#argument writing

[trista-la-vista]

thinking about how in eighth grade i was so fucking tired of argument writing and i had to do an argument essay for english and i wanted to write about some series of unfortunate events theory but our bullshit longterm sub was like „you write about books too much”. IN ENGLISH CLASS. so i wrote some halfassed essay and shamelessly used wikihow as one of my sources. i gave no shits and stuck that citation right in the middle of my works cited page. no regrets

[socraticteacher]

Teaching a cool unit now: Am I the same person I used to be? Students read continuity theory favored by John Locke and then read succession theory favored by Derek Parfit. After reading both sides and analyzing both arguments, students will write their own essay choosing the stronger argument. I'm always surprised by the number of students who favor succession theory. It just feels counter-intuitive that we are not the same people from day to day. When they start analyzing the arguments though, this is conclusion many of the students reach because they find Parfit's argument harder to break. After they've had some time to work on their essays, we might discuss the ethical implications of having people in jail for crimes that they committed when they were somebody else. No wonder the kids complain that my class makes their brain hurt more than any other. It's fun to mess with the 6th grader's mind.

[ealkier]

Tweak Your Speech: Rhetoric and Star Trek

This week in Professional Communication and Presentation, we discussed the basics of rhetoric and persuasion. I don't really fall too far from the rhetorical tree Aristotle and Cicero developed hun...

I LOVE this! What an awesome way to explain persuasive writing/simple rhetoric (If you've got the schema). 

[ministryofdone]

Ideas to Steal: Yellow Dog Project

The YellowDogProject  is a fabulous idea as a starter for argument writing. Created to bring awareness to the general public about dogs who need space while training, recovering from surgery, or being rehabilitated, it does make you wonder :

Is it the responsibility of the dog owner to make sure people steer clear of their dog?

Should members of the public be made aware that the dog has “issues”?

What are the responsibilities around owning a dog?

Original Article