¿Habla español? You might parlez-vous Français. You likely don’t loqueris Latine. Sophomores, however, are learning how to speak Latin and so much more as they study with Dr. Gabe Grabarek, Upper School World Language Teacher. Students have been learning about the ancient Latin-speaking world and how it influences our modern lives. “Latin is most certainly a foreign language to be learned, but since it is no longer spoken, we learn Latin for different reasons than we would learn French or Mandarin,” Grabarek explains. “Our emphasis in Latin class, and in the Latin curriculum overall, is to understand the foundational nature of Latin as it relates to our modern, Western, English-speaking world.” In order to put their language learning into context, students have been focusing on learning Roman history and culture with an emphasis on the first Roman emperor, Augustus. “His reign has had an enormous impact on the Western world, so we spent some time exploring different aspects of his rule much more in-depth,” said Grabarek.
Students undertook a number of different projects to explore the Roman ruler and his lasting influence. “Some students used Minecraft, some made a trading card game, one used a laser cutter, and another led us on a tour through a museum. All of this led to a clearer and fuller understanding of Augustus and Augustan Rome,” said Grabarek.
Applying modern techniques to learning about Ancient Rome and the Latin-speaking world is rewarding and beneficial to MICDS students, explained Grabarek. “Doing presentations allowed the students to break out of the traditional ‘textbook’ format of learning and gave them a more well-rounded view on the many sides of Augustus’ rule. In our modern world, there are so many opportunities to explore history through a variety of media, and I encouraged students to get creative.”
Well done, Rams!