ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSIONS 2020
THURSDAY
The Interdisciplinary Latin Classroom
Brent Cavedo (The Westminster Schools, GA), organizer and co-moderator
Jordan Dopp (University of Georgia), co-moderator
Reading the Bits and Pieces: Pedagogical Approaches to Fragmentary Texts in Translation
Mary Hamil Gilbert (Birmingham Southern College, AL), organizer and co-moderator
Claire T. LeSar (Birmingham Southern College, AL), co-moderator
Colloquium Latinum: usus est optimus magister
Thomas Caucutt (Evangel Classical Christian School, AL), organizer and moderator
Tailgating with the Classics: Creating Annual Events to Increase Campus Visibility
and Diverse Community Relationships
Donna L. Clevinger (Mississippi State University), organizer and moderator
The Challenges and Opportunities of Diversity for Classics and Latin in K-12 Schools
Theodore A. Tarkow (University of Missouri), organizer and co-moderator
Dennis Dickerson (Christian Brothers High School, TN), co-moderator
Assessment in Classics Programs
Nadejda Williams (University of West Georgia), organizer and moderator
Preparing Your Students for Life after Classics
Robin E. McGill (Alabama Commission on Higher Education), organizer and moderator
Lupercal: A Latin Reading Group for Women and Non-Binary Latinists
Emma Vanderpool (Trickum Middle School), organizer and moderator
SATURDAY
The Best Class I Ever Taught
Adriana Brook (Lawrence University, WI), organizer and co-moderator
Allannah Karas (Valparaiso University, IN), co-moderator
Herding Cats and Colleagues: Best Practices for Editing Academic Volumes
Antony Augoustakis (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), organizer and co-moderator
Monica Silveira Cyrino (University of New Mexico), co-moderator
Lone Wolf Classicist: Are You It?
T. Davina McClain (Scholars' College at Northwestern State University, LA), organizer and moderator
Queer Educators in Antiquity Studies
Amy Pistone (Gonzaga University, WA), organizer and moderator
The “Limits” of Classics: What Expanding the Field Looks Like
Helen Cullyer (Society for Classical Studies), organizer and moderator
How Can We Fix the Latin Teachers’ Accreditation Process?
Ruth R. Caston (University of Michigan), organizer and co-moderator
Shonda Tohm (University of Michigan), co-moderator
Graduate Student Issues
Samuel Hahn (University of Colorado Boulder), organizer
Alicia Matz (Boston University), moderator
Samuel L. Kindick (University of Colorado Boulder), organizer and moderator
THURSDAY
The Interdisciplinary Latin Classroom
Brent Cavedo (The Westminster Schools, GA), organizer and co-moderator
Jordan Dopp (University of Georgia), co-moderator
Although Classics is an interdisciplinary field, Latin curricula often privilege the study of texts at the expense of a more holistic and inclusive perspective of antiquity. In this roundtable, the organizers will facilitate a discussion about the development of plans and projects for the Latin classroom that provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. We will begin with practices for situating textual evidence within the context of visual and material culture by drawing on methodologies from art history and archaeology as well as classical reception. Potential areas for discussion include, but are not limited to, science, engineering, literature, history, anthropology, and theater.
Reading the Bits and Pieces: Pedagogical Approaches to Fragmentary Texts in Translation
Mary Hamil Gilbert (Birmingham Southern College, AL), organizer and co-moderator
Claire T. LeSar (Birmingham Southern College, AL), co-moderator
To study ancient women authors, pre-Socratic philosophy, or early Greek anything, students must engage with fragmentary texts even at the introductory level. This roundtable on approaches to fragmentary texts in translation will stimulate conversation among undergraduate and high school instructors about best practices and available materials for teaching fragmentary text(s). Those who have experience teaching Greek and Latin fragments in translation are encouraged to bring copies of materials to share, but no experience is necessary to attend.
Colloquium Latinum: usus est optimus magister
Thomas Caucutt (Evangel Classical Christian School, AL), organizer and moderator
Lack of familiarity with Latin hinders even the best student, but this has become my most enjoyed and effective tool at every level, easily adapted to any teaching method or curriculum. Participants will discuss a well-known passage in Latin. All are welcome at any level - whether confident, curious, or looking for a supplementary activity for the classroom. I will provide a copy of the text and an image which interprets or provokes further discussion of the text. I will briefly outline the aims and method of this exercise, allow Q&A, and facilitate a discussion of text & image in Latin.
Tailgating with the Classics: Creating Annual Events to Increase Campus Visibility
and Diverse Community Relationships
Donna L. Clevinger (Mississippi State University), organizer and moderator
Since 2013, the Shackouls Honor’s College’s Classical Week presented at Mississippi State University has grown considerably over the years and has contributed more than any other event in our northeast region of Mississippi to making classical antiquity available and attractive to an audience other than classics scholars or students. The purpose is to share proven activities that strengthen campus programs and community relationships through annual events based in the classics. Such topics include interdisciplinary campus involvement, curriculum support, funding sources, secondary school participation, community and social group activities, and business partnerships. Bring lunch and tailgate with the classics!
The Challenges and Opportunities of Diversity for Classics and Latin in K-12 Schools
Theodore A. Tarkow (University of Missouri), organizer and co-moderator
Dennis Dickerson (Christian Brothers High School, TN), co-moderator
An often cited observation by the energetic and articulate commentator Verna Myers https://learning.vernamyers.com) serves as a focal point for this round table: Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.
*Who have we invited to our party? I.e., what do we know re the demographics of our students? Are there possible strategies or incentives that might increase minority enrollments in our courses? What do parents and counselors in schools with significant minority enrollments know about the values of our subjects?
*What is included in our party? Are certain texts or topics likely to aid efforts at including a more diverse dance? Is it not possible for our classes to be increasingly more diverse and inclusive, using language, material culture, myth and other core content? Does standard curriculum and pedagogy reinforce stereotyped opinions about our field?
*What schools come to our party? I.e., What schools offer Latin (or classics)? In what parts of cities are they located? How does this compare with 25 years ago? Are there classicists who serve on School Boards and/or who are school administrators?
Assessment in Classics Programs
Nadejda Williams (University of West Georgia), organizer and moderator
Assessment of student learning in programs at all levels has become an increasingly more demanding task over the past decade, as accreditation requirements have grown. This presents special challenges for Classics programs, which must assess a greater diversity of skills than most other humanities programs. Join this discussion for an opportunity to share successful assessment strategies at all levels of instruction – high school, college core level, major and minor, and graduate. An email list will be created to allow all who attend to exchange rubrics, plans, and other materials.
Preparing Your Students for Life after Classics
Robin E. McGill (Alabama Commission on Higher Education), organizer and moderator
This roundtable is intended to be a conversation about preparing undergraduate and graduate students for life outside the academy, primarily aimed at faculty looking to help students market their Classics degrees to potential employers. Discussion may also be informative for campus conversations with senior academic administrators. As a state-level policymaker for higher education and Classicist, I will share some resources about labor market information and regional workforce strategies as they relate to Classics and other humanities fields.
SATURDAY
The Best Class I Ever Taught
Adriana Brook (Lawrence University, WI), organizer and co-moderator
Allannah Karas (Valparaiso University, IN), co-moderator
Join us for an informal exchange of creative, engaging, and effective classroom activities. What games do you use to teach languages? How do you promote deep learning? What kinds of writing do you assign beyond the basic essay? How do you get students to connect their classics courses to the contemporary world? Come with a brief anecdote to share. This session is intended primarily for high school and undergraduate instructors, but those who teach mainly graduate-level courses are also welcome.
Herding Cats and Colleagues: Best Practices for Editing Academic Volumes
Antony Augoustakis (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), organizer and co-moderator
Monica Silveira Cyrino (University of New Mexico), co-moderator
With the proliferation of edited volumes in our profession, more and more graduate students are involved in the editing process which can be a daunting task sometimes. The organizers of this roundtable will offer an overview of best practices and DOs and DONTs as well as answer questions. We hope to attract graduate students and early-career colleagues who often do not know how to begin the process and first steps related to editorial tasks.
Lone Wolf Classicist: Are You It?
T. Davina McClain (Scholars' College at Northwestern State University, LA), organizer and moderator
Are you the lone classicist at your institution? The purpose of this round-table is to connect lone wolf classicists and provide a new network to support individual classicists in-between meetings. Topics will be determined by the participants, but will likely include: curriculum challenges, connecting with colleagues in other disciplines, campus involvement, preventing burnout, empire-building, and empire-defending. Lone wolf Ccassicists are encouraged to come and share their wisdom about surviving in the academic wilderness.
Queer Educators in Antiquity Studies
Amy Pistone (Gonzaga University, WA), organizer and moderator
While academia can be seen as a liberal, tolerant space, scholars and instructors are still regularly marginalized for aspects of their identities. This roundtable provides a place for LGBTQ+ people to discuss how they navigate their academic lives – particularly their teaching – in a way that is both authentic but also safe. Topics of discussion will include bias around student evaluations, practical techniques for disclosing (or not disclosing) aspects of identity, and how intersecting identities can exacerbate an instructor’s precarity. The focus throughout will be on productive strategies and techniques to help queer academics thrive.
The “Limits” of Classics: What Expanding the Field Looks Like
Helen Cullyer (Society for Classical Studies), organizer and moderator
This roundtable seeks to open the conversation with Classicists on the growing interest to expand what we think of as “Classics” beyond the boundaries of the geography and culture of the Greek and Roman worlds. Which other academic departments have successfully merged with Classics in the past? How could our own work be enriched by direct collaboration with others? To what extent are academics from History, Near Eastern Studies, African Studies, and Digital Humanities (to name but a few) already engaging with our material, and are they interested in increased collaboration as well?
How Can We Fix the Latin Teachers’ Accreditation Process?
Ruth R. Caston (University of Michigan), organizer and co-moderator
Shonda Tohm (University of Michigan), co-moderator
We would like to initiate a discussion to address increasing problems facing those seeking certification in teaching Latin. In many states, the requirements have become so onerous that it is discouraging students from completing the training, and this in turn has stymied us from meeting the current need for Latin teachers. The aim of this roundtable will be to brainstorm about possible ways of addressing these challenges and organizing initiatives where possible.
Graduate Student Issues
Samuel Hahn (University of Colorado Boulder), organizer and moderator
This round table is an opportunity for the graduate community at CAMWS to gather together to discuss the ways in which graduate students can be better served by the organization. This is also a time for GSIC members to share their vision for the committee with their peers and colleagues, to advertise their programming at the conference (i.e., the panel, happy hour, and workshop), to provide updates on their current initiatives, and to recruit future members. All current and future graduate students are invited.
The CAMWS Podcast
Samuel L. Kindick (University of Colorado Boulder), organizer and moderator
The purpose of this roundtable is to discuss the CAMWS podcast (https://camws.org/podcast). Participants will brainstorm ideas for the podcast and as well as share their thoughts on what they look for in a podcast. Some questions we will consider are: What should the podcast take? How long should an episode be? How often should episodes be released? What type of content would participants like to hear? What tone should the podcast take? What other podcasts related to Classics do participants enjoy?
Lupercal: A Latin Reading Group for Women and Non-Binary Latinists
Emma Vanderpool (Trickum Middle School), organizer and moderator
"Lupercal" is a Latin reading group that works to close the gender gap in spoken Latin, and provide a space for women and non-binary Latinists to learn from each other. Spoken Latin courses, lectures, and programs are disproportionately staffed by men, so this group provides a valuable space for us, which is much needed in the field. During the course of this round table, we invite women and non-binary classicists of all Latin speaking abilities to read and discuss “Rhea Ilia, A Vestal Virgin” from Boccaccio’s De Mulierbus Claris.