I came into this class unknowing of the word rhetoric and will be leaving aware of the word and its meaning. The important connection I made was the relationship of rhetoric to civic life. Regardless of anyone’s major, the topics discussed in this class along with the skills we developed are essential to being a good citizen. It’s important to look at things as objectively as possible and dive beneath the surface. It’s okay to not be right all the time and to listen to someone else’s opinion. These are all important values of mine that I enjoyed developing more in this course.
In class, we were given many opportunities to brainstorm and think out loud based on the rhetoric we were exposed to. One thing for certain is that the media has provided much opportunity for engaging with this material. Technology has changed everything, especially social media. I vividly remember watching a video in class the other day about the teacher shortage and that teachers are quitting their jobs all over the place. The “crying in the car” trend for teachers was displayed in a video by the New York Times and I sat there questioning my life decisions. Should I still go into Music Education? I think so? Either way, the important thing is that we were exposed to new topics and material constantly. These are skills that will carry into the rest of our lives. Good citizens go beneath the surface and keep up on the happenings of the world.
John,
I agree with you that this class was so helpful and important regardless of anyone’s major, and also taught me a lot about civic engagement and how important rhetoric is to our ever-changing society.
– Amalia
Hi John,
Something that I have always loved about rhetoric is its applicability to so many different fields and subjects. Everyone should know how to write well and effectively! I also understand your questioning of whether or not you want to go into education due to the poor state of education currently for teachers as I am also considering a career in the school system.
Sophia