How are you teaching Rhetoric?

[iteachmine]

I have will have a 10th grader and I am interested in seeing how others are teaching rhetoric.

 

What books/programs are you using? How many days a week/hrs are you doing this subject.

 

Thanks in advance for sharing. :001_smile:

[Cedarmom]

I was hoping to hear some answers on this. I am still undecided. My son is doing debate and apologetics, but I am unsure of a formal rhetoric program. SWB recommends A Rulebook for Arguments, that looks interesting. We have a little bit of Trad. Logic II to finish next year, and then some review. The next book after that Classical Rhetoric with Aristotle, but intense. This subject came up before, and either the people who do it aren't replying or few people are doing it.

[Denise in PA]

I am also teaching two teens this coming fall with two very different learning styles - how God is stretching me! :001_smile: Your thread speaks of a rhetoric program... well in my home I teach rhetoric everyday with Tapestry of Grace, a terrific unit study approach written by Marcia Somerville. Throughout the high school years, this age group is labeled "rhetoric", she provides encouragement and excellent instruction for the parent. One of the objectives in teaching high school students is for them to stand up for their beliefs. Well, Tapestry of Grace (TOG) hones analysis and synthesis every week by way of though provoking assignments and practicing socratic discussion session. No, my teens are not taking a rhetoric class by itself, and you may want to go this path. My children are learning rhetoric in a natural way, integrated in their daily studies. There are many, many wonderful home studies available for you to consider. TOG is only one, but thought I would share my input.

[Tina in Ouray]

Next year I'll have my 17yod completing a course in rhetoric. It will be her senior year, and the course will be a sort of "capstone" course for her. She has done quite a bit of work in logic and classical rhetoric already. But there are three books/texts that I'm wanting her to complete or develop a familiarity with. They are

 

Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, Edward Corbett

Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Joseph Williams

Writer's Workshop, Gregory Roper

 

Much of the theoretical work in Corbett will be review for her. But I'd like her to develop a familiarity with this text so that she can use it as a resource in her future college course work. She hasn't really done any analytical work with the readings it contains, so we'll spend some time with them.

 

"Style" is something I'm just having her work through for all those things I've probably missed teaching her even though I've tried. It has exercises nicely laid out . . . cuts down on my writing/planning.

 

"Writer's Workshop" is something that I think she's really going to enjoy. This is the classical practice of imitation at its finest. If you aren't familiar with this book, you might want to check it out. Each chapter has sets of imitation assignments.

 

Since Corbett doesn't really have any exercises or assignments (to speak of) built into it, I will be relying almost solely on the other texts for the bulk of our written assignments. We'll use Corbett for discussion material; it's so theoretical.

 

Right now all I have outlined is what sections we'll read/do when. I'm trying to flesh this out with speeches and other assignments that I'm culling from online resources like Silva Rhetoricae, Composition 1101 (hypertextbooks), etc.

 

I'm happy to share this "syllabus" with anyone who is seriously interested in it; just email me. Right now it isn't finished, and I don't know when it will be, but I'll send you what I have if you are interested in combining any of these resources.

 

One caveat: this is not what I'd do with a 10th grader who'd never had any rhetoric. With my 15yos I'll probably be doing something more akin to The Lost Tools of Writing. I haven't gotten to that stage of planning yet.

 

Tina in Ouray, CO

tina @ ouraynet . com (leave out spaces)

[kate in seattle]

There is a great book out there "Thank-you for Arguing" by Heinrichs. It teaches a LOT of classical rhetoric through modern examples (from Lincoln to Homer Simpson). Unfortunately, there are a few off-color references (which I am planning on whiteing out - and I hardly ever do that kind of thing). If you are willing to do that, this is a FUN, ENJOYABLE, readable text that covers material from both Aristotle's "Rhetoric" and the "Ad Herennium".

 

 

Just thought I would throw that out there.

 

Kate in Seattle

[LisaNY]

 

Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, Edward Corbett

Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Joseph Williams

Writer's Workshop, Gregory Roper

 

 

"Writer's Workshop" is something that I think she's really going to enjoy. This is the classical practice of imitation at its finest. If you aren't familiar with this book, you might want to check it out. Each chapter has sets of imitation assignments.

 

 

Tina in Ouray, CO

tina @ ouraynet . com (leave out spaces)

 

Hi Tina! So nice to see you here! :seeya:

 

Thanks for the Writer's Workshop suggestion. I'm going to check that out.

 

Please come by more often when you can - I always appreciate your posts. :001_smile:

[Janice H]

Memoria Press estimates a release date of Sept. 1, 2008 for DVDs to accompany Martin Cothran's Classical Rhetoric: Traditional Principles of Speaking & Writing.

 

The catalog for Summer 2008 says "This DVD course includes Mr. Cothran's verbal instructions on every aspect of the course, including the supplementary exercises, and includes helpful graphics to explain the contents of the course."

 

Sounds good to me.

[HollyinNNV]

There is a great book out there "Thank-you for Arguing" by Heinrichs. It teaches a LOT of classical rhetoric through modern examples (from Lincoln to Homer Simpson). Unfortunately, there are a few off-color references

Kate in Seattle

 

 

I've been reading this book for the past few days. I am enjoying it, but saddened by the goofy "seduction/persuasion" stuff. It is quite a good book, but it does need some editing for students.

Holly

[lwilliams1922]

Memoria Press estimates a release date of Sept. 1, 2008 for DVDs to accompany Martin Cothran's Classical Rhetoric: Traditional Principles of Speaking & Writing.

 

The catalog for Summer 2008 says "This DVD course includes Mr. Cothran's verbal instructions on every aspect of the course, including the supplementary exercises, and includes helpful graphics to explain the contents of the course."

 

Sounds good to me.

 

 

anyone buy this?

[Melissa in Australia]

we are using A Rulebook for Arguments. it is a great review of things previously learned in logic. we do it about 3 days a week. I read out loud one section ( one subheading). and then we discuss it.

[FloridaLisa]

Wow! We've resurrected an old thread! We are also using Horner's Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition. I found it at a used book sale this summer, read through it and really like it. I may tweak some of the writing assignments or, after re-reading Tina's post, incorporate some of the Writer's Workshop assignments. That book is a gem, but we were unable to get to most of it last year.

 

 

Lisa