#quintillian

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Quippe id est homini naturale, ac sicut aves ad volatum, equi ad cursum, ad saevitiam ferae gignuntur, ita nobis propria est mentis agitatio atque sollertia

- Quintilian

Certainly, this is natural for humans, just as birds are born to fly, horses are born to run, and beasts are born for savagery; similarly, the activity and ingenuity of the mind is peculiarly our own.

[writingadviceandwisdom]

We should not write so that it is possible for the reader to understand us, but so that it is impossible for him to misunderstand us.

Quintillian (Marcus Fabius Quintillianus)

[kirakiraposts]

Wholesome Pedagogy

Switching gears, we now look to Quintillian from Aristotle for some life advice, but instead of delving into ethics, morality, and the meaning of life, Quintillian broached the topic of teaching--specifically, teaching oratory. Quintillian may have focused on educating the perfect orator in Institutio Oratoria, but many of the concepts he brought up also relate to the pedagogy as a whole and are still seen today.

People need to be educated as soon as possible, Quintillian stressed, and although children should be educated, they should not be subjected to harsh punishment and censure as “the worse impressions are, the more persistent they are” (67). It is difficult to convince anyone—let alone a child—that something he perceives to be bad is good, so instead of making education a chore, Quintillian suggested educators to make it a game.

Although simple in concept, it is most significant. Learning should be something done in it of itself, and without the drive to learn, students will not be able to retain any information gained. Make it a game, so that students will learn the rules as they go and enjoy the process for what it is. It is also important to remember that “everyone must be given some relaxation” since humans are not able to withstand so much strain for long periods of time (99). Take care that breaks are not plentiful nor too few.

Quintillian also stated that orators should be properly educated through “continuous application, first-class teachers, and many different branches of study” and devoted one of the chapters in Book One (chapter 12) to strengthening his argument on teaching students many subjects at once (71). This resembles the education system in use today; students attend school and learn about a vast number of subjects to a degree before pursuing more in-depth study if they decide to enroll in a post-secondary institution.

A good orator knows how to persuade a crowd using dialectic techniques and constructing arguments, but a great orator gathers knowledge from a variety of subjects and connects it to the world around him to make a more impactful argument. Just as an orator must be well-versed in many topics, an informed speaker—and more importantly, an informed citizen—is well-versed in topics beyond any specialization. I believe this is one of the founding tenets of our experience as debate coaches: to cultivate the skills necessary to make an informed citizen of democracy.

[pithia]

Our minds are like our stomachs; they are whetted by the change of their food, and variety supplies both with fresh appetite.

Quintillian

[swallowtheredpill]

Prima virtus est vitio carere. [The foremost virtue is to be free from fault.]

Quintillian