Philosophy of Teaching

Mr. P. Reyburn
Master of Arts English Literature/Rhetoric and Composition

“Come, let us reason together” - Isaiah 1:8

Our Catholic faith teaches us that there are two types of truths, those that are revealed
by God and those learned through study, and that both are important for human beings

As an instructor, my task is to guide students through the process of composing spoken

and written communication, which the Ancient Greeks referred to as rhetoric. For anyone to
communicate successfully, there are five essential steps, often referred to as the canons of
rhetoric.:

• Determine what ideas you want to communicate. (also called invention)

• Organize the ideas you want to communicate. (also called arrangement)
• Select effective language to communicate your ideas.(also called style)
• Commit your ideas to memory through study. (also called memory)
• Transmit your ideas in speech or in writing (also called delivery)

To help students follow these steps. I use the following tools and methods.

Invention

Students use structured note taking and pictures to collect ideas from written text.
My students learn that there are three reasons for reading:

• To obtain specific information from a reading passage

• To examine claims or arguments.
• To appreciate literature (novels, stories, and poetry.)

Arrangement

Students are provided methods to organize their ideas. This is done through sentence
frames and specific structures related to the three main purposes for writing: information,
narration, and persuasion.

Style

Students are taught the importance of choosing the most effective language for their
writing through paraphrasing or restating in their own words, using websites such as
thesaurus.com and dictionary.com. They are also given tools for acquiring new vocabulary.

(continued below)
Memory

Students are provided with tools such as the quizlet.com website and study logs to build
the habit of regular study. They are also expected to memorize material in preparation for written
quizzes.

Delivery

Students communicate their knowledge through a variety of methods, including written

quizzes, short writing assignments, longer writing assignments, and audiovisual presentations.