Monday, September 15, 2008

In Latin 3 and Scared/Proud/Scrambling to keep up!

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammatical mistakes. For some odd reason I am better at both in foreign languages. For background info: My name is Jessica. I took Latin 1 with Antonio, and Latin 2 with Professor M. this past fall and spring respectively. Now I am wondering if I would have done better to take them over the summer so that the information would have had less time to get lost in my mind!

My biggest concern right now is keeping the information that we're learning now from getting mixed up with the things I'm reviewing from last semester. For instance, I was reviewing the passive voice indicative mood before the first test. When we learned the passive voice subjunctive mood, they got all mixed up in my head. I spent so much time trying to straighten them out that I didn't study some of the vocabulary as carefully as I should have and couldn't remember the perfect stem for veto, vetare. It's so frustrating because I know that I have learned these things. I passed Latin 2 with an A, and I want an A in Latin 3, but I feel overwhelmed.

My current study practice is to write my vocabulary x5 several times a week. I do all of the homework available in the book, actively follow along in doing the class worksheets, and then bring them home and do them again on my own. Does anyone have any suggestions, other than writing them over and over again, for how to remember the verb conjugations? I have the active present down, and the active subjunctive, but the passive is really giving me trouble. Maybe I'll ask for more worksheets. I just feel like I should have it down pat by now.

I hope to become a more regular addition to the blog, but I'm trying to finish a second BA and a Master's degree at the same time, so we'll see. Wish me luck! (and hope I don't need it!)

~Jessica

7 comments:

E Pluribus Unum said...

Jessica.

This is a greast post---I love to get the Latin III perspective in there, so that people know what is ahead! believe me, it's better that you didn't take it over the summer it would be one big blob right now! Trust me, it will clear up pretty soon, especially since you are doing everything you are supposed to be doing at this point. Just stick with it---let's talk more about it tomorrow,yes?

EM.

RaeS said...

Hi Jessica! Welcome to the blog! It sounds like you're having some of the same problems I was having early in Latin 3. The passive just wouldn't stick! I don't know what advice I can give you because I never did get the Latin 3 grammar as straight in my head as I had hoped to. It was my last semester before graduation, so to say that school was a whirl-wind of OMGOMGOMGOMG!!! is an understatement. LOL! Good luck though, and I'm sure Dr. M will be able to help.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jessica,

Sounds like me in the beginning of Latin III! Writing the verb paradigms out over and over really does help, but honestly the best advice I can give you is to have someone verbally call out "3 person singular, present, passive, indicative of ______" and so on. This puts you on the spot and forces your brain to make the connection, which in turn helps you remember it. Sometimes writing it out becomes so repetitive that your brain goes into autopilot and when you stop then go back, it doesn't stick. If you ever want to meet up to do that, just let me know. Dr. M can put us in touch.

Anne

RaeS said...

Oh! That's a great idea for remembering, Anne!

E Pluribus Unum said...

You guys are such pros in now!You sound like war vets or something! Been through hell and back, and got the tattoos to prove it!

Rachael, make sure you contact Dr. Chitwood about that project we were talking about yes? There might be a Latin teaching opoportunity there as early as next fall (more in person).

Take it easy ladies, and don't study too much over the weekend!

EM

Anonymous said...

Yes, literally, got the tattoos to prove it! Lol

Anne

RaeS said...

Oh, goodness! I meant to check this before now, but I kept forgetting and my computer wasn't working for about a week right around when you posted your last comment here, Professor. Sorry, things have been crazy trying to keep up with things lately, and it's been impossible to get down to USF at all. I'll try next week. It should be calmer then.