Tip of the Week #206: Trust the Process

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When it comes to languages, I sometimes remind my students to “Trust the Process”.  

Learning a new language (or skill) can be a frustrating experience.  Personally, I am pouring a lot of energy right now into learning French.  Some days, it feels like nothing is happening.  At all.

But, I keep coming back day after day.  The reason is simple.  I trust the process.   

I know that day after day, month after month, it all adds up.  I know I am going to get where I want to go because I keep at it.  

It’s like that with any skill.  Trust the process.  A farmer doesn’t expect the crops to grow overnight.  He plants.  He waters.  And, he waits.  And, he trusts the process. 

We can do the same with languages, or any new skill we are trying to learn.

 

Back to school

This Tuesday, August 10, classes will resume.  We will pick up where we left off.  

During the month of August, we will meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.  

After Labor Day (Monday, September 6) classes will meet every weekday morning, Monday through Friday.  

Also, during the month of August, I will be hosting some Q&A/Orientation classes on my site.  If you are not sure how to use my site, or if you have questions about languages, Visual Latin, or Word Up, feel free to join.  

Here is the link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7504401472409055246

Here is what I will be teaching this year:

Latin 3: Third Year Latin by Robert Henle  • 6:30-6:55 am CST

We have six chapters left in this book.  We will resume in chapter 16.  Skip this class if you can.  Instead, read Lingua Latina by Hans Ørberg.  But, if you have to read the Henle book, I will do my best to help.  

Spanish • 7:00-7:25 am CST  

We stopped at the end of Chapter 17 of the book All Spanish Method by Guillermo Aviles. In August, we will pick it back up in chapter 18.  I am still learning Spanish.  So, I am “teaching” this class.  Really, I am learning in front of my students.  

French • 7:30-7:55 am CST  

Last year, I took students through the first 20 chapters, or so of Le Francais par la Methode Nature.  This August, we will start the book again.  What I said about Spanish also applies here.  I am still learning French.  So, I am “teaching” this class.  Really, I am learning in front of my students. 

Latin 2: Lingua Latina, Exercitia Latina  • 8:00-8:25 am CST  

We stopped at the end of Chapter 19.  In August, we will pick it back up in chapter 20.


What do I recommend?

“To learn Latin, Greek, French, Spanish, Italian, or German, which books do I order?”  This is the most common question I receive.  

To find my answers, just go to my site, www.dwanethomas.com.  

Find the resources tab, and find the language you are looking for in the dropdown menu.  

For example, if you are looking for the books I recommend for learning Latin, click on the Latin tab: https://dwanethomas.com/resources-latin/

Same for Greek.  Same for Spanish.  And, so on.  

Down at the bottom, below languages, you will see three more tabs, Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise.  

These are the three categories I have used for years to organize my goals.  They are based on Benjamin Franklin’s maxim: “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”

In these tabs, I include books and links that help me achieve these goals.  You may find them useful as well.

I’ll make it easy for you.  Here they all are:


And now… the same thing I say every week.

Subscribers sometimes use my weekly emails as reminders to unsubscribe from my site.

Just keep in mind… I offer something no one else in academia (as far as I know) offers.  Stick with me for 3 uninterrupted years and you will have a lifetime subscription.

I now know this is a dumb business decision on my part, but I have heard from many of you that it is a huge help, so, for now, the offer stands.

Of course, if you are just starting out in Latin, you may be happier with Visual Latin.    

Visual Latin is a full-blown Latin course.  It is rigorous, just not as rigorous as the classes on my site.  The classes on my site are more “next level” classes, really.

By the way, if you are into etymology (the history of words), and if you would like to see me make a fool of myself, you might enjoy Word Up.   

Five years ago, or so, we launched this series just to see if it would work.  It did.  And, after years of listening to many of you beg for more, I finally gave in and agreed to make a fool of myself once again.  So now, Volumes 2 and 3 of Word Up are available.

And… if you aren’t a member of my site and would like to join, click here: https://dwanethomas.com/join/.

I hope you had a very happy Saturday!
Dwane

P.S.
If someone forwarded you this email and you would like to hear from me every week, just go to this page: https://dwanethomas.com/
Scroll down a bit until you see my book, Via.  Enter your name and email and you will hear from me weekly.  You will also get a free copy of my book, Via!