A Sense of Urgency With a Splash of Humility

Language has always fascinated me. As a species we have evolved beyond other species mainly because of our opposable thumbs and our extensive language/communication skills. I have always enjoyed writing and conversing because through communication we come to better understand ourselves and our world, and grow and evolve as individuals and as a society/culture. 

I recently sensed a great deal of hesitation amongst my AP Lang students as we transitioned from rhetorical analysis to argumentation. They are so worried about being wrong or sounding stupid, when all they have to do is explore their ideas and think critically. 

I have provided them with academic language lists and organizational structures, now they just need to be curious. They need to think about the essay prompt with a sense of relevance to their world and society as a whole.

What I told one student as she lamented over the timed writing to be done the next day .... 

"Education is a process. I'M still learning. Everyday. 'She who knows, knows that she know nothing at all.' Think about it as growth rather than needing to be perfect tomorrow. No one is perfect. There is always room for improvement! .... No one has all of the right answers! That is why we, as a society, continue to question, explore, and invent! We grow as a society because we are naturally curious. We explore and question our world in order to figure things out. This essay is a chance to explore and figure things out. Think of it as an opportunity to engage and question life."

In their writing and speaking skills, I want my students to be academic, thorough, and descriptive, but I also want them to be engaged, creative, and thoughtful. I want my students to want to question the text and explore, not just answer the prompt dryly and regurgitate sentence stems. I want my students to want to gain more knowledge rather than thinking of essays and projects as a chore or some kind of torture. 

In the end I just want them to understand the art of rhetoric and see how they can use it (for good or evil); I want them to be able to argue a position no matter their actual opinion of the topic; I want them to question things and never live in ignorance or apathy. 

Those may be some lofty goals, but I've got hope! #MakeHopeHappen #Teacherlife #APLang

P.S. For my scholars....

Extra Credit ---- Answer any or all of the following questions in one complete AXES paragraph (one AXES paragraph per question)

1. Find the paragraph of antithesis and/or juxtaposition. Why/how is it effective?
2. Find the anaphora. Why/how is it effective?
3. The Wittgenstein quote is an appeal to ___________ (Hint: logical fallacy)
4. Find the allusion. Why/how is it effective?
5. Does Ms. F have enough ethos to be persuasive? Explain