September 10, 2020
What Does a Rhetorical Curriculum Look Like?
Over the last several years a number of New Jersey universities have adopted a writing curriculum that focuses on rhetoric. The national organization for university writing programs (WPA) has developed a set of outcomes that prominently features rhetorical knowledge. And in fact the New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards mention the word “rhetoric” repeatedly. And they assert that students should be able to “present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically. The content, organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience” (my emphasis).
Yet I find that most of our students at Seton Hall have little sense of what it means to write in this way. This is understandable. The traditions of writing on both the high school and college level have not made the rhetorical approach a priority. And the traditional classroom itself is set up to defeat a rhetorical approach, as I’ll explain in a bit.
Over the last several years a number of New Jersey universities have adopted a writing curriculum that focuses on rhetoric. The national organization for university writing programs (WPA) has developed a set of outcomes that prominently features rhetorical knowledge. And in fact the New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards mention the word “rhetoric” repeatedly. And they assert that students should be able to “present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically. The content, organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience” (my emphasis).
Yet I find that most of our students at Seton Hall have little sense of what it means to write in this way. This is understandable. The traditions of writing on both the high school and college level have not made the rhetorical approach a priority. And the traditional classroom itself is set up to defeat a rhetorical approach, as I’ll explain in a bit.
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But Isn’t Rhetoric a Bad Thing?
Most people—and I would include some writing faculty among them—are suspicious even of the word “rhetoric.” Common derogatory expressions include “that’s just a bunch of rhetoric” or, worse, “political rhetoric.” “Rhetoric” suggests language used to manipulate people. Also, Western culture has long lauded Plato, with his emphasis on seeking truth, and cast a stink-eye on the Sophists, who focused more on how to persuade an audience to the speaker’s point of view. Even today, we’ll dismiss someone’s argument as “sophistical” or misleading. |
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All Writing Occurs Within a Rhetorical Situation
Good writers don’t just use good grammar and sentence structure and create evidence-based prose. If writers don’t understand the expectations of their audience, the features of the genre they’re using, and the context in which they’re writing, they won’t write effectively. Even at a young age, children show they can be expert rhetoricians: They know which parent to ask to get their favorite sugary cereal, what the best contexts are to make their point (a crowded supermarket), and the optimal tonal balance of tears, pouts, and screams. Kids learn how to be effective rhetoricians because they get to practice in the real world. The biggest hurdle we face as teachers is that the classroom doesn’t feel much like the real world. We ask our students to write in the context of the classroom to the audience of the teacher for the purpose of getting a grade. Thus the classroom doesn’t feel like a genuine rhetorical situation for our students. Anything we can do to disrupt this anti-rhetorical situation will assist our students.
Writing for more real purposes and audiences
At the very least, have your students write for imaginary audiences but real purposes and genres. In this way students can discuss what choices will help meet an audience’s expectations. For example, students could compose a letter to the editor of a local newspaper about an issue that matters to them, consider who their target readers might be, and what the features of a letter to the editor are. For example, a student may choose to write the mayor of their town to persuade them to turn an empty lot into a community garden. AP English analyses of appeals—logos, ethos, pathos—become more nuanced as students investigate the mayor’s values and the priorities of the mayor’s constituencies. The assignment my students remember most is one where I ask them to think about the research paper they wrote (on a subject that mattered to them) and then to communicate--for real— what they discovered to someone to whom it would matter. One student in particular had to grapple with how she would communicate with a former teacher about the way she treated her as a young latinx woman. She really had to really think through decisions—about genre, medium level of formality, amount detail, etc.
Reflecting on rhetorical choices
Research into what prompts students to transfer knowledge effectively from one situation to another suggests that metacognition—or reflection on knowing—can make a big difference. So I ask my students to write a reflective piece after each draft: Who were you writing to? What’s one decision that you made to make sure you would reach that audience? What did you learn about the features of a film review? What did you do to address the credibility issue of you as a young person writing to a more adult audience? What did you learn about how a change of medium (say from a formal in-class essay to a blogpost) changes expectations for how your write?
Preparing students for a future of writing
You can help your students anticipate their college courses and future job demands by trying out some strategies that make them feel a bit more like they’re writing in the “real world” and then reflecting on the rhetorical decisions they’ve made.
Good writers don’t just use good grammar and sentence structure and create evidence-based prose. If writers don’t understand the expectations of their audience, the features of the genre they’re using, and the context in which they’re writing, they won’t write effectively. Even at a young age, children show they can be expert rhetoricians: They know which parent to ask to get their favorite sugary cereal, what the best contexts are to make their point (a crowded supermarket), and the optimal tonal balance of tears, pouts, and screams. Kids learn how to be effective rhetoricians because they get to practice in the real world. The biggest hurdle we face as teachers is that the classroom doesn’t feel much like the real world. We ask our students to write in the context of the classroom to the audience of the teacher for the purpose of getting a grade. Thus the classroom doesn’t feel like a genuine rhetorical situation for our students. Anything we can do to disrupt this anti-rhetorical situation will assist our students.
Writing for more real purposes and audiences
At the very least, have your students write for imaginary audiences but real purposes and genres. In this way students can discuss what choices will help meet an audience’s expectations. For example, students could compose a letter to the editor of a local newspaper about an issue that matters to them, consider who their target readers might be, and what the features of a letter to the editor are. For example, a student may choose to write the mayor of their town to persuade them to turn an empty lot into a community garden. AP English analyses of appeals—logos, ethos, pathos—become more nuanced as students investigate the mayor’s values and the priorities of the mayor’s constituencies. The assignment my students remember most is one where I ask them to think about the research paper they wrote (on a subject that mattered to them) and then to communicate--for real— what they discovered to someone to whom it would matter. One student in particular had to grapple with how she would communicate with a former teacher about the way she treated her as a young latinx woman. She really had to really think through decisions—about genre, medium level of formality, amount detail, etc.
Reflecting on rhetorical choices
Research into what prompts students to transfer knowledge effectively from one situation to another suggests that metacognition—or reflection on knowing—can make a big difference. So I ask my students to write a reflective piece after each draft: Who were you writing to? What’s one decision that you made to make sure you would reach that audience? What did you learn about the features of a film review? What did you do to address the credibility issue of you as a young person writing to a more adult audience? What did you learn about how a change of medium (say from a formal in-class essay to a blogpost) changes expectations for how your write?
Preparing students for a future of writing
You can help your students anticipate their college courses and future job demands by trying out some strategies that make them feel a bit more like they’re writing in the “real world” and then reflecting on the rhetorical decisions they’ve made.
August 20, 2020
For unforeseen reasons, we will be rescheduling our August 20th Virtual Session. Please stay tuned for updates about that rescheduled session.
August 5, 2020
August Focus
As we gear up for this school year, The NJWA is focusing our FREE August Session on Social-Emotional Learning. If you missed our August Blog, take a look at what Kristie-Anne had to say about the importance of SEL in her classroom. She also completed her first TED-Talk on this subject!
Sign-Up
If you miss us as much as we miss you, join us on August 20th at 12 pm for our first virtual session. This one is FREE, and we would love to see you all there. Here is the form to sign-up.
See you soon!
Michelle Rubano Revy
President, NJWA
As we gear up for this school year, The NJWA is focusing our FREE August Session on Social-Emotional Learning. If you missed our August Blog, take a look at what Kristie-Anne had to say about the importance of SEL in her classroom. She also completed her first TED-Talk on this subject!
Sign-Up
If you miss us as much as we miss you, join us on August 20th at 12 pm for our first virtual session. This one is FREE, and we would love to see you all there. Here is the form to sign-up.
See you soon!
Michelle Rubano Revy
President, NJWA
August 5, 2020
Check out this Equity in Action TED Talk from NJWA Past-President Kristie-Anne Opaleski!
August 3, 2020
Where are we now?
The fall is looming with trepidation on what all levels of schooling is going to look like. With students being taught remotely from March to the end of the year, there is real anxiety for all. Bringing students back into a learning community should be at the forefront of every educator’s to do list. If you’d like to learn more after reading this post, tune into my NJWA zoom professional development session on August 20th at 12pm.
We will all need to reexamine our expectations of where we think students should be and focus on where they are now. Community building activities such as ice-breakers or team building exercises are fundamental. If you want to engage a students’ minds, they first must feel safe and have a sense of belonging. Just as you cannot think straight when you are hungry, you cannot learn if you feel unsafe. Even with safety measures in place, students may be concerned. Fortunately, there are some simple things we can do to make the transition easier for everyone to whatever format you are running.
Wellness Checkins
If you are working with a blended or hybrid model, beginning class with a consistent routine can ease students’ anxiety as they will know what to expect every time they see you in person. Wellness check-ins can be straightforward open-ended questions posed to the whole class, a journal prompt to focus students on their mindset, or can be a fun activity such as using emoji magnets and having students place their emotional state in columns on the board. If remote, Google Forms or a daily attendance question is the way to go to obtain a glimpse into your students’ emotional well-being.
In Move This World’s Toolkit for Planning for Re Entry, beginning the new year with a discussion that allows students to process the pandemic could be as uncomplicated as asking these candid questions:
Engagement Strategies
If we are fortunate enough to have in person instruction, that time should be reserved for discussion and collaboration. Building and sustaining community allows learning to flourish organically. Students should practice applying concepts during class with their peers and teachers can provide guidance and feedback to support skill development. Gallery walks, socratic seminars, and affinity mapping are simple ways to get students focused. The School Reform Initiative, a non-profit organization committed to educational equity, has a comprehensive list of strategies based on the type of discussion you’d like to have. If we are remote, engaging students can seem challenging but platforms like padlet, back channel chat, and wakelet have you covered. Whatever engagement strategies you choose, consistency matters most. Don’t try ten different platforms as it will stress out you and your students trying to keep track of usernames and passwords and learning how to navigate that specific format.
Whether synchronous or asynchronous, we need to provide frequent opportunities for reflection and feedback to identity needs as students adapt to a new environment.
Voice and Choice
With Covid, many students (and adults) feel powerless over an uncertain future. Giving students agency over how they learn the content is one way to quell that sense of loss. One popular option is choice boards. Choice boards offer different options for students to demonstrate their understanding of course material. They can be used to introduce a concept, apply an idea, or assess a specific skill.
Depending on the age of your student, you can be as creative as you’d like. You could make the board a bingo game where students have to complete five different activities that meet the same course objective or a restaurant menu format with appetizers (introduction to a skill), entree (the meat of the lesson/skill, pardon the pun!) and dessert (a formative or summative assessment of the concept or skill). Though this may seem elementary in nature, students tend to enjoy the freedom of selecting options that fit their learning style.
In Closing
Where we are now is not a normal place to be but putting students first and content second, as uncomfortable as that may sound, is the best way to insure a successful term.
If you would like more ideas on how to begin your school year, please join me on August 20th at 12pm for the first edition of the NJWA Zoom professional development series where I will be presenting how to build rapport with students in a remote environment.
Kristie Opaleski is the past president of NJWA, an English teacher, and certified SEL specialist. She presents and blogs on SEL topics. Visit www.kristieopaleski.com for more information.
The fall is looming with trepidation on what all levels of schooling is going to look like. With students being taught remotely from March to the end of the year, there is real anxiety for all. Bringing students back into a learning community should be at the forefront of every educator’s to do list. If you’d like to learn more after reading this post, tune into my NJWA zoom professional development session on August 20th at 12pm.
We will all need to reexamine our expectations of where we think students should be and focus on where they are now. Community building activities such as ice-breakers or team building exercises are fundamental. If you want to engage a students’ minds, they first must feel safe and have a sense of belonging. Just as you cannot think straight when you are hungry, you cannot learn if you feel unsafe. Even with safety measures in place, students may be concerned. Fortunately, there are some simple things we can do to make the transition easier for everyone to whatever format you are running.
Wellness Checkins
If you are working with a blended or hybrid model, beginning class with a consistent routine can ease students’ anxiety as they will know what to expect every time they see you in person. Wellness check-ins can be straightforward open-ended questions posed to the whole class, a journal prompt to focus students on their mindset, or can be a fun activity such as using emoji magnets and having students place their emotional state in columns on the board. If remote, Google Forms or a daily attendance question is the way to go to obtain a glimpse into your students’ emotional well-being.
In Move This World’s Toolkit for Planning for Re Entry, beginning the new year with a discussion that allows students to process the pandemic could be as uncomplicated as asking these candid questions:
- How did it feel being away from school?
- Were there things you enjoyed?
- Were there things that concerned you greatly?
- What was the best thing you did during your time away?
- What was the hardest thing you did during your time away?
- How do you feel about the time you spent with the people in your life?
- How do you feel about returning to school?
Engagement Strategies
If we are fortunate enough to have in person instruction, that time should be reserved for discussion and collaboration. Building and sustaining community allows learning to flourish organically. Students should practice applying concepts during class with their peers and teachers can provide guidance and feedback to support skill development. Gallery walks, socratic seminars, and affinity mapping are simple ways to get students focused. The School Reform Initiative, a non-profit organization committed to educational equity, has a comprehensive list of strategies based on the type of discussion you’d like to have. If we are remote, engaging students can seem challenging but platforms like padlet, back channel chat, and wakelet have you covered. Whatever engagement strategies you choose, consistency matters most. Don’t try ten different platforms as it will stress out you and your students trying to keep track of usernames and passwords and learning how to navigate that specific format.
Whether synchronous or asynchronous, we need to provide frequent opportunities for reflection and feedback to identity needs as students adapt to a new environment.
Voice and Choice
With Covid, many students (and adults) feel powerless over an uncertain future. Giving students agency over how they learn the content is one way to quell that sense of loss. One popular option is choice boards. Choice boards offer different options for students to demonstrate their understanding of course material. They can be used to introduce a concept, apply an idea, or assess a specific skill.
Depending on the age of your student, you can be as creative as you’d like. You could make the board a bingo game where students have to complete five different activities that meet the same course objective or a restaurant menu format with appetizers (introduction to a skill), entree (the meat of the lesson/skill, pardon the pun!) and dessert (a formative or summative assessment of the concept or skill). Though this may seem elementary in nature, students tend to enjoy the freedom of selecting options that fit their learning style.
In Closing
Where we are now is not a normal place to be but putting students first and content second, as uncomfortable as that may sound, is the best way to insure a successful term.
If you would like more ideas on how to begin your school year, please join me on August 20th at 12pm for the first edition of the NJWA Zoom professional development series where I will be presenting how to build rapport with students in a remote environment.
Kristie Opaleski is the past president of NJWA, an English teacher, and certified SEL specialist. She presents and blogs on SEL topics. Visit www.kristieopaleski.com for more information.
July 21, 2020
Where have we been since May, 2019??
Our Spring conference in 2019 at Rutgers University was a HUGE success. We got a lot of positive feedback from attendees about the breadth and depth of the sessions offered. But, one comment that we have seen every year, for at least the last 5 years, is a desire to have the conference in the Fall, to coincide with the beginning of the academic year. In addition, since we have been hesitant to raise our attendance fee anymore than we already have, we found ourselves with a bit of a budget shortage because of some unpredicted expenses associated with the 2019 Conference. So, we decided to move our conference to the Fall of 2020.
In comes COVID!
Of course, none of us were prepared for a global pandemic that would completely rock our educational system. We had a date picked for October 2020, and now...well...you know.
We met as a committee in late June to toss around some ideas. We came to the consensus that we were not going to have an in-person conference this fall. However, we feel committed to the need to provide a venue for teachers to share with teachers- because we all know that is where ideas flourish.
We are having all kinds of feelings over here about going remote.
After a lengthy discussion, it is safe to say that all of the committee members are longing for new ways to engage their students remotely. We know there is no replacement for in-person instruction, and we are navigating new waters in terms of addressing the social-emotional needs of our students at both the secondary AND post-secondary levels.
We are also discussing our own feelings about remote learning for Professional Development. As “tech savvy” as I consider myself, I do not learn effectively while sitting at a computer for long periods of time, and many of the committee members share similar feelings. So, how do we move forward and facilitate the authentic teacher-learning experiences we all value so much?
We are going into uncharted territory!
We will inevitably have to tackle some sort of remote conference, and as a committee we are working on what that might look like. Keep in mind, The New Jersey Writing Alliance is an all volunteer group of nerdy secondary and post-secondary teachers who love talking about teaching and writing. I know that sounds like a joke, but it isn’t. Typically (when we can meet in person), we order some food and talk for hours about the things we’ve been observing and the topics we think are valuable...and somehow manage to sift through those hours of conversation to organize a conference. It is all passion, a little strategy and a lot of time.
We want to continue our efforts, so we are going to start small, with one virtual session available to all. This will be our “test run,” so bear with us! We hope to use this session to deliver valuable information to help our teachers address the social-emotional needs of students as we move into the Fall. We also hope to gather some important information about the logistics of hosting using an online platform, and re-evaluate the needs of the teachers.
This session will be on THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020.
In the meantime, please reach out to us via our website if you have anything to share, or insight about topics that would be helpful to see moving into this school year.
Be well,
Michelle Rubano Revy
President, New Jersey Writing Alliance
Our Spring conference in 2019 at Rutgers University was a HUGE success. We got a lot of positive feedback from attendees about the breadth and depth of the sessions offered. But, one comment that we have seen every year, for at least the last 5 years, is a desire to have the conference in the Fall, to coincide with the beginning of the academic year. In addition, since we have been hesitant to raise our attendance fee anymore than we already have, we found ourselves with a bit of a budget shortage because of some unpredicted expenses associated with the 2019 Conference. So, we decided to move our conference to the Fall of 2020.
In comes COVID!
Of course, none of us were prepared for a global pandemic that would completely rock our educational system. We had a date picked for October 2020, and now...well...you know.
We met as a committee in late June to toss around some ideas. We came to the consensus that we were not going to have an in-person conference this fall. However, we feel committed to the need to provide a venue for teachers to share with teachers- because we all know that is where ideas flourish.
We are having all kinds of feelings over here about going remote.
After a lengthy discussion, it is safe to say that all of the committee members are longing for new ways to engage their students remotely. We know there is no replacement for in-person instruction, and we are navigating new waters in terms of addressing the social-emotional needs of our students at both the secondary AND post-secondary levels.
We are also discussing our own feelings about remote learning for Professional Development. As “tech savvy” as I consider myself, I do not learn effectively while sitting at a computer for long periods of time, and many of the committee members share similar feelings. So, how do we move forward and facilitate the authentic teacher-learning experiences we all value so much?
We are going into uncharted territory!
We will inevitably have to tackle some sort of remote conference, and as a committee we are working on what that might look like. Keep in mind, The New Jersey Writing Alliance is an all volunteer group of nerdy secondary and post-secondary teachers who love talking about teaching and writing. I know that sounds like a joke, but it isn’t. Typically (when we can meet in person), we order some food and talk for hours about the things we’ve been observing and the topics we think are valuable...and somehow manage to sift through those hours of conversation to organize a conference. It is all passion, a little strategy and a lot of time.
We want to continue our efforts, so we are going to start small, with one virtual session available to all. This will be our “test run,” so bear with us! We hope to use this session to deliver valuable information to help our teachers address the social-emotional needs of students as we move into the Fall. We also hope to gather some important information about the logistics of hosting using an online platform, and re-evaluate the needs of the teachers.
This session will be on THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020.
In the meantime, please reach out to us via our website if you have anything to share, or insight about topics that would be helpful to see moving into this school year.
Be well,
Michelle Rubano Revy
President, New Jersey Writing Alliance
July 17, 2020
Hello Teachers!
We hope this message finds you in a state of total relaxation, mentally recharging for (what is sure to be) an interesting school year. The members of The New Jersey Writing Alliance were hoping to be planning our first fall conference. After years of receiving feedback from our members, we made the plan to forgo our Spring 2020 Conference (pre-COVID), and launch our yearly conference in the fall.
I’m sure it goes without saying--a fall conference is going to be a bit impossible this year. BUT, we are stepping outside of our comfort zone, and looking to launch our FIRST EVER, NJWA Online Series. There will be more information in the coming weeks, so STAY TUNED!
I miss you, and hope you are well,
Michelle Rubano Revy
President, The New Jersey Writing Alliance
We hope this message finds you in a state of total relaxation, mentally recharging for (what is sure to be) an interesting school year. The members of The New Jersey Writing Alliance were hoping to be planning our first fall conference. After years of receiving feedback from our members, we made the plan to forgo our Spring 2020 Conference (pre-COVID), and launch our yearly conference in the fall.
I’m sure it goes without saying--a fall conference is going to be a bit impossible this year. BUT, we are stepping outside of our comfort zone, and looking to launch our FIRST EVER, NJWA Online Series. There will be more information in the coming weeks, so STAY TUNED!
I miss you, and hope you are well,
Michelle Rubano Revy
President, The New Jersey Writing Alliance