Imagine that you enter a parlor. You come late. When you arrive, others have long preceded you, and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion too heated for them to pause and tell you exactly what it is about. In fact, the discussion had already begun long before any of them got there, so that no one present is qualified to retrace for you all the steps that had gone before. You listen for a while, until you decide that you have caught the tenor of the argument; then you put in your oar. Someone answers; you answer him; another comes to your defense; another aligns himself against you, to either the embarrassment or gratification of your opponent, depending upon the quality of your ally’s assistance. However, the discussion is interminable. The hour grows late, you must depart. And you do depart, with the discussion still vigorously in progress.

-Kenneth Burke, The Philosophy of Literary Form, 1941

When teaching I think of Kenneth Burke’s parlor metaphor. I realize that I myself have entered a discussion and I must orient my students to the conversation and enable them to participate in it. The classroom becomes another site of the discussion and will create further discussion once the semester comes to a close. To me, the classroom is a supportive and rigorous space for facilitated learning.

I view teaching as a symbiotic process that is to the advantage of both the teacher and the student. With that in mind, I situate the learning around discussion and stimulate the students at the beginning of class with open ended prompts and/or a set of provocations (in the medical sense) to solicit responses that initially get the basic understanding of the material underway. From that foundation the students move from the basics of the reading to pushing beyond the limits of the reading and classroom to examples outside of the University. I learn along with the students and come to a deeper understanding of the material when I try to put what they are learning in multiple terms that will solidify and ground knowledge.

There is a vast range of tools at the disposal of the teacher as well as the student with the advances of technology. I only use tools that both of us can share in the classroom environment. Using sources and examples available on the Internet or basing the reading in contemporary and more familiar terms to the students is a persistent goal of mine in the classroom. I encourage students, while they are reading, to e-mail me examples that resonate with the text to me so I can show the class the next time we meet. This enables me to determine how they are making connection between the classroom and the world beyond the class.

Metaphors are particularly useful while teaching. Putting new or unfamiliar material into terms of something students already have traction with is what I strive to do daily. Most of the material is new and unfamiliar to the students. For example: when dealing with ancient primary texts in particular, I gauge my audience’s palate and place something that the Ancient Greeks would think into 21^st century terms. For example, in a class with multiple athletes and students tuned into the school’s basketball team’s progress, I put the reading in terms of positions on the basketball team and the physical aptitudes of the positions in terms with the mental and physical aptitudes in Ancient Greece society.

Facilitating a student’s orientation to new material and to the broader discussion that they enter when picking up a particular text or subject is what dictates how I move through material and manage classroom activities. Whether it is presenting to a large lecture hall or smaller recitation sections, I am always thinking of how assimilation and the ability to then solicit discussion about the material can happen.

Tiara Good

Department of Communication Arts and Sciences
Graduate Assistant, ABD
The Pennsylvania State University 316 Sparks Building
tkf118@psu.edu; 315.383.0492

My website: https://sites.psu.edu/tiarak/

Education

Ph.D. (Anticipated), Communication Arts and Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, June 2017 Advisor: Dr. Jeremy Engels

M.A., Communication and Rhetorical Studies, Syracuse University, May 2012
Master’s Thesis Title: “Constructing a World War II America: The rhetorical craftsmanship of Franklin D. Roosevelt,” Thesis Advisor: Dr. Brad Vivian

B.A., Rhetoric and Media Studies, Willamette University, Cum Laude, May 2011 Thesis Title: “Palin Reality” Comprehensive Exams taken January 2011 Overall GPA 3.74, in major GPA 3.93

Advisor: Dr. Catherine Collins

Teaching Experience

Graduate Teaching Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University, August 2013-Present

• Effective Speech, CAS100a Fall 2013
• Effective Speech, CAS100a Spring 2014
• Propaganda and Persuasion, CAS175, Fall 2015
• Effective Speech, CAS100a Spring 2016
• Effective Speech with rhetorical criticism message analysis focus, CAS100c Summer 2016 World Campus Online
• Effective Speech with rhetorical criticism message analysis focus, CAS100c Fall 2016 World Campus Online

Adjunct Professor, Syracuse University, Spring 2015

Public Speaking, CRS 325, Spring 2015

Teaching Assistant, Syracuse University, August 2011-Present

Presentational Speaking, Fall 2012
Public Advocacy, Fall 2011, Spring 2012

Concepts and Perspectives in Rhetorical Theory, Spring 2013

Certificate in Online Teaching, Received in 2016

Earned an online teaching certification from World Campus of The Pennsylvania University

Future Professoriate Program, Received in 2011

Earned a Certificate in University Teaching from Syracuse University.

Professional Tutor September 2014-May 2016

Tutored undergraduate students in a variety of topics with a focus on writing.

Publications

Articles

Tiara Good, “Photographic Phantasia and Mineralogical Whispers of the Dead,” under review in Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies.

Tiara Good, “Mnemonic Mapping,” under review in Popular Communication.

Tiara Good, “The Nostalgic Soldier as a Site of Deliberation in Brothers,” under review in Critical Studies in Media Communication.

Tiara Good, “Objects as Witness to the Holocaust,” under review in Representations.

Reviews

Review of Robert L. Ivie & Oscar Giner’s Hunt the Devil: A Demonology of US War Culture, forthcoming in Rhetoric Society Quarterly.

Academic Achievement Awards

Cynthia Danel College of Liberal Arts Endowment Award, 2016, Center For Democratic Deliberation at The Pennsylvania State University

The award supports students’ work related to the mission and aims for the Center For Democratic Deliberation. Students are nominated and appointed for the award based upon their dissertation work.

James L. Golden Outstanding Student Essay, National Communication Association, 2012, merit based

This award was created as an essay competition to encourage and support student research. The essay should focus on the history, theory, or criticism of rhetoric. The award can be given to undergraduate or graduate students. The first award was given in 2002.

The Creative Opportunity Grant, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, Syracuse University

The Creative Opportunity Grant (COG) is designed to support students in various disciplines and allow them to take advantage of unique opportunities that will benefit their academic/artistic work and enhance their career development.

Mary L. Collins Grad Scholarship, 2011-2014, Willamette University

Senior who will pursue graduate study at an accredited university beginning with the 2011-12 academic year is eligible to apply. Applicant must have a cumulative 3.2 GPA or higher and have completed 2 years of work in residence at Willamette.

Shannon P. Hogue Scholarship for Excellence in Rhetoric and Media Studies, 2010, Willamette University

Awarded for excellent scholarship and promise for future research in journalism or communication.

Transfer Honor Scholar, 2008-2011, Willamette University

Awarded for excellent grade performance at my prior institution and for showing promise to do well at Willamette.

Willamette Compass Scholarship, 2008-2011, Willamette University

Conference Participation

“Photographic Phantasia.” National Communication Association November 10-13, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“Objects as Witness to the Holocaust.” The British Association for Holocaust Studies July 19-21^st, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

“The Nostalgic Soldier as a Visual Site of Deliberation in Brothers”

“Interactive timelines as prostheses for reexperiencing and reremembering September 11, 2001”

”Oka::y. Our, our Number 1 got stabbed’: Extraordinary Circumstances and Some Ordinary Talk.” National Communication Association November 19th-22nd, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Constructing a World War II America: The Rhetorical Craftsmanship of Franklin D. Roosevelt.” Rhetoric Society of America May 23rd-26th, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

“Subject to the Ban: On the Battlefield and at Home” and “Viewing Rhetoric through Nietzsche’s Tragic Art.” National Communication Association November 21^st-24th, 2013 in Washington D.C..

 “’Mapping’ the beginning of Japanese American Internment in the United States.” Western States Communication Association February 15^th-18th, 2013 in Reno, Nevada.

“Sights on Palin: Revealing an American enemy through enemyship and metaphorical analysis.” Received the James L. Golden award for Outstanding Student Essay. National Communication Association November 15th-18th, 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

“Palin Reality: A metaphorical and narrative analysis of Palin’s vice presidential nomination acceptance speech.” Rhetoric Society of America May 25th-28th, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“Sights on Palin: Revealing an American enemy through enemyship and metaphorical analysis.” Symbolic Violence Conference Texas A&M March 1st-4th, 2012 in College Station, Texas.

“The Demands of Metaphor: Presidential Justificatory War Rhetoric from 1990 and 2001.” Western States Communication Association Undergraduate Scholars’ Research Conference, February 18th- 22nd, 2011 in Monterey, California.

Research Experience

Archival Research, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives, Hyde Park, NY, 2011 and 2012. I researched and collected citizens’ letters to the President. Copied and collected Japanese American internment maps.

Research Assistant, Assisted Prof. Jeremy Miller with, “Exploring the Survival Processing Advantage in Recognition Memory” (April 2009). Experiments tested whether objects needed for survival were more readily recognized than non-survival related objects.

Professional Experience

Feature Editor, Collegian Newspaper, May 2010 – December 2010

Office Assistant, Michael Rice C.P.A., March 2008 – February 2010

Customer Service & Geek Squad, Best Buy, September 2003 – April 2007

 Languages

Japanese—moderate speaking ability

French—proficient in reading and moderate speaking ability

Professional Membership

National Communication Association, 2012-Present

Rhetorical Society of America, 2011-Present

Mortar Board Honor Society, 2010-2011

References

Jeremy Engels

Associate Professor
The Pennsylvania State University
 Jde13@psu.edu; 814.863.0760

Brad Vivian
Associate Professor
The Pennsylvania State University
Bjv113@psu.edu; 814.865.0945

Michele Kennerly
Assistant Professor and Director of Effective Speech
The Pennsylvania State University
kennerly@psu.edu; 814.865.3826

Kendall Phillips
Professor; Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies
Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies
Syracuse University
kphillip@syr.edu; 315-443-2883

Mark Stewart
Associate Dean
Willamette University
mstewart@willamette.edu; 503-370-6661