The Rhetoric of Inspiration: Teaching Tools to Encourage Passion (2012)

Undergraduate: Kristen Sawyer

Faculty Advisor: Jordynn Jack
Department: International & Area Studies

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Many of us have had one of them. Professor Unks of the UNC Education Department calls them, "the Mavericks;" mine was called Mrs. Mull. She was the type of teacher who gathered bright-eyed third graders around her and sprinkled doses of wisdom somewhere in between fractions and cursive. Yeats once wrote, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." How does a teacher achieve such a lasting impact? Through the lens of rhetoric, I analyze the teaching strategies of the protagonists in two popular films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Dead Poet's Society, as well as a handful of TED talks delivered by current teachers, to create a rubric that outlines the ways in which a teacher is most successful at inspiring his/her students. These teachers, both in film and real life, tap into the passion of their students in a way that can, and should, be replicated among future generations of teachers. In this age, our country barrels towards continuing conflicts in the realm of education, and there has never been a more poignant time for studies about the effect of great teachers, who are armed with the right tools, and what lessons students most need for discovering their own passion and satisfaction. This multi-media research ultimately breaks down how teachers can be the most effective and the most inspirational; the findings point heavily towards the rhetorical practices of the teachers as well as the relentless encouragement of curiosity and pursuit of passion.