Reflection 16

Rhetoric is using language or writing to sway the mind of others. Rhetoric's played a great role in roman education, when the teachers were trying to teach the students about religion and what the roman educational system was all about. The Romans used Rhetoric as a way of passing religion or their beliefs onto their children by teaching them their beliefs were the right ones and they should continue on believing theses things.

Rhetoric was used in Roman education mainly in reading, writing, speech, and recitation. The Romans would teach their students that what they read, wrote, and recited was true and since it is true this what they needed to believe. Romans were taught by three different teachers, the Grammaticus, the Litterateurs, and the Rhetoric.

The Grammaticus were of the lower class in roman society and usually servants. They taught grammar and literature. Although they were basically poor, they helped Rome cultivate an awareness of correct spelling and usage. The more fortunate Romans used this as a way of setting themselves apart form the lower class. The Roman educational system was also created to teach its students about philosophy. The students came to believe everything they were taught because of rhetoric.

Today, you mainly find rhetoric in classes where the learning outcome is to teach students how to read, write, and communicate effectively. Like the Romans, we have noticed that rhetoric is an effective way to teach students. So the same way rhetoric played a role in educating those students in ancient Rome, it also plays a role in educating the students of modern Western civilization.

Without learning to read, how would we be able to explore the minds of our great predecessors and peers? Without learning to write, how would we be able to jot down our thoughts for those that will come after us and those that are with us now. then, without learning to communicate effectively, we can never be expected to be heard, and therefore it would be as if our opinions do not even matter.