By Kimcha Rajkumar | Programme Director
At The Latin Programme we are always looking for innovative and interesting ways to help as many children as possible, especially those who are living in poverty, struggling with Special Education Needs and/or are new to English, to solidify and increase their literacy skills. As a charity operating on a shoestring, we are blessed with a dedicated team of volunteers from all walks of life who help us reach the children most in need.
Ben is one of these. As a Volunteer Teaching Assistant he works directly with children in the classroom, often giving one to one support to those who are struggling and need just a little extra help. Below he explains why he decided to volunteer with The Latin Programme and what his experience has been like.
Why I Volunteer with the Latin Programme...
I volunteer with The Latin Programme as a Teaching Assistant at a primary school in South London. I have been interested in teaching for some time, especially after having taught Latin to secondary school students when I was in Sixth form and really enjoying it. So, when I came to study at university in London I decided I would try my hand at teaching to see if it was a possible career path for me. I thought volunteering with The Latin Programme would be an ideal way to combine my love of the Classical world with my desire to experience teaching in London. My educational background is in Archaeology, so I hoped I could bring my knowledge of the material culture of the Roman world into the classroom to add an extra level to the pupils’ learning experience.
The school in which I volunteer has a high number of students with multiple barriers including poverty, learning difficulties and English as a second, or even third, language. While I have found teaching in this school challenging, I have enjoyed every minute of it and I have been able to bring my enthusiasm for the Classical world to the classroom. In one lesson I had the students look at four different types of Classical art (sculpture, mosaic, painting and frieze) and then identify the object/animal/person depicted using Latin.
My work with the Latin Programme has increased my desire to work in education. I love using my knowledge of archaeology to encourage children to learn through objects as well as texts and to highlight the importance of the past in our everyday lives. I am glad to be part of a programme that helps children, like my pupils in South London, increase their literacy in such a unique and engaging way.
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