VISUAL RHETORIC

After typing ‘Homeschooling’ into Google I was greeted by many pictures of smiling families sitting around the table doing schoolwork. The picture below stood out to me. It is from a website called Exploring Homeschooling, which is a faith-based ministry supporting homeschooling.

The first thing that strikes me when looking at the picture is the verse in the top corner. It is in a dark, bold print, so it stands out against the white sky. The verse is Proverbs 22:6, which says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This verse implies that the skills a person learns early on will carry on throughout his or her life. Schooling is a huge part of a childhood, and this verse reiterates the importance of quality education.

The picture depicts a father and son sitting together on a rock, which appears to be in the middle of a large forest, looking at the screen of a laptop together. Both father and son are enthralled with what is on the screen. The setting seems to be hinting at the freedom homeschoolers have to explore the world without the regulations of school. The father and son sitting together displays the personal, loving relationship that homeschoolers establish with their teachers, which happen to be their parents. The vivid colors of the photograph evoke memories of fun outdoor adventures and leave the reader with a feeling of nostalgia.

The piece is directed toward internet users who go to the Exploring Homeschooling website for help or support. The website contains many Bible verses and religious rationale as to why homeschooling is the superior educational experience.

SOURCES

I began my search for sources at the TAMU library online database. My topic relates the effect of homeschooling on students, so I simply typed “homeschooling” into the search bar. Hundreds of results came up, so I began by looking for titles that sounded more scholarly. I found a paper entitled “Revisiting the Common Myths About Homeschooling” by Michael Romanowski and decided to look into it. The first clue that this source was scholarly was that it was on EBSCOhost, which is known for having reliable sources. Next, I saw that the author cited numerous sources and wrote in a very professional tone.  At the bottom of the pages it said that the author is a professor at Ohio Northern University, which gives him credibility.

In the article, Romanowski looks at the most common myths of homeschooling.  

Myth #1 is that homeschooling produces social misfits. Romanowski says that this is due to a big misunderstanding by the general public and that most parents are aware of this and are diligent in making sure their kids are exposed to various social situations.

Myth #2 is that homeschooling fails to prepare good citizens.  In reality, recent studies have shown that homeschoolers are able to become successful contributions to society in both home and the workplace.

Myth #3 is that students who are homeschooled have difficulty entering college. In reality, colleges are often recruiting high achieving homeschoolers to add diversity to their campus. Homeschoolers also score at or above the national average on the SAT and ACT tests.

 Myth #4 is that most people homeschool only for religious reasons. It has been found that homeschoolers are a very diverse group of race, religion and socioeconomic status.

 Romanowski concludes that there is not one method of education that will work for every child, so as a “democratic society” we should be respectful of each parent’s decision on what type of schooling they select. The article successfully delivers the message that homeschooling is not something to be looked down upon.

HOMESCHOOLING

I have always been puzzled by homeschooling. I mean, I love my family and all, but being around them 24/7 would be a nightmare! And although the “school” aspect of school can be a chore, there are so many fun social activities and sports that come along with it that make it much easier to bear. I just feel that there are so many things that happen while in school that kids being homeschooled miss. Here are a few of the main ones.

1)      RECESS

Recess in elementary school holds so many memories! I think that recess serves as a major bonding and social time that kids get to spend together. It was the perfect combination of running around and drama.

2)      LUNCH

There was never a dull moment at lunch! So many friendships were formed around food. We collectively complained about the quality of the school lunches and I feel as though nothing can bond a group of people better than having to survive on terrible food together.

3)      EXTRACURRICULARS

Sports are what made school worthwhile for me. Training and competing alongside friends from class brought us really close.

4)      BULLIES

I realize that this may be one of the biggest reasons that people chose to homeschool their kids in the first place, but I think that they are so necessary. Not everyone is going to treat you and love you like your mother does. I think the earlier you learn to take some hits, forgive, and forget, life will be much easier.

 

What do you think? Can you think of any major pros to homeschooling?

 

WORKPLACE CULTURE

I thought I had hit the jackpot. I landed a job for the summer at my favorite fast food restaurant – Sonic. I couldn’t wait for the day that I was racing around delivering food on roller blades. Sadly, that dream quickly faded.

The first day that I was scheduled to work was in the middle of the afternoon. The manager, Marla, did not believe in wasting time training, so instead she just threw new workers right into the mix of things and hoped that they caught on quick. Uhhhhhhh, what?! Sonic has thousands of different ways to make drinks and a computer abbreviation system that had to be learned. My heart was beating fast when I walked into the kitchen that first day. I was so excited to be working and I didn’t want to mess things up. Drink orders started coming in and Marla tried to explain things as she was filling the cups. I tried to catch everything she said, but I knew there was no way that I was going to remember it all. When she finally let me try I was hesitant. The first couple of drinks were easy, but the orders seemed to get progressively more frequent and more complicated. I messed a couple of drinks up without realizing, and Marla promptly let me know.  I could hear the frustration in her voice. I looked to the other employees for understanding, but they just ducked their heads and looked away. They wanted nothing to do with this.

Things only seemed to get worse the more shifts that I worked. Marla was intimidating and aggressive toward everyone that worked there. She did not hesitate to call people out when they made mistakes. I saw several people walk out crying due to her abrasive comments. The tension I felt was unbearable. Four weeks after I was hired – I quit.

I may have been a young, gullible 16 year old at the time that I was hired, but I didn’t feel that was justification for Marla’s behavior. She did not respect any of her employees and created a very hostile work environment. What about you? Have you ever had bosses that were hard to work for? What did you do?

ENGLISH

I remember feeling so constrained. Each day I would show up to class unhappy. I didn’t want to be in an English class where all we did was analyze and respond to other people’s writings. It was boring beyond belief. The excerpts were always academic and professional and our responses were supposed to be similar. I did not understand the point.

I had always enjoyed writing. Expressing my thoughts on paper came much more natural than words. For a period of time, the academic response papers changed that. I felt as though I was not able to write the way that I enjoyed. We had to abide by a certain format, be mindful of word choice, and have impeccable grammar. Writing became more of a science than an art, and I hated it.

The next year, English changed. Poems, projects, plays, papers. We did it all. English was fun again. My grades in English that year were higher than they had ever been. It took me a while, but I finally realized that all the rules and restriction from the year before had done wonders for my writing. I was more aware of my sentence structures, my grammar was great, and I never used the words ‘is’ or ‘that’, words that had been forbidden.

Having English classes that were all about perfection were rough and it was hard to see the point at the time. When I look back at my scholarly career though, it all makes sense. Each teacher has a unique teaching style and emphasized different things. Collectively, all of the hard work along with the fun, creative assignments made me the writer that I am today.

What about you? Were all your English classes to die for, or did you have a couple of sour apples?

EMILY

She did not have to care; in fact, she had plenty of reasons not to. Once patients came to the facility, they were predicted to last five years maximum, but few made it that long. Most were irritable, nagging, and hard to communicate with. She worked long hours and was severely underpaid. Work at the nursing home was physically and mentally strenuous, yet Emily managed to push through all the barriers and create a thoroughly enjoyable workplace for anyone who had the opportunity to experience Emily at her work.

My great- grandmother lived in the nursing home for three years. During that time, I began to recognize several of the staff members. Each one was the same: performed the duties assigned mechanically and without emotion. It was more than obvious that they were there for the paycheck, not the patient. One day on a visit, my great- grandmother asked for Emily. I had never heard her request anyone before, so I was interested to see this Emily. As soon as she walked into the room I understood. She smiled. She was young. She was pretty. She greeted my great- grandmother by name. She moved about the room efficiently, yet with meticulous grace and care. Emily made conversation with us as she worked. It was not long before her name began to echo down the halls, since she was the only worker who took the time to learn how each individual liked things done. As soon as she finished in our room she excused herself and pursued the next need.

I had the pleasure of experiencing Emily several additional times before my great- grandmother passed away. Each encounter was short, since she was in very high demand, yet long enough to instill valuable lessons. Emily did not have it easy. She was a single mother working a rough job, but she did it. She poured her heart into her children as well as her job, and never seemed to lose her cheerful smile.

What amazes me about our culture is the way people chose their jobs. People spend years upon years and rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars getting an education. Others never make it through high school and find a job that makes them satisfied beyond words. Meeting Emily made me realize that I could make my career all about me and my glory or chose to make it beneficial to those around me.

What about you? What are your motives for pursuing your career?

NURSING HOMES

My great grandmother, Jewel, was 84 when she died. The years leading up to her passing were hard. She was constantly in poor health and increasingly hard to please. The last 4 years of her life she lived in a nursing home that smelt like death. We all felt obligated to pay her regular visits, but walking through heavy doors only to be met by white walls and blank stares was anything but easy.

For a long time I didn’t understand why my great grandmother was in such an awful place. We had the money to house her anywhere, but we put her in such a dump. Why? She was such a kind-hearted woman and had been so good to all of us. I thought that it was insulting that we let her spend her last years in such a place. It wasn’t until after she passed away that I found out why. My grandmother had visited the nursing home every day that my great grandmother lived there. Every single day she spent at least an hour by her side, talking, watching t.v., or playing cards. She had picked this place not because it was nice and pleasing for visitors, but because it was less than 5 minutes from her house, and she wanted to be able to spend as much time as possible with her mother.

I used to think that America treated their elderly in such an outrageous way. Pushing them into nursing homes where they were left to die. But after seeing how my grandmother handled her mother, my opinions have changed. Keeping an elderly relative in your home is quite physically and emotionally draining. And many elderly people realize this. I think that what my grandma did worked out perfectly. My great grandma wasn’t in her house, but she was close enough so that my grandma could be there in the drop of a hat. I respect the cultures that take in the grandparents when they can no longer take care of themselves. It is bold and a ton of responsibility, but I just don’t think it is realistic for everyone. What do you think? Is it cold to leave your grandparents in a nursing home? Do you want to live in a nursing home??

ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS

As technology continues to advance, more and more of our lives are becoming digital. Through blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and countless other social media we interface with hundreds of people, some of which we may have never met in person. Are these virtual relationships as good as those developed in person? Bloggers Regina Lynn and Harold Johnson comment on the validity of online relationships.

In her post, Don’tDismiss Online Relationships as Fantasy, Regina Lynn staunchly defends online relationships. She acknowledges several recent articles describing online relationships that have gone awry in real life, but suggests that there may have been more going on than what meets the eye. Throughout her description of the articles, Lynn uses short interjectory sentences that voice her opinion of the matter. Right after introducing the fact that some articles suggests that online relationships are “just fantasy”, Lynn states, “They aren’t.”. Her use of short sentences gives the piece a more conversational feel and also leaves no doubt about Lynn’s opinions. Later in the post, Lynn tugs at the emotions of readers using the word “we” when discussing relationship problems that many people struggle with. By using pathos, Lynn convinces readers to see how similar online and offline relationships are.

Harold Johnson wrote a post entitled How Real Are Internet Relationships? in which he explores the positive and negative to online relationships. The post begins with a personal anecdote describing Johnson’s various types of relationships, both online and off. By beginning with a personal story, Johnson uses ethos and reveals that he has a personal connection to the topic. Johnson uses many rhetorical questions throughout his post, encouraging readers to think for themselves and form their own opinions. When discussing the aspect of meeting people online, Johnson puts the words “meeting”, “friends”, and “rooms” all in quotations. By offsetting these key words, one is led to believe that Johnson questions the validity of interactions done online. In the end, Johnson concludes that his opinion of online relationships is still a “work in progress”.

Fostering relationships online is a topic that is often debated. Both Regina Lynn and Harold Johnson use similar literary techniques including anecdotes and strong diction to voice their opinion, but each piece has a different tone and uses unique sentence structures. Through their use of rhetorical devices, both Lynn and Johnson are able to connect with the reader and successfully communicate their individual opinions.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

I used to be obsessed with my cousin Jessica. Absolutely head over heels. At family reunions, she was the only person I wanted to see. Something about her confidence and spunk caused me to be quite infatuated with her. As I grew older, I began to admire her strong Christian values and leadership skills. I knew one she would one day be the epitome of a dedicated mother and loving wife.

One event changed everything.

She had a baby. She wasn’t married and she had a baby. Then she refused to get married because she said the government would give her more money if she was a single mother. The entire family was stunned. Of all people, Jessica was the last person anyone thought would pull this.

Pre-marital sex has quickly shifted from a disgrace to a fad in America’s society. Hollywood portrays sex as an enjoyable hobby available to everyone, yet fails to include the damaging effects that follow. Many young girls are left pregnant with no one to turn to. Their boyfriend disappears and their parents are enraged, forcing the girls to rely on the government for support.

I think that the government is doing more harm than good by funding this behavior. Girls are assured that they will be taken care of if they happen to get pregnant - giving them no reason not to. Instead the government focus needs to be on educating students of the many obstacles that come along with raising a child by themselves.

What do you think, is this something the government should be funding?

DEFINING CULTURE

When sitting thinking about what culture means to me, I find myself at a standstill. How can you define it? To me, culture is like the wind. Something that is there. Something that you can feel, but not something that you can capture. It is both beautiful and mysterious. I turned to the internet for answers but ended up more unsure about it than when I began. Most sources give numerous interpretations of the word, and each place I looked spun it different than the one before. Reading Culture cited several different authors and their individual take on culture. One that I thought really captured the concept well was Andrei Codrescu:

“The purpose of the word “culture” these days is to express something large and unwieldly that nonetheless has some common features. It’s shorthand for atmosphere, only instead of vapor and clouds, it’s made of thoughts, ideas, people, and operating procedures…”

Part of the beauty of culture comes from not having one set definition. Each individual opinion contributes to the depth and meaning surrounding the word.

Cultured, on the other hand, takes on a whole new meaning. An online dictionary gives two definitions of cultured:

1.        educated, polished, and refined

2.        grown under artificial conditions

It is interesting that whereas ‘culture’ has countless definitions, ‘cultured’ has a very specific meaning. When I hear the word ‘cultured’, I think of posh scholars. Lawyers. Politicians. CEOs. It takes on a very pompous tone. I find it funny that by adding one letter, a word that has endless possibilities takes a completely different direction. Agree? Disagree?