Biduum Coloratanum 2019

Biduum Coloratanum 2019

SALVI proudly presents Biduum Coloratanum, a full-immersion Latin weekend workshop. A restorative three-day event at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, this Biduum allows participants to experience a mini-Rusticatio in the foothills of the Rockies: a communal atmosphere with about thirty other Latin speakers in a scenic settling, enjoying reading and conversation, walks in the mountains, friendly wildlife, eating and drinking, and a slate of classroom and other activities.  

Features of Biduum:

• supportive, intimidation-free environment
• communicating entirely in Latin
• high-energy conversation exercises
• learning and relaxing in Latin
• experiencing, as a student, active teaching methods
• games for a variety of learning styles
• techniques that will streamline your teaching
• readings from Latin literature presented in Latin
• pedagogical discussions
• a feeling of camaraderie in the beautiful Colorado mountains
• Lodging at the spartan but comfortable Franciscan Retreat Center. Rooms have double occupancy, but each bedroom has a private bathroom. All meals are included from dinner Friday evening through breakfast Sunday morning.

The event serves two groups simultaneously: It can offer a mid-year “fix” of immersion Latin for experienced Latin speakers. A Biduum can also give the curious a weekend—not a full week—of immersion Latin. You can get a taste during the Biduum, and then come back for more in the summer at Rusticatio!  (Curious to hear what people think of SALVI programs? Take a look at reviews for Rusticatio.)

Why would anyone come back to experience a second Biduum or Latin immersion event?  Each time we immerse ourselves in Latin, we become better Latinists. Each time we challenge ourselves to communicate in Latin, we become more proficient, more knowledgeable, more erudite.  Moreover, the Biduum experience helps promote the Latin community as we make new friends and strengthen old friendships while collaborating in a fun yet professional atmosphere. Additionally, each Biduum introduces participants to new classroom techniques that can be immediately implemented in the classroom.  It is some of the best professional development available for Latin teachers anywhere. Also, it’s a whole lot of fun.

Program Dates: April 5-7, 2019. (Arrival: Friday, April 5, between 3 and 6 p.m.; Departure: Sunday, April 7, around noon.)  

Eligibility: You are eligible to attend this workshop if you have graduated high school, are at least 21 years of age, and have already learned Latin on paper and are interested in developing active command of the spoken language. Please note that Biduum is not an introductory Latin course and thus it is not for people who have no knowledge of the language. Typically, participants have completed, at a minimum, the equivalent of two years of traditional college Latin or four years of a high school Latin program. It is not necessary to have previous experience speaking Latin.

Location: We will reside and conduct all our workshop sessions at the Franciscan Retreat Center, located about 5 minutes from I-25 in northern Colorado Springs.  The retreat center is about an hour’s drive from Denver International Airport and out-of-state participants should consider looking at flights into Colorado Springs as well as Denver.  

The retreat center itself is nestled within the foothills of the Rampart Range and feels isolated from the city.  The nearby area offers many attractions for tourists. It is located just south of the Air Force Academy and is only minutes from Garden of the Gods, Pike’s Peak, and Manitou Springs.  For participants visiting from out of state, it would be easy to combine this trip with a vacation to the ski resorts. Summit County is a scenic drive from Colorado Springs, usually just under two hours through the famous South Park region where bison and antelope sightings are common.  You can visit the Franciscan Center’s website here: http://www.franciscanretreatcenter.org

Cost: $305 per person, all-inclusive, covering two nights lodging, five meals including drinks, tuition, and instructional materials. Transportation to and from the Retreat Center is not included (though SALVI will help arrange carpooling). Once admitted as a participant, you may pay for Biduum Coloratanum through PayPal using the “Buy Now” button below or by sending a check payable to SALVI to:

Edie Barry

Treasurer, SALVI

1409 Lorraine Way

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

For registration, please visit the Biduum Colorotanum event page here.

Biduum Coloratanum Instructors:

Jason Slanga attended his first Rusticatio in 2007. Since 2009 he has been on staff at SALVI events in a variety of capacities, including kitchen manager, house manager, teaching staff, and lead instructor. He has also served on the SALVI board, as both webmaster and secretary. During his time teaching for Baltimore County Public Schools, he co-wrote a new Latin curriculum, provided professional development for Latin and modern language teachers, and served on the board of the Maryland Foreign Language Association. These days, in addition to teaching at SALVI events around the country, he is one of the co-hosts of the Quomodo Dicitur? Podcast.

Anna Andresian taught middle and upper school Latin for 11 years before transitioning to a career as a software engineer in 2014. She holds a B.A. in Classics from Brown University and a M.St. in Latin & Greek Languages and Literature from the University of Oxford. She is the author of “Looking at Latin: A Grammar for Pre-College” and “Vocabula Picta: An Illustrated Latin Lexicon for the Modern World.” Her most recent Latin pedagogy project is Magistrula.com, a Latin grammar practice website. Anna’s first SALVI event was a Rusticatio in the Santa Cruz mountains in 2007, an experience that completely transformed her perspective on teaching Latin! Anna currently lives in San Francisco and works as a software engineer at AltSchool.

Eugene Hamilton has been attending SALVI events since 2009.  He has taught Latin for 11 years using spoken Latin pedagogy at the middle school and college levels.  He credits SALVI with showing him how to engage students with effective teaching strategies. Currently on faculty at the Wyoming Catholic College teaching Latin, Eugene leads a bi-weekly Latin Lunch table and accompanies students into the wilderness for week-long Latin immersion trips.

Tim Smith studied Classics at the College of the Holy Cross and University of Chicago and taught Latin in the traditional grammar method for over a decade before he finally, very reluctantly, and with great doubt attended his first Rusticatio in 2014.  Once in an immersion setting, he quickly became a convert to the enjoyment and utility of speaking Latin.  He has served as the Rusticatio coquus for the past two summers.