12-27-2005, 06:08 PM
I suppose I should introduce (or actually reintroduce) myself since I've been away for so long. My name is Aaron Larsen and I make my living mostly by teaching Latin, logic and history at the secondary level at a school here in Harrisburg, PA (and this year I've picked up a couple of grammar classes, too). I suppose you could say that I'm an academic professional of some sort (out of the options given, anyway), though I'm by no means a specialist in this subject, as my doctorate was in modern history and the last college-level class I've taught was a Modern East Asia class at our local Penn State campus last Spring. I've been interested history for as long as I can remember and a special interest in classical military history was formed in my in my youth back when I discovered the wonderful books of Peter Connolly in my local public library.
Being a Latin teacher helps somewhat to keep the subject on my radar screen, though I don't get to teach the class at my school that best relates to this subject, our 8th grade Greek and Roman history class. (The 8th grade teacher does bring me in every year, though to do "Dr. Larsen's Legendary Legion Lecture" and this year I also did the 1st annual "Fantastic Phalanx Forum." )
My school starts Latin instruction at the 3rd grade and logic instruction in 7th grade, and our frustrations with finding curriculum to teach these subjects to these age groups caused me (with several colleagues) to write our own stuff and then found a company to publish and market it (Classical Academic Press, LLC). This last year we released our 3rd Latin Primer (and as I type I'm procrastinating working some more on our 2nd logic book) and we've also managed to put together a considerable line of supporting products. One of these days I still hope to put together some sort of "Student's Guide" to the Roman and the Greek armies, but more pressing projects keep pushing it aside… Ah the tyranny of the urgent! In the meanwhile, I'm happy to be back and hope to learn much!
Sincerely,
Aaron
Being a Latin teacher helps somewhat to keep the subject on my radar screen, though I don't get to teach the class at my school that best relates to this subject, our 8th grade Greek and Roman history class. (The 8th grade teacher does bring me in every year, though to do "Dr. Larsen's Legendary Legion Lecture" and this year I also did the 1st annual "Fantastic Phalanx Forum." )
My school starts Latin instruction at the 3rd grade and logic instruction in 7th grade, and our frustrations with finding curriculum to teach these subjects to these age groups caused me (with several colleagues) to write our own stuff and then found a company to publish and market it (Classical Academic Press, LLC). This last year we released our 3rd Latin Primer (and as I type I'm procrastinating working some more on our 2nd logic book) and we've also managed to put together a considerable line of supporting products. One of these days I still hope to put together some sort of "Student's Guide" to the Roman and the Greek armies, but more pressing projects keep pushing it aside… Ah the tyranny of the urgent! In the meanwhile, I'm happy to be back and hope to learn much!
Sincerely,
Aaron
He who rules by fear, fears courage most!