That's right. I'm planning on being an English teacher (well, at least getting licensed) and I consistently have to look up words and concepts in the articles we read. What the hell is rhetorical analysis, anyway? My oh my - I feel stupid. Well, for all those others out there feeling as stupid as I do, here you go: website 1, website 2, website 3. Did you know that rhetoric is the study of potential misunderstanding? Where have I been? Living under a rock? This whole rhetorical analysis comes into play in the anti-5-paragraph-essay article by Kimberly Wesley. Long story short, she ends up arguing for teaching the 5 paragrah essay as a "rhetorical form" with three units. She says that the traditional form painfully limits the choice of purpose, audience, and topic (creativity), thus preventing students from thinking rhetorically (I think I know what that means now).
Surprise, surprise - guess who supports teaching the 5 paragraph essay? I feel that the 5 paragraph essay is an amazing jumping off point for beginning writers. Organization, as we know, is crucial to putting your thoughts together and writing an "essay." Teaching students to master this is setting them up for the baby steps to success. By following some specific guidelines, it helps them to begin to formulate ideas and analyze material. BUT, that being said, it isn't the end all, be all. It can't be taught in isolation. The only thing that does is crank out a student like me who panics when given free reign during creative writing class. It's a helpful guide when students are first learning to write, especially in regards to academic writing.
Check out the bulleted list of the things included in the Capstone Leadership Project. If you're a high school junior or senior wanting to apply for the "Minnesota Scholars of Distinction in Leadership" award, you better know your five paragraph essay. I just thought that was really interesting.
Oh - this is entertaining too.
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if you think you are suffering from FPT, don't wait any longer. ask your doctor about this amazing new breakthrough drug called... so, i will agree that it's not exactly an epidemic, but it can be sooo stifling. however, not teaching your students how to do the FPT before they head off to college is not an option, unless you don't want them to succeed. i bet i wrote hundreds of 5-paragraph essays in undergrad. evidently, my high school teachers must have wanted me to stick around and serve cocktails at thunder lanes, because freshmen year comp II was the first i'd heard of FPT, and by that time format wasn't really being taught. so, through a painful process of trial and error, i overcame, but it would have been nice to have had this lesson in high school.
hahahahaha. sry. if u feel like an idiot u wont get anywhere actually ADMITTING u feel like an idiot. u commented on my dadds blog. that was nice of u. did u answer the pole to guess the dogs name? last i checked me and him were the only people who voted. i feel sry for him. u should vote if the poll is still up.
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