Lindeman (pg. 37 – 59) Response: 2/13/18

What do teachers need to know about rhetoric?

Rhetoric is an essential tool for teachers. Not only do teachers need to have an understanding of rhetoric, they also need to know how to affectively use it. Rhetoric which can be defined as an art, tool, or eloquence. Due to the various definitions, it makes it difficult for teachers to effectively translate and teach it as a curriculum to students. Some important aspects of rhetoric that they must know is the history behind it. Like most things, it is necessary to know the background, roots, and culture of where ideas originate. It gives a deeper knowledge and even contributes to a developed interest in the subject. Furthermore, it is important to know the authors of rhetoric. This may be credited to early philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and the Sophists. All of the figures had different definitions and perspectives of rhetoric, but they all contributed greatly to its development. Rhetoric is very diverse in the different practices and teachers must be comfortable in all of its meanings and uses in order to effectively teach it.