Announcing the NCLG National Initiative

"L.I.F.T."

LATIN: Inspiring Future Teachers

Since 2003, the National Committee for Latin and Greek has sponsored an important national initiative to encourage high school Latin students, university Classics majors and graduates to choose a career in teaching.

The NCLG sponsors this initiative as a cooperative venture with the American Classical League, the Society for Classical Studies, and with additional support of various regional and state classical organizations. We wish to engage all Classicists at all levels of instruction in the business of outreach among students to insure that our Latin, Greek, and Classics classrooms have all the teachers they need. ACTFL is partnering with Educators Rising to directly address and combat the current world language teacher shortage in the United States. The aim of this program is to help teachers expose their students to the incredible possibilities that teaching a world language can bring. Get started exploring a career in language teaching today with their "Get Inspired" modules. 

The future of our profession literally depends upon recruiting, training, and mentoring future generations of teachers, instructors and professors. Some areas have shortages of qualified Latin teachers and there are always reports of programs that are discontinued because a new teacher cannot be easily found. We want to help change this! Our future teachers need to reflect the cultural diversity of American classrooms, embrace “Latin for All,” and continue to create methodologies to address the wide spectrum of students we wish to reach today.

 

L.I.F.T. Mini-grants

The NCLG creates publicity via social media and website articles, to highlight the need for future teachers. The NCLG also offers mini-grants to help schools and organizations fund local outreach activities where they can inform prospective candidates about the value of choosing a teaching career.

Why not plan a luncheon, mixer, career fair booth, or fun group activity? Create an opportunity for Latin, Greek, or Classics teachers to share with students about the rewards and benefits of a teaching career! Need funds? Apply for a mini-grant!

Click here or below for application for Inspiring Future Teachers Mini-grants. The application may be submitted at any time during the school year, but the activity must occur in that same school year. Schools or organizations may submit an application every other year.

Applicants must 1) be current ACL or SCS members, 2) be able to show how the requested funds will be used to cover expenses, 3) be willing to write a brief report on the resulting event.

Here are a few example activities for which mini-grants were given in the past.  But be creative!

  • Latin Club or Department holds a panel of high school and college teachers to discuss what it is like to teach today with current students.
  • Student teachers are invited in to speak  about their experiences to undergrads at a pizza party or luncheon
  • Advanced level high school Latin students take a bus to visit a nearby university with a Latin credentialing program.
  • College department holds a Career Day Starbucks party for all Classics majors to talk with teachers at elementary, middle, high school levels.
  • Students “chalk" the campus sidewalks during National Classics Week (in April) with quotes and other messages proclaiming the importance of teaching Latin or put up flyers and posters all around campus.
  • University hosts local high school seniors for a “Latin Day” at their department office.
  • High school Latin students go to visit a local university and speak to professors as well as graduate students preparing to get a teaching credential.
  • High school Latin Club hosts 2 university majors for a dinner at their school for a Q and A session.
  • Discuss with advanced students the Kiplinger Report on 25 most valuable careers (Classics is #16 of over 100 considered careers) and create bookmarks encouraging students to become Classics teachers.
  • Latin club looks over various university websites with articles on the value of Classics to various careers and value of a teaching career. They publish a newsletter for all Latin/Classics students, with information from the various articles.

Application: for LIFT Grant HERE