Eloquence

Introduction

"Twitter War? What's that? It sounds violent. I don't like it." The students respond in laughter and one says, "You're so old." Unfortunately and comically, this is a real account of an exchange that occurred in my English 11 classroom. It should be noted that I am a little less than one generation removed from my students in age, and this specific exchange occurred several years ago. However, the small exchange has stayed with me because it is a salient reminder of changing communication platforms, of how my students use these platforms in their everyday lives, and how different it is from my own experience. Communication platforms can be defined as what once was a telephone call to the current, ever-changing forms of online interaction. These platforms are where people, young people especially, are interfacing. More importantly, this brief exchange with my students revealed that these platforms were an avenue I wasn't capitalizing on to connect our classroom concepts to their real, everyday lives. I had the students tell me all about Twitter wars, when they chose to participate in them, and why they cared so much. I had a working knowledge of what Twitter was then, but my students were introducing an unfamiliar element, and therefore this intrigued me to inquire further. My classroom is a learning community, and my students have certain expertise I simply do not. Of course, I could have asked a tech savvy friend or simply Googled it, but when a moment arises where students can confidently get up and speak on a topic with expertise, I welcome it. It allows them to shine and allows me to learn. If I can show my vulnerability and lack of knowledge to them, then slowly they feel more comfortable airing their own vulnerability. When that happens, the true learning can begin.

Moments like this occur all the time. Several months ago, my students were hotly discussing a conflict that originated over a Snapchat. At the time, I had no idea what Snapchat was, and if being candid, I still do not understand the concept fully today. It is, to my best understanding, a form of social media created by students at Stanford where the distinguishing factor is the time-limited experience of exchanging video and photo messages to selected users where the message can be seen only once and for no more than ten seconds. I know it enough to summarize it in a sentence through my discussion with them, but it is my students who know what to do with it. They are the experts. Honestly, I do not really 'get it' because I do not use it, but that is okay. The point is that there is going to be an ever-changing, ever-evolving stream of media platforms, so the names and distinguishing functions become less important. What is important is that the platform of social media in general is where today's students operate. It is where they live. It is where they are finding belonging, heartbreak, and often times, it is where they are finding a voice. So as an educator, it is the impact of this platform on my students' lives that is most significant, and as a result of its popularity, pervasiveness, and sheer dominance in today's culture, it is worth our time and attention as educators to investigate its place in our classrooms.

This curriculum unit looks mainly at the social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but if this were written a decade ago, a focus would be the application of MySpace perhaps. The name and specifics of any given social media platform are less important than the intensely with which students engage with them. Therefore, even when Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram become social media elderly, this unit will still be useful and purposeful because the concepts will transcend the specific platforms and still meet the intended objectives. Fluidity in platform, or arena, is expected and welcomed for it will continue to provide a rich source for teachable moments where students can take the podium.

Specifically, this unit will focus on how the social media platforms which today's students are already actively engaging can serve as a new way to utilize and showcase the art of persuasion effectively. We, as a learning community, will spend time on understanding academic persuasive techniques, personal branding, and the nuances of each social media platform focusing on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The traditional rhetorical tropes of ethos, pathos, and logos marry organically with the topic of social media, and making that connection in a classroom context will make those classical persuasive devices come to life. Quite simply, social media is ethos amplified and personified. Specifically regarding personal branding, we will define personal branding as a practice of selling yourself on multiple platforms, and the mark of success will be if others buy what is being sold – the personal brand. The emphasis will be on social media and examples of pillars in today's culture that are immediately recognizable such as Oprah and Michael Jordon. In the end, students will be able to use their knowledge of branding and persuasion to be more cognizant of their own digital footprint and savvy about what they choose to do with it.

Demographics of School and District

Currently, I teach eleventh grade English in Richmond City Public Schools at Franklin Military Academy. Given that my school is not a traditional comprehensive high school, there several distinctions worth noting. First, students travel from all over the city and the total student population is only around 375. There is only one teacher per subject grade level, so all students required to take English 11 would have to take my course with no alternative offered. It is a militarily run school in which each morning begins with formation and orders of the day. Students are dressed daily in army uniforms and earn military rank through a JROTC structure. Students are given leadership roles, and this translates to potential additional responsibilities in the classroom as well. It is encouraged that they are self-governing. For example, if there is a grievance, pt (i.e.: physical training) is an appropriate, often-used consequence. This may be conducted or initiated by a teacher or a student with higher rank. Teachers are also addressed with military rank and respect; I hold the rank of Captain, and the students address me as such.

Aside from the military distinction, the students are not unlike any other population of children in Richmond City. The population of students labeled economically disadvantaged by federal standards is just over 91%. The ethnic breakdown of our students is roughly 94% African American, 4% white, and 2% Indian/Hispanic, and the gender breakdown is close to a 50/50 ratio. Due to the number of students in our school, the student to teacher ratio is smaller than that of our comprehensive school counterpart at roughly 15:1. Additionally important to note, we are entering our third year of being in federal school improvement, and although we are making great strides, we still have some areas of weakness in that we are continuing to work on collectively as a school.