Rhetorical Studies

 

When I was offered a full scholarship by the Socorro Independent School District to pursue my master's degree, I joggled back and forth between three degree options: English and American Literature, Teaching English, or Rhetoric and Writing Studies.  I wanted to chose a degree that would give me a new and fresh outlook on the practices and ideologies I use in my classroom.  Since I have a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature with a minor in secondary education, I felt that Rhetoric and Writing Studies would introduce me to a new discourse community and would give me a unique opportunity to reflect on my current practices in the high school English classroom with a new lense.  In my studies thus far, I have found that studying rhetoric is an academic pursuit like no other.  I have learned about multiple rhetorical practices and it has provided me with new communication tools that can be used in educational contexts, professional contexts, and global contexts.   I am working on transfering my new rhetorical knowledge and communication skills into my curriculum to better assist my students in developing practical use of rhetoric not only for the purpose of my class, but for their future collegiate and professional pursuits.  In the following pages, I provide some information about the graduate courses I have taken and the knowledge that I hope to transfer.