My Latin I students were intrigued by Tacitus’ account of the A.D. 59 riot at Pompeii, as described in Stage 8 of the Cambridge Latin Course. The rowdy post-game behavior of sports fans was familiar to the students. They were, however, surprised to learn that the riot had such a venerable heritage.
Students’ interest in this event led to us launching a class project that meshed well with my goal of encouraging student initiative. So much class work is confined by teacher-prescribed rubrics and assessments, and students have limited opportunities to exercise judgment, display independence, develop collegial bonds, and assess their own work. The riot at Pompeii offered a promising opportunity to launch an independent class project.
The subject matter—fan rivalry, riot, government inquiry—seemed so newsworthy that students readily seized the suggestion that they stage a newscast of the event. I gave the class minimal guidance for this Latin project: observance of the COVID restrictions, conformity with “classroom appropriate” content, and a non-negotiable deadline for project completion.
Planning the project
The students divided their Latin project into three components.
1. Firstly, they researched Tacitus’ story of the riot, clothing of the period, gladiatorial shows, and government procedures of the day.
2. For the second component, students wrote a script and assigned parts.
3. The third task involved directing a single rehearsal and staging the videotaping of the newscast. They divided the newscast into witness interview scenes and the sentencing of Regulus by the Senate.
I allocated a single class period for each of the three components, and the non-negotiable deadline kept the class focused and on task.
Students improvised their costumes, and augmented them with minimal props. We obtained permission to use the school dining hall to ensure social distancing. I supplied assistance only when it was sought by the students—which was initially quite challenging!
Empowering students
Students drove the production entirely, and they considered it a success. Their remarks at the viewing of the newscast were not free from constructive criticism, but were fair and reflected a justifiable pride in their work. The students developed, with some supervision, scoring schemes for the written research and script, and for the videotaped performance.
It is easy to regard independent Latin projects of this sort as challenging to grade, nebulous without specific rubrics, and difficult to justify to administrators and others outside the project. But it is just the sort of project that is memorable and enriching, and therefore worthwhile.
It can be difficult to relinquish control, and letting students set their own goals and evaluate their own work requires more effort than simply telling them what to do and how to do it. Watching them grow as humane, confident, and independent people is worth the effort and the risks.
Judith Jones-Hayes is in her fourth year of teaching Latin at the St. Benedict School in Cambridge, Ohio. Prior to that, she taught for eight years at the Lyceum Preparatory Academy in Wheeling, West Virginia. She has degrees in Classics and Library Science.
Looking for more ways to enrich your Latin classroom? Read more of our Latin blog posts, and access our teaching Latin webinar playlist. Visit this link to learn more about the Cambridge Latin Course and our support and resources, including our free professional development series focusing on Diversity & Inclusion in the Latin Classroom.
