A Latin Apprenticeship Program
Tirocinium Latinum is crafted to help parents, teachers, or students who want to learn Latin by building the required skills to think, read, and communicate in Latin. While this program aims to read Latin texts, language skills contribute to another goal of enlarging the soul. Through a language such as Latin, we gain a greater vision of humanitas, a common vision of what it means to be human. This perennial question weaves its way through western literature explored within the linguistic cultures of Greek and Latin. Thus, learning Latin nourishes the soul enabling us to partake in the great conversation that has continued for more than two millennia.
Some exposure to the language will certainly be beneficial, but it is not necessary. Together, we are starting on page one.
How does the course work?
Led by Michael "Buck" Holler, the Tirocinium is a three-year program that teaches apprentices the Latin language to build fluency in reading and comprehension of the Latin authors and to build confidence for teaching in the classroom or at home. Each year apprentices meet on site in NC for a week long retreat in July and in February. The rest of the program is fulfilled from home through weekly webinars that read the assigned chapters, discuss grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension, and practice new material through various exercises.
Tirocinium will launch at the in-person, summer retreat held in Charlotte, NC from August 3-8, 2020. The conversations will continue over a weekly webinar held on Thursdays from 7-8pm EST for second years and Mondays from 7-8pm for first years. To gather back together, a winter retreat will be veld in Charlotte, NC from Febrary 22 - 26, 2021.
Program during the retreats
| 8:00am | Ientaculum | all meals are eaten together |
| 9:00am - 12:30pm | Lectiones | lessons from Familia Romana |
| 1:00pm | Prandium | |
| 2:00 - 5:00pm | Exercitia | afternoon session reserved for study and tutoring; working through the exercises |
| 5:00 - 6:30pm | Ars docendi | elective module reserved for sessions on language acquisition |
| 6:30pm | Cena | |
| 8:00 - 9:00pm | Ludi et Carmina | Time set aside for skits, games, and songs |
Webinars
Apprentices meet online once a week with the head mentor for a one hour session. These webinars extend from August to May and move at a pace of about one chapter a month. The webinars will be held on Thursdays from 7-8pm EST for second years and Mondays from 7-8pm for first years.
Modules
A variety of modules are taught during the retreats.
1. Morning sessions study the chapters from the book Lingua Latina. First year apprentices study the lessons under the magister. Second year apprentices help the magister teach some of the chapters. Third year apprentices teach selected chapters independently.
2 . The first afternoon session sets aside time for independent or guided study through the exercises associated with the chapters taught during the morning sessions. Second and third year apprentices will have already completed these exercises, and can therefore serve as mentors helping first year apprentices during this time.
3. The second afternoon session offers discussions on the art of teaching and language acquisition.
4. Evening sessions mainly focus on Latin poetry through music.
TEXTBOOKS:
• Lingua Latina Pars Prima: Familia Romana
• Lingua Latina Pars II: Roma Aeterna
• Colloquia Personarum
• Fabulae Syrae
• Exercitia Latina I
• Exercitia Latina II
• Latine Disco
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The Apprenticeship costs $2850/year in tuition, plus a $400 deposit to guarantee a seat. In addition to the tuition and deposit, apprentices should expect to pay for travel, lodging, and food for the two retreats. A general estimated cost for each retreat is $500 plus airfare if applicable. Including all fees and expenses, the estimated cost for one year in the Apprenticeship is $3750.
Michael "Buck" Holler is originally from Red Bluff, CA, where he began training horses at the age of 12 with his father on dude ranches in the Sierra Nevada mountains. During that time he began competing in rodeos first as a bull rider and later as a saddle bronc rider.
After retiring from rodeo in his early twenties, Buck went back to school to study theology and languages. He completed his graduate studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA.
Following his education, Mr. Holler began teaching middle school students in northern CA. From there he moved to NYC to teach at the Geneva School of Manhattan from 2006 to 2009.
Since 2009, Mr. Holler has been teaching humanities and Latin at Christ Covenant School in Winterville, NC. He lives there with his wife and three daughters, farming and raising animals.