Round Table Discussion Topics
CAMWS 2016
CAMWS Latin Translation Contest
Leader: Ryan Sellers, Memphis University School
Description: The Latin Translation Contest has been one of the most effective ways for CAMWS to make itself known beyond the realm of higher education. Now that the scope of the exam has been expanded to include an Intermediate Level Exam for high school students and intermediate and advanced exams for post-secondary students, the Subcommittee invites contest committee members, teachers whose students participate in the contest, and anyone else who is interested to participate in a discussion about how these changes in the Latin Translation Contest have either helped or hurt the Exam, and what can be done to make it a more useful pedagogical tool for teachers.
Teaching the Aeneid in Translation
Leader: Philip Walsh, Washington College
Description: The discussion will focus on "best practices" in teaching Virgil's Aeneid in English translation. What translations are best for a general education audience? For college and university instructors, in what contexts do you teach the Aeneid in translation (i.e., in a classical literature survey, in an upper-level course on ancient and modern epic, or in a first-year seminar)? For all instructors, what are the challenges faced when teaching the Aeneid to students who are curious about the ancient world but who have little experience with it?
The One-Room Schoolhouse: Inclusive Learning in the Intermediate Latin Classroom
Leaders: Jennifer Gerrish, College of Charleston, and Caitlin Gillespie, Temple University
Description: Our students arrive with wildly different backgrounds and preparation. Some come directly from high school, others from college, all from different textbooks. Some have learned most major grammatical concepts, others haven't heard of the subjunctive. Some “just need this to graduate” while others are classics majors. We will discuss strategies for teaching students of diverse educational backgrounds and motivations and develop assignments, assessment strategies, and textbook recommendations aimed at reaching all our students.
Lingua Latina Viva
Leader: Jason Pedicone, Paideia Institute
Description: This round table is designed to introduce participants to Latin as a spoken language. Jason Pedicone, President of the Paideia Institute, will lead participants in Latin conversation. Experienced Latin speakers are also welcome.
2016 National Latin Exam et Alia
Leader: Linda S. Montross and Mark Keith, National Latin Exam
Description: NLE Co-Chairs Mark Keith and Linda Montross, as well as other Virginia-based members of the NLE, will share the results of the 2016 NLE, talk about NLE scholarship opportunities, and share techniques by which Latin students can find success on the NLE.
Eta Sigma Phi: Its Benefits for Students and for Departments
Leaders: Mary Pendergraft, Wake Forest College, and Emma Vanderpool, Monmouth College
Description: Eta Sigma Phi is the national collegiate honorary society for students of classics. On the national level it offers students opportunities for professional engagement and leadership development, as well as scholarships and academic competitions. By fostering interaction among students, it benefits departments. Join us to discuss the various benefits of creating chapters of ESP, reasons to renew chapters, and sharing chapter ideas for increasing student involvement within chapters.
Surviving and Thriving as a Small Classics Program
Leaders: Gwen Compton-Engle and Kristen Ehrhardt, John Carroll University
Description: We welcome those who teach in one- to three-person classics programs to this roundtable to share experiences, ideas and support. How do you satisfy the specialized needs of your majors and still reach out to the majority (and fill seats) through general education courses? How do you maintain a visible presence on your campus? How do you build allies in other departments? If you are a member of a larger “world languages” department, how do you reconcile your goals and teaching methods with those of your modern-language colleagues? Grad students and small program allies are also welcome!
Classics in the First Year
Organizer: Rocki Wentzel, Augustana University
Leader: Robert H. Simmons, Monmouth College
Description: With declining majors in the Humanities, including Classics, this discussion invites ideas regarding early promotion of Classics among first-year students, retention of language students, and recruitment of majors and minors. This discussion also welcomes the sharing of pedagogical methods in courses that make Classics especially relevant and exciting for new students, whether in required language courses or other courses in the
general education curriculum, particularly first-year seminars with Classics content.
Graduate Student Issues Committee
Leader: Sarah C. Teets, University of Virginia
Description: The mission of GSIC, made up of graduate students from across the CAMWS region, is to assist CAMWS in best serving the needs of graduate students. We invite all graduate students to join us in discussing the issues most important to them, and how GSIC can help make CAMWS more accessible, productive, and welcoming to graduate students, both at the annual meetings and throughout the year. We welcome discussion of topics of
interest for future workshops and panels, suggestions for new avenues of outreach to students, and questions about the committee from anyone interested in getting involved.
Stand in the Trench, Achilles: Teaching Homer’s Iliad as a War Poem
Leaders: Dianna K. Rhyan and Ron Hustwit, The College of Wooster
Description: Achilles’ superhuman prowess and immortal descent do not protect him from a struggle for honor, rank, and self-esteem while fighting a war he cannot win or survive (Lateiner 2004). Soldiers for millennia have looked to Achilles for inspiration as he raises questions of destiny and allegiance, divine and human justice, the value of heroic sacrifice, and the value of life itself (Alexander 2009). Drawing on our experiences in team-teaching, we propose to discuss teaching the Iliad as a war monument relevant to modern military practices and personnel (Shay 1994; Tatum 2003; Doerries 20