Course Description
The courses are college-level, suitable for students age 16 and above. Each course consists of its scheduled online classes and excludes additional instruction-related communication with the instructor. Private tutoring at the rate of $200.00 per hour may be separately requested via the Contact page.
Material covered
Each course will cover half of a well-known and pedagogically sound basic textbook. For Greek, this will be H. Hansen and G.M. Quinn, Greek: An Intensive Course (Fordham University Press: New York City, second rev. ed. 1992: ISBN 0-8232-1663-2) and for Latin, G.M. Knudsvig, R.S. Craig, and G. Seligson, Latin for Reading: A Beginner’s Textbook with Exercises (University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, rev. ed. 1986).
Expectations
- Rigorous: Students are expected to attend and participate fully in each class. The small groups (5-10 students) ensure that everyone will have an opportunity to answer and raise questions repeatedly throughout each meeting. Each class will be followed by a homework assignment. It is assumed that students will spend approximately twice the time on homework as they will spend in class.
- Realistic: We all need time and repetition to be able to absorb the basics of any subject, let alone a demanding ancient language. There will be no rushing to cram large amounts of material in a short time. Instead: careful attention to detail, gradual memorization of vocabulary and morphological paradigms, and thorough understanding of syntax. The moderate price, about one sixth of the usual cost of a three-credit course, makes a deliberate pace financially possible.
Assessment
There will be quizzes and a final examination so that students will have a clear idea of their progress. There will be no final grades, and the courses will not confer university credit. Nevertheless, students who complete my courses and perform adequately on placement exams may earn university/college credit for basic courses (= 101-102) and placement at an intermediate level.(= 103). In the end, they stand to save thousands of dollars. Best of all, they will have a valuable academic experience of study and learning!