Although “Latin Club” conjures up images of stodgy professors scrutinizing ancient texts, my own club consisted of nine teenagers enthusiastically translating Harry Potter spells.

I co-founded the club with visions of handouts and worksheets—essentially, independent learning. Yet members were unimpressed by the dreary, rote memorization of declensions. I needed to change strategies: I scrapped my detailed syllabus and incorporated pop culture into lessons. Instead of relying on textbooks, I brought in short stories. Together we puzzled out Golden Ants, later transitioning into a discussion of toga styles. Not only was it more fun, but we learned quicker, too.

Despite (or because of) the hard work involved, I was thrilled. It was gratifying to advance in Latin after striving so hard, and striving with material I already enjoyed. Moreover, adapting my teaching tactics allowed us to succeed as a group. This experience reinforced my appreciation for collaboration in all its aspects: sometimes, you have to banish a syllabus or two before you can really bond.