSH THE TEST IS TOMORROW!
Most tests have 10 reading comp questions in Latin and English on the sight passage, 10 more grammar questions on items in the sight passage, and the equivalent of 5 questions of translating a very small amount (20-25 words) of Latin from a passage they have read in the chapters covered.
My son, who takes Latin at a local high school, thinks I work too hard (not that I think he really cares, I think he is just stunned that I do this). He says his tests are all multiple choice. And I'm not criticizing people who use those tests. There are times when I think I'm absolutely STUPID for not doing an all multiple choice test. My semester exams are... but they are also hard! Lots of reading in Latin. (sigh... maybe I should revise them again... maybe they are too hard)
ANYWAY. My point is that as teachers we can't just think about what is convenient now; we have to think about what students need in the future. If we want larger Latin classes at the upper end, we have to teach all the skills we want students to have, not just hope that students are naturally weeded out. I'll work with any student WHO IS REALLY TRYING. I could care less about the actual grade.
I've got one student, in fact, who is the type that probably wants to drop out of school. You can tell it in how he fails class--grandly, with a flagrant demonstration that he doesn't pay attention. I'm getting to him, slowly but surely. His grade was higher on this last test--almost passing but not quite. BUT I COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE. If I can keep getting him to try by increments, who knows where he will be?!
I have another student who took Latin 1 as an 8th grader and did ok, but he really was just squeaking by at the end of the year. So he's auditing this year. OMIGOSH but it is TOTALLY clicking for him. He aced the last test; what a difference in this young man! Part of it is maturity, but part--most assuredly--is having a supportive mother that thought auditing might be a good idea.
So, I'm designing my tests for him and all the other kids who need training in the skills that come easy to our gifted A students.
Anyway. That's what I'm telling myself as I go off to revise a Latin 2 test, finish grading some late-taken Latin 1 tests, not to mention the vocab quizzes. It's why I do what I do.
Maybe others have found a better way that works for them, works with their personal philosophy. Mine doesn't work for my sanity, at least not this year, but it is an incredible feeling to see a kid rise up and tackle my test--esp one that couldn't do that before.
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