Terms and Conditions

General

Students enrolled in this course agree to abide by all terms and conditions set forth in this syllabus and in other documents accessed from either of the two GRK102/502 course sites: Bingdev (this site), or Brightspace. Students understand that it may become necessary to alter some aspects of the course — assignment schedule, etc. — during the semester, and that the instructor will do so as he sees fit.

• For Academic Honesty, see just below. . . .

Students must as well. . .

• Respect the race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, general background, and abled-ness of each and every participant in GRK102
  • Please note that all students are welcome into our classroom. That dictates a high level of respect accorded to each and every one of us. Discriminatory or biased behavior, in word or deed, affecting any GRK102 student, or the instructor, whether inside or outside the classroom, will not be tolerated.
• Respect the personal (= physical) space of other GRK102 students, both inside and outside class
• Refrain from various distractive and / or disrespectful behaviors, including. . .
  • Activity/conversation unrelated to class
  • Unnecessary comings and goings (once in class, please stay there)
  • Distractive use of electronic devices, etc. (instructor reserves right to deny students use of same)

Academic Honesty, Valid Use of Study Groups

Students must abide by regulations concerning academic honesty, as defined and elaborated in University Bulletin. What is academic honesty? Very generally, it is the ability to say that:

• Your work is yours
• You have pointed out how you have relied on the words, ideas, research, etc. of others
• You have done nothing to interfere with the work of fellow students or the instructor

Forbidden practices include, but are not confined to:

• Cheating on exams or quizzes (use of cheat-sheets and similar, copying from others, even simply glancing at another's work)
• Having others do your work for you
• Passively copying from the group when working in a group, inside or outside of class. (Do contribute to group work actively, and do critique the work of group members. Do not borrow a group member's work in part or in whole, do not copy from it)
  • The above applies even to group work in class. Revising through group interaction is the point. Passive copying is not.
• Copying homework from published or unpublished answer keys, teacher's guides, other people's work, etc. (I'm all for checking your work as a way to learn. Passive copying is, however, dishonest and will be treated as such — and is easy to detect)

All instances of academic dishonesty (without exception) will result in an automatic grade of Fail (F) for the course and referral of the case to Harpur Advising and to the Dean.

STUDY GROUPS. You most certainly are encouraged to form those, whether face-to-face or online. That includes the kind of goup-wise homework consultation that allows for mutual teaching, "reality checks," etc.

HOWEVER, you mustn't abuse this privilege. It will be important for me to monitor the doing of assignments, and to offer appropriate advice when collaboration becomes lopsided (the designated homework doer) or when the group mutually "enables" sloppy work. Abuse of group work can and will be treated as academic dishonesty.

Students with Special Needs

As I've said, all students are welcome into our classroom. If you have special needs, I strongly urge you to talk to me to explore how those needs can best be served. That potentially includes:

• Implementing authorized accommodations
• Respecting the confidentiality of special-needs-related information provided to me
• Consulting, and partnering with, appropriate entities on campus to insure timely and effective access to classroom facilities, instructional materials, etc.

Note that it will be important for students with special needs "to take an active role in informing faculty [in this case, me!] of authorized accommodations, and collaborating with them to insure effective arrangements. Students who believe they require disability-related support services or accommodations to participate on an equal basis with their class colleagues should follow the procedures outlined in 'Disability Documentation Guidelines and Procedures for Requesting Academic Accommodations" on the SSD's webpage under 'Current Students' " (the above paraphrased or quoted from the SSD website).

Text (Athenaze, 3rd ed.)

We shall continue with Athenaze, 3rd edition, starting with vol. 1 and finishing with vol. 2. Here's the full info:

Learning Objectives

General Education Outcomes

From the Bulletin:

"Students who satisfy the Foreign Language requirement will demonstrate

1. "Basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a foreign language.
2. "Knowledge of the distinctive features of cultures(s) associated with the languages they are studying."

Course Specific Objectives

On completing this course you should expect:

• To have gained a grasp of the fundamentals of ancient Greek language
  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Sentence structure
  • etc.
• To read and understand short passages from ancient Greek authors (quiz-quotes)
• To read and understand longer passages in ancient Greek in the textbook
• To speak and write basic sentences in ancient Greek

Attendance

Attendance is required, as is prompt arrival at class; learning cannot happen if we are not there on time and participating. Attendance will be taken and will figure into the participation grade.

Failure to attend class will result in a zero for that day's participation, quizzing, examining, etc. Egregious tardiness will be counted as absence at the instructor's discretion. To leave class early unexcused will count as absence; any graded exercise due that day in class will count as zero. (Don't leave after quizzes!)

Dismissal from Course Due to Absence. By enrolling in this course, you agree that eight (8) unexcused absences will disqualify you from passing the course.

Excusable Absence

Absence is EXCUSABLE in the event of illness, family emergency, vital religious observance or family function, important job interview, or the like.

• MEDICAL EXCUSE. During the pandemic, doctor's notes will not be required, we'll operate on an honors sytem
• NON-MEDICAL EXCUSE. I only excuse non-medical absence if I have had sufficient warning by E-mail well ahead of time, or with written documentation in the event of unforeseen circumstances

Non-Excusable Absence

Includes:

• Oversleeping / alarm-clock malfunction
• Absentmindedness (keep track of class- and assignment-schedules)
• Long-weekends, vacation "extenders," plane reservations
• Unexcused early departure from class-meeting (counts as absence)

If your absence is of the excusable variety, please be on top of makeups: I will not be able to allow you to makeup quizzes/tests, or to strike the absence from the record, if you wait too long. Figure as follows: Absent Monday, all necessary work made up by Wednesday.

Typical Class

A typical class will involve a variety of activities, including presentation of new material and review of old. There will be much structured group work targeting both assignments and unassigned material. Expect to participate in drills and handout-oriented exercises designed to solidify grasp of grammar, vocabulary, etc. Expect also to be called on to participate in sharing your homework "results" with the class, and to work in groups on same.

See also just below for oral Greek.

Oral Greek

Part of partecipation will involve keeping up with saying the Greek out loud in class and with having extremely simple conversations, partly in the form of small talk (see PowerPoints for that), partly to practice homework vocab and grammar.

This will be very basic and easy to keep up with, but it will be up to you to keep up.

(If interested, you can find various dialogues in this PDF document. We'll do some, but not all, of that.)

Assessment of Student Work (aka grading)

participation, homework prep, etc.	30%
chapter quizzes	30%
midterm exam	15%
final exam	25%

Grading Scale

A	93-100
A-	90-92.9
B+	87-89.9
B	83-86.9
B-	80-82.9
C+	77-89.9
C	73-86.9
C-	70-82.9
D	60-69.9
F	0-59.9

For assessment of homework, see below, Assignments. For assessment of participation, see under Participation.

• For the purposes of grading, the two lowest, non-zero quiz scores (two quizzes) will be expunged from the record (will not figure into the final grade).

Participation

That grade will be based on:

• Evidence of your good-faith effort to do assignments on time as as assigned. (I often collect homework to check it)
• Evidence of keeping up with and of practicing oral Greek
• Evidence of your investing real effort in preparing for oral quizzes
• Evidence of your ready involvement in learning activities in class

Show evidence for that and you will receive full marks for participation. Fail to do homework or to show up for class in timely fashion likely will result in a zero for that day.

Tutoring, Extra Quiz Points

There will not, unfortunately, be a tutor available, but I am here to help students who need or want it.

My office hours are:

T 10-12am, or by appointment (E-mail ascholtz@binghamton.edu).

Each time that you meet with me for extra help, I will add three points to the next quiz following those meetings. (If you meet with me following the last quiz of the semester, before the final exam, I will add the points to the last quiz you'll have taken.)

Assignments, Homework

ALL HOMEWORK MUST BE DONE, written out (unless you're instructed otherwise) and brought to class as per the Assignments page.

• Homework is to be prepared for class due on the day indicated on the Assignments page. Written homework is to be done in a form you can hand in (not in book!) and with multiple (more than one) lines skipped.

I will monitor homework by circulating around class and seeing what sorts of help you need. If I see that you haven't done your homework, I will note down a zero for your participation that day. I will also be calling on you and monitoring any homework-related group work done in class.

I will also collect and correct homework periodically and unannounced, perhaps once a week, perhaps more times.

What is required for full points on homework? Not perfection, but evidence of a good faith effort to do exercises right and to learn the lessons they're intended to teach.

Good-faith effort on homework will contribute strongly to full points for your daily participation grade.

Homework will take the form of

1. Written exercises out of the text book. It's important to make sure you're following directions, whether those in book or special directions noted on Assignments page.

   Written work, though not always collected, is crucial, and will be graded with participation. On your homework papers, be sure to leave space for you to note corrections, indeed, to take notes of various sorts. Note they'll be crucial for reviewing for quizzes and texts.

2. Reading passages ("beta-readings") to be read OUT LOUD and translated at home in preparation for the next day's class.

Work out (as best you can) how the Greek sounds and what it means; attend to sentence structure, etc. Use all the vocab and other helps available in the book. There is always a vocab list before each reading. Readings also have their own notes. Beta-readings often make you at the alpha-reading notes. Use too the "Greek to English Vocabulary" at the end of the book (pp. 323 ff.).

You may, if you wish, write out translations, but please do not use those in class. Instead, you should prepare for class by creating detailed notes citing difficult vocab and / or grammar on left (words and phrases in Greek, therefore), and your explanations on the right; that can include, but should not consist solely of, translation.

These commentaries will, then, help you through class and will provide space for you to note corrections. They'll be crucial for reviewing for quizzes and texts.

3. Quiz-quotes are brief passages — a few lines — in Greek and from ancient Greek authors, in other words, real Greek. They typically will be assigned for the same day as longer readings ("beta-readings"), therefore, one to go along with each chapter in the book. For these I am asking you:
   • To read the quiz-quote and discussion that goes with it on the quiz-quote page
     • As always, be sure to practice its pronunciation!
   • To write a translation — use translation notes supplied on the quiz-quote page
   • To write down a brief comment: your thoughts about the quote (but please avoid random or irrelevant observations; make it relevant to class and to information provided on the quiz-quote page)

To close off this section, assignments are to be done, and on time. Note that my assessment of participation (including of homework) will reflect your preparation and overall involvement, not "getting it right." A good faith effort will suffice to qualify you for full points on all points of participation. That means a proactive approach to the cooperative learning we'll be doing.

New Vocab, Morphology, Syntax

One key part of learning any language is getting used to — let's call it internalizing — new vocabulary, new word forms (morphology), and new patterns of word-combination (syntax). The first two of those especially require focused attention; they don't just happen. They require steady and consistent repetition, review, practice. Obsessive memorization is overdoing it. But cramming in the minutes before class isn't the way to go. Please note we will rehearse vocab, morpho, and syntax in class. Prepare by studying (basically, memorizing) these three "news" prior to class.

• For new vocab, make flash cards, quizlet sets, lots of possible approaches
  • The University of Victoria has a site supplying vocab and other exercises and drills
  • Or you might want to make your own Quizlet sets. (I'm not sure I can recommend the pre-made ones that I've seen)
• For new morphology, rehearse out loud the new forms — stems plus endings — for a given "paradigm," for instance, the present active indicative of λύω (λύω, λύεις, λύει, λύομεν, λύετε, λύουσι[ν]). See if you can say them with your eyes closed
• For new syntax (how words go together grammatically — what case goes with what preposition, the correct way to form a conditional sentence, etc. etc.), read the explanations and study the examples. When you do written assignments, always ask which grammatical rule or rules a given exercise relates to
  • Homework's not busy work, it's practice. If you're not learning from it, . . . well, rethink your approach, maybe have a chat with me

Study Aids

For aids to the study of Greek generally, and to this course specifically, consult the following links:

• Athenaze "Greek Vocabulary Exercises" at the University of Victoria
• PDF handouts (by chapter & chapter section)
• The Mnemosyne Project — free flash-card tool to optimize the learning process (good for vocab)

Testing

Tests and quizzes are all going to be closed book. However, I will not test anything — neither vocab nor grammar — not addressed on assignments. That's to limit things, to help you be strategic in your studying. Hold onto homework and update it as we go over it in class.

Chapter Quizzes

• Sample written quiz to illustrate format, etc.

For all or most chapters of Athenaze, on the last of a sequence of class meetings devoted to a given chapter, there will be a brief quiz assessing your mastery of material relating to the preceding chapter. You will only be quizzed only material that shows up in assigned morphology, sentences, and readings.

• For the purposes of grading, the two lowest, non-zero quiz scores (two quizzes) will be expunged from the record (will not figure into the final grade).

Coverage

• Alpha- and beta-vocabulary (must be memorized!). Note that I only quiz or test vocab that appears on homework or is discussed in class
• Quiz supplies Greek as in book; you supply an English equivalent or two
  • Always keep up with vocab!
• Morphology (forms of words, endings, sometimes special vocabulary) based on ORAL QUIZZING for that chapter, as per Assignments page
• Grammar material = translation of sentence(s) based on exercises and reading(s)
• GRK-to-ENG, mix and match of assigned exercises, readings, prior material
• ENG-to-GRK, ditto as to mix and match. Some vocabulary can be got from elsewhere on the quiz, but you've got to know your morphology and principal parts
• A passage from the assigned alpha- and/or beta-reading(s)
• The assigned quiz-quotation for that chapter. Translate. ID author and/or work, as appropriate. Comment in ways relevant to discussion and information provided on the quiz-quote page

Studying for Quizzes

• Memorize vocab, principal parts, morphology from
  • Assigned sentences
  • Assigned readings
  • Chapter PDF handouts
• For help with vocab mastery, use
  • Flashcards, or
  • Athenaze "Greek Vocabulary Exercises" at the University of Victoria, or
  • Other?...
• Review explanations in book
• Review your notes
• Review homework papers

Midterm Exam

Like a very long written quiz, that is, exact same breakdown of content. Review:

1. All α/β vocab used in readings and exercises from the beginning of the book and up through the chapter being examined. (Use flashcards for vocab!)
2. Homework exercises. These form the basis for the "Sentences" section of exam.
3. All assigned α/β readings (translation assignments), basis for extended passages to translate on exam.
4. All assigned quiz-quotations.

Final Exam

Same format as the midterm, but with a retrospective element

• Material studied since the the midterm, tested exactly the same way as on the midterm (vocab, Greek to English sentences, English to Greek sentences, reading passages)
• Additional retrospective sentences, readings, and quiz-quotations from before the midterm to encourage broad-based review and to test retention

Online

MAKE USE OF THIS WEBSITE! Note especially the vocab-grammar-syntax handouts (in PDF form). Those are there to help you; use them.

Note also the Brightspace course site, under Fall 2024 Elementary Ancient Greek II (GRK-102-01, GRK-502-01, for discussion board, grades, and so on.