Bringing Latham, NY to Fife, Scotland! Shaker High School Latin Teacher Edythe Malara-Lutjen recently returned from presenting at the prestigious 2025 Classical Association Conference. The event was held at the historic University of St. Andrews in Scotland from July 11 to 13.
As one of the presenters at the globally recognized gathering, Mrs. Malara-Lutjen presented her innovative approach to classical pedagogy, which emphasizes good questioning and learning methods. Her presentation highlighted how she integrates both ancient and modern sources to help students connect emotionally with ancient texts, while building critical thinking and social-emotional skills.
“It was such an honor to have my proposal accepted to present at this prestigious conference,” said Malara-Lutjen. “I’m incredibly proud to have represented the North Colonie Central School District and the Shaker Latin program on an international stage.”
The Classical Association Conference was hosted in partnership with the Classical Association of Scotland. The conference brought together scholars from around the world to the University of St. Andrews, which was founded in 1413 and is Scotland's first university and one of Europe's oldest. In addition to presenting, Mrs. Malara-Lutjen had the opportunity to admire “the beautiful campus and the town’s cathedral ruins in the sea mist.”
Congratulations to Mrs. Malara-Lutjen for your dedication to keeping Latin alive and for earning recognition on a global stage! Your work continues to prove that the ancient world still has a powerful voice in modern classrooms.