Interacting with Meaning

"Learning to write is not a matter of learning the rules that govern the use of the semicolon or the names of sentence structures, nor is it a matter of manipulating words; it is a matter of making meanings, and that is the work of the active mind." -Berlin

"English is like oxygen. It's an art of expression" - 9th grader at Lubbock Cooper High School

"I know how to speak it, why do they need other rules for it?" other 9th grader at Lubbock Cooper High School
What do these three quotes have in common? What are they really saying? Berlin argues that learning to write is a rhetorical process. It's not about rules, learning where a period, or comma is placed; it's constructing meaning through interaction. This is the method I most enjoyed. I feel teaching composition should be an on-going dialogue between teacher and student. Isn't that what language is anyway, but a dialogue? (Even if we talk to ourselves…)

When I took the quick write survey yesterday at LCHS asking them to explain why the hated or liked English, I was blown away by a few of the responses. Most of them were exactly what we’d talked about in class. However, as with the first quote, one student saw that writing is an art of expression. It’s a “matter of making meanings” as Berlin said.

Most students lose this connection and get stuck with the mechanics. Berlin later argued in his article that the content of the essay was more important than the structure. It’s easy to understand that last student’s comment. Unfortunately, there’s a discrepancy in being able to speak a language and being able to write it. Often don’t we have more freedom in writing to express ourselves? We’re bound by physical means in the spoken language.

However, to get back to the point, if teachers taught more of a rhetorical approach to writing as Berlin suggested, I think we might have more responses like the first student who felt writing was an art and an interactive process with meaning.

Humans and Humanism

I found our discussion on humanism to be very interesting, though blurry. I enjoyed the article we were assigned and quotes included in the article.
“Humanism is the study and practice of the principle of human happiness uncomplicated by naturistic dogmas on the one side and religion dogmas on the other” –G.R. Elliot
This quote seemed to explain the clearest what humanism is- a belief in humans. As a species, we feel that we control our own happiness and are not bound to any supernatural power or deity. We have, in our own power, the ability to strive for happiness. As discussed in class, we run into problems. Not everyone has the same happiness to pursue. Not everyone is equal. We should have equal opportunity, but how can we put a standard on what might be called happiness?
This has everything and nothing to do with composition. In a sense, if we have a purpose to do anything, we have a reason to write about it. If our purpose is happiness, we are given an equal opportunity to compose our own existence through writing. If this is the case, then we as teachers are to present this to our students. We need to give them the tools and opportunities necessary to compose whatever their happiness is.

Rhetoric Works

The art of rhetoric will be the prime focus of my future career. Come on, as a teacher, I’m going to have to argue with my students as to why, yes, they have to do their homework. Just kidding.
On a more serious note, the concept of rhetoric will follow my career into whatever high school I wind up in. It will be my job to successfully communicate messages to my students. Furthermore, assignments could focus on appealing to logos, ethos, or pathos. A student can identify more with the assignment if it appeals to his or her logic, emotion, or character. This idea came to mind after studying the idea of multiple intelligences.
Rhetoric can help me on the basic level of communication in my working environment, future classes, and relationships. My supervisor told me once that she felt that communication was a strong point of mine. I’m not sure if this is true. However, I do find that I like to make sure everyone is the same page. I like to have a reason, logos, pathos, or ethos, behind what I’m doing. I want to be able to uphold an argument as to why I’m doing what I’m doing. Furthermore, I want to be very clear in my intentions and arguments. I want to be clear in what I’m asking or wondering about my significant other. Miscommunication is a scary term in today’s society. This concept of rhetoric can help us learn how to communicate and teach others how to express ideas.