American Association of Teachers of Latin

American Association of Teachers of Latin
Name	American Association of Teachers of Latin
Abbreviation	AATL
Founded	1913
Headquarters	United States
Type	Professional association
Fields	Classics, Latin

American Association of Teachers of Latin is a professional association for instructors of Latin language and Classical studies in the United States and internationally. It promotes pedagogy, curriculum development, and scholarly exchange among teachers at the secondary and postsecondary levels, interacting with organizations such as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the Classical Association of the Middle West and South, and the Society for Classical Studies. The association engages with publishers like Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers to support resources for instructors.

History

The association was founded in 1913 amid broader reforms in secondary education and in the aftermath of curricular debates involving institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Chicago. Early leaders included figures associated with Bryn Mawr College, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University, who responded to curricular shifts influenced by reports from the Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education and the pedagogical work of educators linked to the Progressive Education Association and the Modern Language Association. Across the twentieth century the association navigated changes brought by the Great Depression, the GI Bill, and developments at organizations like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Council for the Social Studies, while maintaining ties with classical institutions such as the American Academy in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows a council model with elected officers comparable to structures used by the Modern Language Association, the American Historical Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. The association’s bylaws outline roles for a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, and committees mirroring those of the Classical Association, the Archaeological Institute of America, and the American Philological Association. Financial oversight has engaged auditors and endowment advisors with practices similar to university foundations at Princeton University, Stanford University, and the University of Michigan. Partnerships and memoranda of understanding have been developed with entities such as the College Board and state departments of education like those in New York (state), California, and Florida.

Membership and Chapters

Membership comprises K–12 teachers, university faculty, graduate students, and retired professionals affiliated with institutions including Public School 123, Phillips Exeter Academy, Boston Latin School, University of Virginia, and Rutgers University. Local and regional chapters reflect models seen in the Classical Association of New England, the Society for Classical Studies Regional Groups, and state classics organizations in Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. Student chapters operate at campuses such as University of California, Berkeley, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and The Ohio State University, often collaborating with campus classics societies and departments like those at Duke University and Columbia University.

Publications and Awards

The association publishes journals, newsletters, and teaching materials akin to publications from Cambridge Classical Journal, Classical Philology, and the American Journal of Philology. Periodicals include pedagogical bulletins and monograph series referencing methodologies championed by scholars at King's College London, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge. Awards administered by the association honor excellence in classroom teaching, distinguished service, and curriculum innovation; such prizes are comparable to accolades from the American Philosophical Society, the British Academy, and the Modern Language Association. The organization also recognizes outstanding student papers and thesis work from graduate programs at Princeton University, Yale University, and University of Chicago.

Conferences and Professional Development

Annual conventions and regional meetings mirror formats used by the Modern Language Association, the Classical Association of the Middle West and South, and the Archaeological Institute of America, featuring panels, workshops, and roundtables. Sessions address pedagogy, assessment, and digital humanities projects connected to initiatives at Perseus Digital Library, Loeb Classical Library, and Digital Loeb Classical Library, and include collaborations with curriculum developers from College Board and assessment specialists from the Educational Testing Service. Professional development offerings range from summer institutes modeled on programs at the American Academy in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens to short courses inspired by workshops at Smith College and Barnard College.

Advocacy and Outreach

Advocacy efforts engage with state and national policymaking bodies comparable to interactions other learned societies have had with the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council on Education. Outreach programs promote Latin study through partnerships with classics outreach groups such as the Cambridge Latin Course, the National Latin Exam, and the Paideia Institute. Public-facing initiatives include colloquia, teacher training tied to school districts like those in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and collaborations with museums and cultural institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the Getty Museum.

Category:Classical associations Category:Professional associations based in the United States