Based on the textbook reading, what are the benefits of rhetoric in personal communication? Academic? Professional?
Guiding Questions:
I. Based on the textbook reading, what are the benefits of rhetoric in personal communication? Academic? Professional? (1-2 paragraph 1 paragraph = 5-8 sentences)
II. Words and actions can create controversy. Consider issues in education that has generated controversy. Complete the following for four (4) possible topics.
Topic:
Explanation:
Interest:
Guiding Argument:
Counterarguments:
III. Which topic piques your interest most? Why? What concerns do you have about choosing this topic?
General topic: Issues in Education
General Ideas to get you thinking:
• Public or private early childhood, elementary, middle/high school, community college, university, post-graduate studies, alternative schools & programs
• Teachers, staff, administration, students, parents, communities, politicians, etc.
• Resources, cost, pay, opportunities, curriculum, testing, facilities, school/district policies, discipline
• Sports, tutoring, special programs, music, academics, electives, graduation requirements, college requirements, school involvement on a variety of issues.
Make sure your topic is controversial
• 
• A controversial topic is one that people have different opinions about.
• Narrow your topic to clarify the direction you want to take in your paper and the overall argument you will make.
• The next two screens show how to move an informative topic to a controversial topic.
Topics to avoid
• •Obesity in school children (overly argued)
• 
• •Physical Education in schools (obvious results)
• •Religion/Prayer in the Classroom
• •School lunches (overly argued)
• •Arming teachers (lack of research)
• •School Uniforms (overly argued)
• •Parental Involvement (obvious results)
• •Bullying in schools (obvious results)
• •Homeschooling (obvious results)
• •Proficiency grading (lack of research)
• Avoid these topics. Submission of these topics for consideration will earn a zero.
Topics to consider
• •Repeating a grade.
• •National curriculum standards (K-12)
• •Shortened school weeks
• •Year round school
• •Online high school
• •Play Based Learning
• •Academic Preschools
• •Technology in lower grades
• •Project Based Learning
• •Teacher Assessment Programs
• •Crowd Sourcing Education
• •Gender Equality in the Classroom
• •Full Day Kindergarten
• •Federally Funded Preschool
• •College Readiness Programs
• •Character Education
• •Year round school
• •Sports impact on Academics
• •Tracking Programs
• •School-to-Work Programs
• •School Discipline Programs
• •Bilingual Education
• •Contingent Faculty Positions
• •Collective Bargaining
• •Life Skills Programs
• •School Choice
• •Student Retention (higher ed)
• •GED programs
• •Alternative School Programs
• •Sex Ed Programs
• •Exam Preparation Curriculum
• •College Athlete Pay
• •Portfolio Curriculum
• •Groupwork
• •Health Education
• •Single-Sex Schools
• •Technology Free Education
• •Distance Learning Degrees
• •Cooperative Teaching
• •College Loan Repayment