After watching my TED talk, one of the first things that I noticed was in my thesis statement, I said “like” which was very frustrating because I don’t even say that inside or outside presentations.  Also, each time I changed the slide I would look over to make sure that it did change.  Then later on, I forgot what the graphs were about so I had to look back at them which was unprofessional.  I also feel like some of my hand gestures were somewhat awkward.  In addition, I had some pauses, which although that is better than saying “umm” a bunch of times, is still not really something I want to say in a presentation.  However, near the end I said “uh” a couple times and stuttered a little.

Then something I didn’t really think of was eye contact.  So I kept great eye contact with the audience.  However, that didn’t look so good on video.  So in retrospect, I probably should have made eye contact a couple times with the camera rather than the audience the whole time.  In addition, the light made it harder to see the slides, especially some of the graphs.  And while I’m on the topic of the graphs, both weren’t necessary.  I also meant to mention the Millennium Scholars Program, but I don’t think I ever did, so I basically had a pointless slide behind me.  The thing I’m most upset with is my conclusion.  I had the set up to the final question perfectly, and the question worded just how I wanted it to be, but I completely messed it up.  So I’m very frustrated about that.

Overall, it wasn’t awful.  Even though I had rehearsed it and I felt very prepared, my presentation ended up being completely off.  However, I hit all the important points in my talk that I wanted to, and I think I came off as though I cared about the topic (which I do) and I didn’t freeze and sound like a robot.  So I’m not thrilled about it, but it was still pretty good.

So, according to our Rhetoric & Civic Life class textbook, stases help rhetors determine exactly what any argument is about and that the use of the stases also ensure that rhetors investigate an issue fully.  It can also refer to where a rhetor takes a stand.  So by definition, stasis will help us determine what our argument is and that we fully investigate our controversy.  By implementing stasis, we will clarify our thinking about the point in dispute and force us to think about the assumptions and values shared by members of their targeted audience.  Using stasis will also establish areas in which more research needs to be done, suggest which proofs are crucial to the case, and point the way toward the most effective arrangement of the proofs.  To achieve stasis, it is important that we ensure we argue both sides and respond to each side’s arguments.

Using my group’s controversy as an example, people argue for affirmative action because many minorities do not have the same resources as the white population so they need assistance in evening out the unfair disadvantage they have with respect to the white male population.  To achieve stasis, a proper response to demonstrate stasis would not state that it is not fair to discriminate against another group as a result because that does not explain why minorities do not need to even out the playing field.  Instead, the opposing side should respond by explaining how you cannot generalize for an entire race because there are exceptions.  Then they could possibly find another alternative which would solve the problem.

Now moving to the opposite side, people argue against affirmative action because it is not fair to discriminate against the white population and deny them admission, scholarships, or job offers that would otherwise go to them.  A proper response for the other side that would demonstrate stasis, similar to the first instance, is not their argument.  Instead it is that although it is not fair to discriminate against the white population, they have an unfair advantage so affirmative action is simply levying the playing field for minorities.

Using these tactics, we will be able to achieve stasis in our presentation on affirmative action.

Education in America

America has had to overcome many obstacles in the time that it has been a nation. When the first constitution was being drafted, the writers struggled with balancing a government that didn’t impose on the people’s lives, but was still able to enforce the laws it mandated. Similarly, America has and still is working on improving the equality of education. While it has always been considered normal for white males to be educated, groups with fewer rights such as women and African Americans have had to fight for their rights to an equal education. Since the early days of our country, there has been a drastic change in the ways Americans view education, leading towards the goal of an equal education for all ethnic, economic, and social groups.

In the 1700s, women’s education was focused on preparing women to be skilled at household duties and chores in order to find a suitable husband. This was because education in America was based off of European traditions. In Europe, most wealthy girls were sent to a governess, while middle class families sent their children to town schools, and lower class families were not able to afford any education. In colonial America, young children attended dame schools in which the education tended to be equivalent to a kindergarten education by today’s standards. One person would take in a group of children and teach them to read and write and how to go about their daily chores. Young boys learned the skills necessary to enter a town school while girls learned what was considered “womanly” skills, like sewing and were not often given the option to attend town schools by their families. Some towns even banned girls from attending.

By the end of the eighteenth century, they were allowed to attend town schools, but they were taught separately from the boys. In the South, plantations were too far apart for schools, so families brought in private tutors to teach their sons. If the girls were lucky, they would be allowed to listen in to lessons, or a governess would be brought in to teach them. Young girls were often taught to read so that they could read the Bible and to write and do basic math so they could record household expenses. In addition, they were taught social etiquette, music, needlework, cooking, and nursing. All of their lessons were geared towards being a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Quakers and Moravian communities educated both genders and proposed that both young girls and boys schools be started. However, they still taught the genders separately and girls’ education tended to focus on domestic skills. Conversely, Puritans believed that girls should be able to read the Bible, but they did not believe women needed to be able to write.

In the 1800s, there were many changes in secondary education. By the middle of the century, women were being admitted into co-education state colleges. These secondary schools flourished and were called “academics”. Young Ladies Academy was one such school that served as a model for other female academies that arose in the century. However, these schools did not require young women to stay for any set period of time, and the curriculum varied. While academies increased, the term “seminary” became more popular to refer to those schools that were more serious about having its students complete their education. In 1815, the Female Seminary Movement began, led by women such as Mary Lyon, Emma Willard, and Catharine Beecher. Their goal was to offer women an education equal to men’s by holding pupils to the same high standards. Catharine Beecher wanted to provide a real education for women, but she and other leaders were faced with difficulties in teacher all the topics they wanted to. Beecher taught ten to twelve subjects a day, meaning she was not able to spend much time on each topic and was forced to skim over each subject. She sought donation and she eventually expanded her school to become the Hartford Female Seminary with eight teachers. Each teacher would focus on only a few subjects so that each subject would be taught in a complete manner and would include all core concepts.

In the 1900s, rules shifted lower and middle class students from factories to schools and public schools gained many more students and were in need of more funding. As a result, schools were focused on economic efficiency rather than a valuable education. The American Federation of Teachers was founded to combat the working conditions of teachers. Most teachers at the time faced low wages, lack of political and community support, and female teachers faced rules regarding appearance and social life. Some female teachers were not permitted to marry and their ability to socialize with men was restricted. In addition, they had a limited amount of time that they were allowed to be out in public, and a strict dress code involving long dresses and certain hairstyles. Margaret Haley strove for better working conditions for all teachers, but especially female teachers. In 1901, she resigned from her teaching position in order to devote all her time and energy to organizing teachers. She was the head of the Chicago Teacher Federation and helped in founding the American Federation of Teachers. She was also nominated to be its first president but instead the job was given to Charles Stillman, a vocational high school teacher. Haley was instead given an unpaid position, the national organizer. As a result of ideological differences with Stillman, Haley eventually withdrew from the American Federation of Teachers.

African Americans faced many difficulties in their pursuit of an equal education. Most African Americans in the country were enslaved until the mid 1800s. Most slaves were not allowed to receive and education. In most states it was forbidden by law to provide slaves with an education. Once African Americans were freed, they were permitted to receive an education, but it was not nearly the same quality as that of the white population. Quakers diverged from the norm and promoted the education of African Americans. However, it was difficult to maintain such school in existence due to lack of funding and little support for the rest of the white community. In 1896, in the court case of Plessy versus Ferguson, it was determined that African Americans were permitted to have a separate but equal education compared to the white population’s education. This remained the norm until 1954. The court case of Brown versus the Board of Education, reversed the decision previously reached in Plessy Versus Ferguson. Brown versus the Board of Education ended segregation in all settings, including schools. Three years later, the first African Americans entered a previously all-white school in Arkansas. Known as the Little Rock Nine, these nine African American students were the first of many to make the courageous first step into integrating both races in one school. Phillis Wheatley was one African American who helped in making major strides in the education of African Americans.

Other minorities also faced many struggles in their quest for equal rights and an equal education. Although it was not as common for education to be forbidden for minorities such as Latinos, Middle Easterners, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, they still faced a lot of discrimination in the schools. In addition, since their families emigrated to America more recently and as a result of the discrimination they faced, they tended to belong to the lower classes, or the lower middle class. As a result, they were not able to afford sending their child to obtain an education. This limitation was not solely based on the monetary cost of school, but also on the need for their children to earn money.

Lower class families often utilized their children as an asset to the family, rather than just one more mouth to feed. Children would work multiple jobs and earn an increased income for their families. Therefore, although they were not forbidden from attending class, most did not due to economic and social reasons. A Mexican man in Texas strove to change that. In 1954, the same year as the decision was reached in Brown versus the Board of Education, the Supreme Court also reached a consensus regarding the case of Hernandez versus Texas. Hernandez versus Texas determined that all Americans of Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native American, and other nonwhite descent should also be treated equally. This included all social aspects of life, including in their education.

Times have changed drastically since the 1700s. Today we continue to strive for equality in education for all genders, races, and other social, economic, and political groups, but in different ways. Although there is a much more equal representation now than in the past, there are still some groups that are underrepresented in education, particularly in certain fields. Women, African Americans, Hispanics, and other minority groups tend to be underrepresented in the STEM fields of science, engineering, math, and technology. As a result of this, there have been multiple organizations that strive to promote equality in these fields. Universities, scholarship communities, and companies have all committed themselves to promoting equality in gender and race in education. And these efforts have paid off.

As seen in the graphs above, the efforts have been relatively successful over the past fifty years. In the graph above, the immense increase in women with Master’s Degrees has proven this fact. As seen in the second graph, the percent of minorities who have completed their education has increased immensely over the past fifty years. In particular, the African American community has made great strides in improving their percent with respect to the percent of white Americans. However, there is still a substantial gap, particularly with the Hispanic community. Therefore, many colleges and universities will favor minorities and accept them over other students, particularly in STEM fields. In addition, universities, companies, and special programs will provide scholarships geared specifcally towards minority groups, to increase diversity. One such program is our Millennium Scholars Program, which includes diversifying the STEM fields as one of its goals.

Clearly American has come a long way from education being something only available to a predominantly white male population to having extra programs to include minority groups. But some of the tactics to achieve this diversity have been questioned. Obviously excluding women, Hispanics, African Americans, and other minorities from obtaining an education is wrong, and goes against our ideals as Americans. However, it is often being done at the expense of the white population. As a result, some people have questioned whether it is fair to end the discrimination of one group by discriminating against another. This question is for the upcoming generation to answer: Is it justified to end the discrimination against gender and racial minorities by discriminating against the more dominant white male population?

I loved Brandon’s and Sarah’s presentations.  Brandon’s was so interesting and he was clearly very passionate about his topic.  Sarah’s topic was really interesting how she took something that may have seemed like it wasn’t an easy topic to speak about.  Also, I really like Disney princesses so that was interesting to hear a talk about it.

So now for my top five favorite moments.  First, I liked Philip’s final question.  It really made you think and it was a great way to end the presentation.  Additionally, I really liked Kandice’s presentation style.  She was very engaging.  I also really liked Brian’s movie trailer was a great hook for his presentation.  Fourth, Alex’s topic was very interesting how he spoke about something that you wouldn’t really think as a topic you could talk about, but he made it interesting.  Lastly, I liked how Talayah was able to talk about a topic that is often seen as taboo.  Overall, I liked all the presentations.

Our nation has had many high points in our history, accompanied by many low points.  From our struggle for independence to gaining our own territories; from war against ourselves in the Civil War to our unity in World War II, America has had to overcome multiple obstacles to reach the place to which we have arrived today.  One of the major struggles in American history is the struggle for equality in education.  While it has always been considered normal for white males to be educated, groups with fewer rights such as women and African Americans have had to fight for their rights to an equal education.  Since the early days of our country, there has been a drastic change in the ways Americans view education, leading towards the goal of an equal education for all ethnic, economic, and social groups.

So for my TED talk, I will be discussing the evolution of education.  I will begin with an interesting hook to capture the audience’s attention.  I want to make sure that the audience is invested in my discussion and they will not zone out or anything like that during my speech.  Then I will go on to begin introducing my topic.  Since I am discussing education, I will begin by discussing how education used to be.  Education was originally only for the wealthiest people who could afford an education, and even then, it was only for the men in the wealthy families.  Eventually education expanded to include more people, but the education was minimal.  Then I’ll discuss the quality of the education a little and the fact that it tended to be in one room and the older children would help teach the younger children.  After that brief description, I’ll move more into when education became more like it is today, but that certain groups were excluded like women and African Americans.  At this point I will be able to discuss Little Rock and the original nine who went to school on that day.  I will describe the public’s reaction to them attending school, and how they were received on their first day.  I can also mention Oberlin College and the reaction and consequences associated with that. I will also mention and explain other such cases that demonstrated advances in education.  Then I will discuss the increase in people getting their Ph.D. in certain areas of study.  At some point, I will talk about how now colleges tend to try to especially include minorities and may give more scholarships to them.  In fact, colleges even accept minorities more often than other people.  Then I can mention how there are programs like Millennium Scholars that are made to combat the prejudice from the past.  For my visual aid, I will use a couple pictures on a powerpoint slide.

So I am not entirely sure about this, but I am thinking that I would like to write about the development of education and the changes that have occurred regarding who was allowed to receive an education and other different ways it has changed.  There are many differences in the education of the past and education of today.

I am planning on beginning with how only the wealthiest people were able to receive an education, then about its expansion.  I am planning on discussing how public schools were once one classroom full of every grade then it eventually evolved to different schools with different levels of education, namely elementary education, middle school education, high school or secondary education, and higher level education such as colleges and universities.

Then I plan on discussing the differences in the attendance of certain people in schools.  By this I mean that in the past it was not uncommon for people to stop their education following their high school education.  Today, however, most people choose to go to a college or university, whether it is a two year college or a four year university.  In addition, there are more people who are earning higher degrees such as their masters or their Ph.D.

Finally, I plan on discussing the difference in how people get into schools or in how certain groups are more encouraged to pursue a higher level education.  What I mean by this is how certain programs or certain schools favor minority groups.  Since many people are trying to promote diversity in higher level education, especially in majors that tend to be one particular ethnic group, colleges tend to accept students who are minorities in their intended fields.  In addition, there are programs that strive to promote diversity and as a result offer more scholarship money to minorities.

So this is just a rough idea, but I’m planning on expanding on it for the speech and paper.

The first TED talk I am choosing to discuss is “Don’t like clickbait? Don’t click” by Sally Kohn.  Her talk was about how everything we click online is a public act of making media.  Although we may think that we are only publicly acting when we post or another action of that nature, that is not the only act that counts.  Kohn uses examples such as when you click on the stories about politicians calling each other names, it is showing your support for those kinds of stories.  As a result, more stories like those will be posted.  Kohn calls everyone to only click on the stories of which they would like to hear more.  In order to keep her audience’s attention, Kohn uses humor to keep them invested.  She makes multiple jokes that keeps her audience invested.  In addition, she speaks naturally, as if she was having a conversation, instead of formally as if in an essay.  Her casual manner of speaking and well-timed jokes keep her audience invested in her message.

The second TED talk I chose to write about is called “The Dog Song” by Nellie McKay.  Her TED talk was not a talk.  Instead it was a song dedicated to her dog who had to be put to sleep a few days before her talk.  Her song was funny and kept the audience entertained through it’s originality.  The song humorously discusses the owner’s (McKay) relationship with her dog.  She sings about how she used to feel upset often, but with her dog, she was able to relive the joys of life.  This song reminds those people in the audience with pets, specifically dogs, about the joys of having a companion.  Although her song does not call the audience to action, it provokes them to reminisce about the times they have had with their pets.

Every day, a child is diagnosed with cancer. This is the main point that the Swedish commercial makes in its subway billboard. The advertisement utilizes new technology to capture people’s attention, then the effects of shock to emphasize the harsh reality of the number of children with cancer. This advertisement is a perfect example of the effective use of rhetoric and being aware of the audience to call people to action.

The advertisement was created as a result of the high amount of children who suffered from cancer. Since there were so many children diagnosed with cancer, more funding was necessary to compensate for the rising number of patients. Therefore, the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation decided to put out an advertisement. They modeled their advertisement after a previous advertisement for hair shampoo, since that company’s advertisement was so successful.

The advertisement used innovative technology to sense when the subway was passing to make the hair of the young girl blow around. This caught the audiences’ attention so that they would be invested in the advertisement. The commercial was geared to the people who ride the subway and would be standing around waiting for the subway. However, the commercial is also partially aimed at online viewers.

Once the advertisement gained popularity, multiple videos were posted online with music to add to the dramatic effect. Therefore although they were not a part of the original intended audience, the online audience became a part of the audience.

This advertisement affected their lives because the children the advertisement spoke about included their friends and family, or at least someone they know.   Since it addressed the rising number of cancer patients who were children, particularly in Sweden, this advertisement affected everyone who saw it. The advertisement also created Kairos since it was revealed when cancer was a larger issue and the number of affected families was at a peak.

Part of the reason that the advertisement is so effective is it’s use of appeals. It appeals to logic with it’s statement that a child is diagnosed with cancer every day. It demonstrates that the advertisement came from a reliable source because it mentioned that it was provided by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation who would definitely be a reliable source for statistics regarding childhood cancer.

The real effect this commercial had however was in the emotion of the people. The commercial first drew people in through its implementation of new technology. When the subway passed and the girl’s hair began flowing around, everyone watching was entranced. Then suddenly it was revealed that her hair was actually a wig when it flew off her head in the wind. The wig flying off her head shocked the viewers and immediately sobered them. They were no longer in awe of the new technology. Instead they were stunned the dark turn that the advertisement took.

Then after the audience was hit with that, the advertisement revealed some shocking statistics. They stated that every day, a child is diagnosed with cancer. Then it gave information on how to donate money to children with cancer by calling the listed phone number.

The advertisement for the online audience included the music’s effect. In the beginning of the advertisement, the music is calm and peaceful. When the wig flies off, the music suddenly stops, mirroring the reactions of the audience. Then, once the words appear on the billboard, the music started again, but this time it was a little faster and more intense. This added to the dramatic effect the makers of the advertisement were striving to achieve.

The cancer advertisement demonstrated very effective tactics to capture the audience’s attention. After capturing their attention, the advertisement used appeals such as ethos, pathos, and logos to appeal to the logic, emotion, and reliability of the audience. It focused on the audience appropriately and effectively used tactics such as the music of the advertisement and other such elements to entrance the audience and shock them. These tactics would have led the audience to realize the issues with the rising numbers of children with cancer. Raising awareness in the audience and then providing them with the information needed to donate money to the fund. These tactics and their use of appeals and rhetoric led to numerous extra donations to the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation.

1. Introduction
   1. Start immediately with the video
      1. Link to my civic engagement artifact (begin at 30 seconds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=064ipuBiWDg
   2. Say a quick sentence explaining what they just watched, and then state the main points of the speech
2. Contextual Analysis (Civic Engagement)
   1. Explain the context behind the advertisement and the advertisement itself.
   2. Audience: Discuss how the commercial attracted the audience’s attention (very briefly discuss the old shampoo commercial and how the technology used in the ad to move the hair as the train passed was shocking to everyone and attracted everyone’s attention so that was an effective way to attract this audience as well). Who was the commercial directed towards, and how did the commercial affect them and their lives (includes online audience).
   3. Discuss that it happened as a result of the constantly rising number of cancer patients who are children, particularly in Sweden.
3. Textual Analysis (Civic)
   1. Begin by mentioning at some point that it was an advertisement on an interactive billboard
   2. Appeals: Analyze the use of appeals
      1. Ethos: Briefly state how that, since they are the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation, they are definitely trustworthy since they deal with children with cancer each day
      2. Logos: Mention in passing how the statement, “Every day a child is diagnosed with cancer” is a statement of fact
      3. Pathos: Go in detail about the different aspects of the commercial. Begin with how it attracted everyone’s attention and made them a little excited. Then the dramatic moment when the wig flew off was a sharp contrast with the mild excitement.
         1. Begin this next section with mentioning that although the music was not in the subway, the ad got a lot of it’s publicity online when news started spreading so it did have an effect on the online viewers. Also mention how the music changed. Before the wig flew off, the music was peaceful. Then when it flew off, the music paused. Then once the words appeared on the screen, the music picked up again, adding to the dramatic effect the makers were trying to achieve.
   3. Conclusion
      1. Restate the main points and end with “thank you”