Classics à la mode

I am very grateful to JK Rowling  for making the answer to the question, “Why do we have to learn Latin?” so much easier to answer.  The plethora of phrases from various different languages, but mostly Latin, that adorn every page of the Harry Potter books, makes it all the more appealing to children!  Fascination can reach boiling point when you discover that not only the spells, but also the names of her characters have significant meaning in Latin (and some other languages too).

However, asking why they had to learn Latin and Greek seemed to have been the last thing on the current Year 6’s minds.  In fact, they spent the first half of the Autumn Term trying to convince me that we should have an hour of Classics, instead of the allocated half an hour.  The fact that they were interested in the subject would come as no surprise to anyone who knows the group – consistently curious, sharing a huge general knowledge between them and fiercely independent in their thinking – they lap up knowledge like an orca gobbles up its prey.

From looking at Greek and Latin word roots to help them understand the origins of the English language, to playing Top Trumps with Greek gods and creating blessings and curses to resemble those found in the ancient baths; from transliterating from English into Greek (using the Greek letters) and back again, to creating innovative products using Latin and Greek word roots; from using their understanding of Latin structure and word endings to translate Greek myths, to recognising and translating modern Latin mottoes (it is very important to know not to tickle a sleeping dragon – the Hogwarts motto – draco dormiens nunquam titillandus), the Year 6s have played, created, discovered, translated and transliterated their way through a mountain of myths, a heap of history and a glorious array of language.  It didn’t take too long for me to be convinced that a break from tradition this year was highly desirable and would be educational for all of us.

We are so lucky at BPS that we can be flexible in our learning, especially when mobbed by fact-hungry children.  This year’s cohort are particularly adept at consuming a wide variety of facts and asking pertinent questions relating to controversial topics.  Such skills are arguably far more suited to the study of riotous Roman escapades and Greek myths with underlying meanings,  not to mention gods with questionable values, than reciting irregular present tense verbs and learning past participles (although they still have half an hour in which to perfect their Gallic fluency). 

When the announcement that next term we will be studying Linnaean classification and Greek philosophy is met with whoops of delight, you know you have made the right decision.  Indeed, audentes fortuna iuvat* and these children certainly know how diem carpere.*

* ask Year 6if in need of translation support!