Today was a rare day spent entirely at the AAR, doing some traditional learning about the ancient world. First, we discussed Roman building practices. It was interesting to think through the different types of building materials, the cost to ship them, and the changes in their use over time. We also heard a very interesting lecture about Roman slavery that included some evidence I had never seen before. We read a document that recorded the purchase of a woman who was the slave of a slave of a slave, as well as some absolutely horrifying contracts that released female slaves upon their master's death—on the condition that they produced children, first. It was brutal, and it made me do some deep thinking about what I would like for my Latin students to understand about Roman slavery.
We also had a fantastic pedagogical discussion about spoken Latin, which led to some lively debates about oral Latin's place in the classroom. Latin students are often expected to progress through grammar very quickly and to read texts at a high level after only a couple of years, but research indicates that the grammar-translation method of teaching Latin only works for a very small percentage of students. Spoken Latin, as well as large doses of "easy" Latin reading, allow students to more deeply internalize the structure of the language. I personally am very interested in delving into the world of spoken Latin next year, even if it's only for a small portion of each class period.
After lunch, we got to experience what was probably my favorite part of the day—the material culture seminar! We got to check out some Greek pottery (a lot of it is found in Roman and Etruscan tombs) and it was a lot of fun. The curator of the collection, Valentina Follo, is an absolute delight to learn from. She often asks us questions we have no idea how to answer, just to make us think our way towards a solution. She never gives any information away for free—we always have to try first. This actually makes sessions with her more rewarding, and it's a delight to learn from someone who knows and loves her artifacts so deeply. Sometimes we ask questions that send her digging through a cabinet or drawer with the familiarity of someone looking for an item in her own house, and it's wonderful to see. My first artifact of the day was Etrusco-Corinthian pottery:
This pottery is basically a lower-quality knockoff of actual Corinthian pottery, which has sharper designs. Etrusco-Corinthian pottery rose in popularity when the real deal become less available.
We examined several different kinds of containers to hold wine, water, and oil. Plus, we got to see an ancient makeup case! This summer school is giving me a lot to think about in terms of incorporating material culture into my high school classes.
Our long day continued with a Latin reading group. We're working through selections from Suetonius's Life of Nero, which is suitably scandalous. After that, we heard the first of three Jerome lectures by Italian scholar Maurizio Bettini, who discussed a poem by Propertius that focuses on the god Vertumnus and purports to reveal the true origin of his name.
So we had a long day, but it was good. Tomorrow is another museum day, so I'm preparing myself to walk!
We also had a fantastic pedagogical discussion about spoken Latin, which led to some lively debates about oral Latin's place in the classroom. Latin students are often expected to progress through grammar very quickly and to read texts at a high level after only a couple of years, but research indicates that the grammar-translation method of teaching Latin only works for a very small percentage of students. Spoken Latin, as well as large doses of "easy" Latin reading, allow students to more deeply internalize the structure of the language. I personally am very interested in delving into the world of spoken Latin next year, even if it's only for a small portion of each class period.
After lunch, we got to experience what was probably my favorite part of the day—the material culture seminar! We got to check out some Greek pottery (a lot of it is found in Roman and Etruscan tombs) and it was a lot of fun. The curator of the collection, Valentina Follo, is an absolute delight to learn from. She often asks us questions we have no idea how to answer, just to make us think our way towards a solution. She never gives any information away for free—we always have to try first. This actually makes sessions with her more rewarding, and it's a delight to learn from someone who knows and loves her artifacts so deeply. Sometimes we ask questions that send her digging through a cabinet or drawer with the familiarity of someone looking for an item in her own house, and it's wonderful to see. My first artifact of the day was Etrusco-Corinthian pottery:
This pottery is basically a lower-quality knockoff of actual Corinthian pottery, which has sharper designs. Etrusco-Corinthian pottery rose in popularity when the real deal become less available.
We examined several different kinds of containers to hold wine, water, and oil. Plus, we got to see an ancient makeup case! This summer school is giving me a lot to think about in terms of incorporating material culture into my high school classes.
Our long day continued with a Latin reading group. We're working through selections from Suetonius's Life of Nero, which is suitably scandalous. After that, we heard the first of three Jerome lectures by Italian scholar Maurizio Bettini, who discussed a poem by Propertius that focuses on the god Vertumnus and purports to reveal the true origin of his name.
So we had a long day, but it was good. Tomorrow is another museum day, so I'm preparing myself to walk!
1 comment:
Sounds like a great day. No pic of the makeup case? - Mom
Post a Comment