Teaching Latin in Our Homeschool: Our Experience with Memoria Press

Recently, I’ve been thinking back over all the curriculum we’ve used in our homeschool and the subjects that have stuck around for multiple years. Latin is one of them, and it’s not a subject I ever would have expected to teach my children!

Latin was not part of my own schooling. When we first started homeschooling, I certainly didn’t have plans to learn it myself. Yet here we are, several years later, working our way through Latin lessons together.

I don’t think every homeschool family needs to include Latin in their curriculum. There are many wonderful ways to educate your children, and every family has to decide what works best for them. But if you’re reading this, perhaps you’re curious about Latin, wondering how we approach it in our homeschool, or considering teaching your own children.

Learning a foreign language is a valuable skill, and Latin offers some unique benefits, especially when it comes to classical education. I often think of learning Latin as being similar to learning a musical instrument. Neither is necessarily easy, and neither produces mastery overnight. Both require practice, repetition, and a willingness to keep showing up even when progress feels slow.

So, why Latin?

A few benefits of learning Latin include:

• A stronger understanding of English grammar. Latin encourages students to pay attention to how words function within a sentence, including nouns, verbs, and their relationships to one another.
• A richer vocabulary. Many English words have Latin roots. Learning Latin vocabulary and derivatives can help students recognize connections between unfamiliar words and understand their meanings.
• A foundation for learning other languages. Latin can provide a helpful starting point for studying Romance languages such as Spanish, French, and Italian.
• Careful reading and analytical thinking. Translating Latin requires students to slow down, notice details, consider word endings, and think carefully about how a sentence fits together.
• Discipline and perseverance. Memorizing vocabulary, mastering declensions, and learning conjugations take consistent effort. These are skills that develop over time, not all at once.
• A connection to classical history and Christian heritage. Latin opens a door to historical texts, traditional prayers, hymns, and ideas that have shaped Western education and Christian thought.

For our family, Latin has become much more than another subject to check off the school schedule. It has become an opportunity to build a foundation in language, develop good study habits, and learn something together.

Latin and the History of the Bible

One of the things I find especially fascinating about learning Latin is its connection to the history of the Bible.

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, but in the late fourth and early fifth centuries, Jerome translated much of Scripture into Latin. This translation became known as the Latin Vulgate and was used throughout the Western church for centuries.

I think about how incredible it is that we can open our Bibles today and read Scripture in our own language. For centuries, the Latin Vulgate was the standard Bible used throughout much of Western Christianity. Scripture existed in other languages, but Latin remained the dominant language of the Western church. Since most ordinary English-speaking Christians could not read Latin, they had limited access to Scripture in a language they understood.

In the late 1300s, John Wycliffe and those associated with his work helped make the Bible available in English by translating it from the Latin Vulgate. This was an important step toward making Scripture accessible to people who could not read Latin. However, English Bible translation faced significant opposition, and Wycliffe’s teachings and writings were eventually condemned by church authorities.

In the 1500s, William Tyndale took a different approach, translating the New Testament directly from the original Greek into English rather than relying on the Latin Vulgate. He also translated portions of the Old Testament from Hebrew. His desire was to make God’s Word accessible to ordinary people, but his work came at an enormous personal cost. He was eventually executed for heresy in 1536.

Learning about the history of Scripture and its translation reminds me of the importance of language and the incredible privilege we have today of reading God’s Word for ourselves.

Will my children ever sit down and read the entire Latin Vulgate? Probably not! But I think there is something special about recognizing Latin words and phrases that Christians have used for generations and understanding a little more about the history of how God’s Word has been passed down to us.

It is another reminder that the subjects we study don’t have to exist independently of our faith. Sometimes learning something as unexpected as Latin can deepen our appreciation for the history of the church and the gift of having God’s Word available to us today.

An Overview of the Memoria Press Latin Curriculum

We have exclusively used Memoria Press for our Latin studies. We started with Prima Latina and have continued along the Memoria Press sequence. My oldest is now working through Third Form Latin.

One of the things I appreciate about this curriculum is that I didn’t need to have a background in Latin to get started. The structured lessons gave me a way to learn the material and gradually build the confidence to teach it to my children.

In fact, I’ve taken Memoria Academy’s adult summer Latin classes for First Form Latin and Second Form Latin over two consecutive summers so I could better understand the material and confidently teach my own children. I never imagined that I would be spending my summers learning Latin or working through grammar exercises after my children went to bed, but here we are!

Our Memoria Press Latin Curriculum Sequence and Pacing

We’ve used Memoria Press exclusively for Latin, but I’ve learned that the pace that works for one child doesn’t necessarily work for another.

Here is a look at how we’ve approached the different levels in our homeschool.

Curriculum	Grade Level	Our Pacing
Prima Latina	2nd–3rd grade	Completed in one school year
Latina Christiana	3rd–4th grade	One year with older children; currently using a two-year pace with younger children
First Form Latin	5th–6th grade	One year with older children; considering two years for younger children
Second Form Latin	6th–7th grade	Completed in one school year
Third Form Latin	8th grade	Currently taking through Memoria Academy

We introduced Prima Latina to our children in second or third grade and completed the curriculum in one school year. From there, we moved into Latina Christiana, which we’ve used during the third- and fourth-grade years.

My older children completed Latina Christiana in one school year, but I’m currently taking a slower, two-year approach with my younger two. This gives us more time to practice vocabulary, review grammar, and build a strong foundation before moving into First Form Latin.

My oldest son began First Form Latin in sixth grade, while my daughter started in fifth grade. Both completed the curriculum in one school year. However, I’m considering spreading First Form Latin over fifth and sixth grades with my younger children, especially because of the amount of writing involved in the workbook.

The more years I’ve spent teaching Latin, the more I’ve come to appreciate the flexibility homeschooling gives us. I’m less concerned with finishing a particular curriculum by a certain grade and more interested in making sure my children understand and retain what they’re learning.

How I Teach My Kids Latin at Home (Even Though I Never Studied Latin)

Friday Flashcard Flip

Every Friday, my children write out their new vocabulary flashcards for the following week in their individual flashcard flip books. I make these books myself using binder rings, Amazon boxes, contact paper, and flashcards. This makes them easy to customize and expand as needed. As their vocabulary grows, I can simply add more cards by using a larger binder ring.

At the beginning of the school year, the kids decorate their own flashcard books, which makes the process a little more personal and fun.

It’s a simple system, but it gives us a place to keep our vocabulary organized and makes it easy to review throughout the week. Having the cards ready ahead of time also helps our Monday lessons run more smoothly.

New Lessons on Monday

Mondays are our big school days. This is when we introduce new vocabulary, model nouns and verbs, and grammar concepts before reinforcing that information throughout the rest of the week. Teaching Latin this way allows us to spend more time introducing unfamiliar material at the beginning of the week and then use shorter daily sessions for review and practice.

Last year, I taught three different levels of Latin: Latina Christiana, First Form Latin, and Second Form Latin. I had already taught First Form Latin and Latina Christiana, so Second Form Latin was the only new curriculum I needed to prepare to teach. Having worked through the earlier levels myself made a big difference. I was familiar with the format, understood how the lessons built on one another, and felt more prepared to help my children through the material. Of course, teaching several levels of Latin at once still requires planning, patience, and a little flexibility!

Working a Week Ahead

Are you ready to hear how I spent my small pockets of free time last school year after the kids went to bed? I worked a week ahead of my oldest in Second Form Latin. I had my own workbook and worked through the material myself before teaching it to him. That meant learning the grammar, practicing the vocabulary, and making sure I understood the concepts before we tackled them together.

If you had told me a few years ago that I would be doing this, I wouldn’t have believed you. I wasn’t the best student in school. I didn’t always earn the grades I wanted, and honestly, I wasn’t always motivated to apply myself to the best of my ability. The idea of voluntarily studying Latin as an adult would have sounded a little crazy!

But homeschooling has given me opportunities to learn things I never expected to learn. I’m not just teaching my children; I’m continuing my own education alongside them. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Working ahead also gave me the opportunity to make mistakes, look things up, and work through difficult concepts on my own before helping my son. It reminded me that I don’t have to know everything before I begin. Sometimes I just need to be willing to put in the work.

Memoria Press also offers streaming Latin lessons, which can be a great option if you’d like your child to learn Latin but don’t feel comfortable teaching it yourself. Your student can watch the lessons and work through the curriculum without you having to provide all the instruction.

Daily Latin

There are several subjects our children work on every day of the school week, and Latin is one of them. Do my kids love it? We’re probably fifty-fifty! To be fair, there are days when I struggle with it, too. Some lessons come more easily than others, and memorization isn’t always anyone’s favorite activity. But there is something to be said for consistent practice and repetition. Latin builds on what students have already learned. Vocabulary, noun endings, verb conjugations, and grammar concepts become more familiar as they are revisited again and again.

One of my favorite examples is hearing my younger children recite Latin endings along with their older siblings, even before they’ve officially learned them. They hear their brother and sister practicing noun declensions and verb conjugations, and those patterns begin to stick simply because they’re part of our daily routine. Whether they’re ready to learn the material formally or not, they’re becoming familiar with the sounds and rhythms of Latin.

It is a good reminder that learning doesn’t always happen only during the lesson we have planned. Sometimes children absorb more than we realize just by being part of the process.

What You Should Know Before Starting Latin

Learning any new skill, whether as an adult or a child, can be challenging. In my experience, it can be especially humbling as an adult when your children seem to catch on much more quickly than you do!

Oh, the benefits of youth!

But I think that is also one of the valuable lessons Latin has taught me. You don’t have to master something immediately for it to be worth learning. You just have to keep practicing. If you’re considering adding Latin to your homeschool, here are a few things I would encourage you to keep in mind:

• You don’t need to know Latin before you start. Choose a curriculum that provides clear instruction and a manageable sequence of lessons.
• Consistency matters more than marathon study sessions. Short, regular periods of practice can help students retain vocabulary and grammar.
• Expect to review material repeatedly. Memorization is a process, and students will need to revisit concepts many times.
• Be willing to learn alongside your children. You don’t have to be the expert in every subject. Sometimes your willingness to learn is one of the most valuable examples you can set.
• Give yourself permission to adjust. Your teaching approach may change as your children grow, the material becomes more advanced, or your family’s schedule shifts.

Two of my favorite Latin sayings are Ora et Labora and Festina Lente.

Ora et Labora means “Pray and Work.” I love this reminder that our work and our faith are not separate parts of life. As a homeschooling mom, there is always something that needs to be done. There are lessons to teach, meals to prepare, laundry to fold, and countless little responsibilities that fill our days. This reminds me to approach my work prayerfully and faithfully, trusting the Lord as I go about the responsibilities He has placed before me.

Festina Lente means “Make Haste Slowly.” I especially love this one because it reminds me that meaningful progress takes time. We can be diligent and purposeful without rushing through every task. In homeschooling, it is easy to feel pressure to move quickly and keep up with a particular timeline. But learning well often means slowing down, reviewing what we have learned, and allowing time for understanding to develop.

Both sayings have become meaningful for me, not just in Latin but in everyday work of motherhood and homeschooling.

How We’re Approaching Latin This School Year

This year, our Latin routine looks a little different. I didn’t feel confident to teach Third Form Latin to my oldest son on my own, so I decided to enroll him in a Memoria Academy Latin class. I also enrolled my daughter in Second Form Latin.

Although I could have continued teaching my daughter Second Form Latin at home, I really wanted to devote time to learning alongside my son. Third Form Latin is a step up from what I’ve taught previously and I wanted the opportunity to study the material myself without also being responsible for teaching every lesson. So far, my son is already leaps and bounds ahead of me!

My goal this school year is to work through the curriculum myself and continue building my understanding of Latin. I’m looking forward to learning alongside him, even if I am a little behind.

Meanwhile, my two younger children are continuing to work through Latina Christiana at a slower pace. I’m in no rush for them to complete the book. Spreading it over two school years has given us more flexibility for review and practice.

Our plan is to begin First Form Latin next year. Although I’m still deciding whether we’ll take a two-year approach with that curriculum as well. Having taught First Form Latin to my older two children, I’ve come to appreciate the benefits of waiting until children are a little older before introducing the curriculum.

There is quite a bit of writing involved in the workbook, along with vocabulary memorization and grammar exercises. While younger students may be perfectly capable of understanding the concepts, the amount of written work can make the lessons feel more taxing than they need to be. I want my children to learn the material well, but I also don’t want Latin to become an unnecessarily frustrating part of their school day simply because we’re moving too quickly.

One thing I’ve learned through homeschooling four children is that just because a child can complete a curriculum at a certain age doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best time for them to do so.

This change in our Latin routine has also been a good reminder that homeschooling doesn’t mean we have to teach every subject entirely on our own. Sometimes the best choice is to bring in outside instruction, whether through an online class, a tutor, or another resource that meets our children’s needs. For us, Memoria Academy is giving my older children additional instruction while allowing me to continue learning, and a slower pace through Latina Christiana is working well for my younger two. I’m grateful that we’ve found a way to keep Latin in our homeschool while adapting our approach to fit this season of life.

Final Thoughts: Is Latin Worth Teaching in Your Homeschool?

For our family, Latin has been worth the time and effort. It has strengthened our study routines, helped us make connections between Latin and English, and given me an opportunity to continue my own education alongside my children.

Has every lesson been easy? Absolutely not.

Have there been days when we would all rather move on to something else? Of course!

But I have come to appreciate the value of sticking with a subject that requires patience, repetition, and perseverance. Those lessons extend beyond the workbook.

You don’t have to be a Latin scholar to begin, and you don’t have to follow the exact same path we have followed. Start where your children are, choose a curriculum that works for your family, and give yourselves time to grow.

And when Latin feels challenging, remember: Ora et Labora — pray and work. Festina Lente — make haste slowly.

Those are good reminders for Latin, but they are also good reminders for the homeschool journey as a whole.

A Little Latin Beyond the Classroom

Somewhere along the way, my appreciation for Latin made its way beyond our homeschool lessons. I recently opened an Etsy shop where I have created a collection of vintage-inspired Latin apparel and accessories. These items feature some of my favorite Latin phrases, including Festina Lente, Ora et Labora, and Veritas. The designs are inspired by my love for classical education, faith, and the things we’re learning together in our homeschool.

If you love Latin, classical education, or just appreciate a good Latin phrase, I’d love for you to take a look at my Etsy shop.

As a little thank-you to my readers, I’d love to offer you 10% off your order in my Etsy shop with the code BLOG10.

And whether Latin is already part of your homeschool, something you’re just beginning to explore, or you’re simply stopping by to read this super long post, I hope you’re encouraged to remember that God provides the grace and wisdom we need along the way. We don’t have to have everything figured out or do everything perfectly. We can faithfully pursue excellence in our own lives while encouraging our children to do the same, not just in their studies, but in their activities, relationships, and throughout every area of life.