Spotsylvania Latin Teacher Accepted to Competitive Program in Rome
Holly Fitterer was one of 15 classics teachers to attend this year's Classical Summer School.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Holly Fitterer, Latin teacher in Spotsylvania County public schools, was one of just 15 participants from across the country selected to attend the 102nd annual Classical Summer School in Italy this past summer.
The competitive program is hosted by the American Academy in Rome, a center for research and advanced studies. Fitterer and the other participants—all teachers or graduate students in Classics—spent five weeks attending workshops and visiting museums and excavation sites in and around Naples and Rome.
“We were fully immersed almost every day in sites that I’ve only ever read about,” said Fitterer, who’s now in her fifth year teaching in Spotsylvania. She’s based at Riverbend High School, but, along with another educator, teaches students across the county who are enrolled in Latin, either in-person or virtually.
Fitterer learned about the Classical Summer School while she was a student teacher in Minnesota. Her mentor teacher had attended and said it was one of the most enriching things she ever did for her career.
“So last year, it seemed like it was a good time in terms of my personal and professional life to apply for it,” Fitterer said.
Being accepted was a delightful surprise, considering there are only 15 spots and some applicants spend several years on a wait list before they get in, she said.
Fitterer also received three major scholarships to assist with tuition for the program—one from the American Classical League, another from the American Academy in Rome, and the other from Eta Sigma Phi Honor Society for Classics.
In her application, Fitterer focused on how participating in the program would help her achieve her goal of keeping Latin accessible in the classroom by incorporating “real world examples.”
“Oftentimes, especially in lower levels, we’re using texts that are created to be easier for learners,” she explained. “But I believe that with the right availability and the right scaffolding, you can get students looking at original, authentic Latin from 2,000 years ago right off the bat.”
Her other goal, Fitterer said, was to “focus on the connection between the ancient experience and the modern experience” so she would be better able to connect the two for her students.
Through visiting sites such as Ostia Antica, the remains of a Roman colony that dates to the 4th century BC, Fitterer felt a connection with that remote world and an understanding that “they were all people and they were living life just like we are today.”
Getting to visit the archaeological sites, which “essentially are telling their stories [was] a really great experience,” she said.
Fitterer said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher—and, since 10th grade, specifically that she wanted to teach Latin.
Since it’s no longer a spoken language, “many people think there’s no relevance in learning Latin,” Fitterer said. But Latin’s legacy is found in many modern languages, as well as in literature, and learning it improves communication, critical thinking, and other soft skills that are crucial for success in career and life, she said.
Latin students are “great at problem solving, because every single time you’re translating or reading a sentence of Latin, it’s a puzzle that you have to figure out,” she said.
Latin students also get lessons in history and culture along with the language.
“When we are learning Latin, we often are incorporating mythology and history,” Fitterer said. “Right now, some of my Latin students are learning about what did Roman occupation look like in Britain vs. Alexandria [in Egypt] vs. a town in the Italian peninsula. There are connections between Latin and all of its history and culture to all of these areas.”
In addition to helping her grow in her own understanding of the ancient experience, the Classical Summer School also connected Fitterer with a network of colleagues that she can reach out to for support in her work—which is all for the benefit of her students.
“[Teaching] is the best way that I can help others,” Fitterer said. “I can’t think of doing anything else, honestly.”
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Ms. Fitterer was my son's Latin teacher last year and, although his class was virtual, he absolutely loved it because of her enthusiasm. He has a different teacher this year but hopes he'll get put in her class again as a Junior. What a fantastic experience for such a dedicated educator!