The “Teisias” project: let students express themselves and speak out! What is it about? Teaching rhetoric in a modern interdisciplinary basis, beyond the elements of classical rhetoric, attuned to the needs and abilities of today students: pedagogical psychology offers an analysis of creative and critical thinking, linguistics and lexicology bring close to the meaning of words and enrich vocabulary, theory of literature offers various approaches to texts, drama in education makes the process experiential, while the overall philosophy of the program is inspired by critical pedagogy and learning communities. “Rhetoric in education: preparing young students to become critical and creative European citizens of tomorrow” Valia Loutrianaki, teacher of Greek language and rhetoric (Arsakeia-Tositseia Schools), DEA, Phd cand. “New School” program educator President of the Hellenic Association for the Promotion of Rhetoric in Education listener speaker thinker active citizen effective communicator collaborator innovator profile Why do we need a change? 1.The school testing system has been relying for decades on mechanistic memorizing specific data, so all work done at school, even at the elementary school, is towed by cognitive requirements and sliding ever further in teacher-centered practices 2.Oral communication and creative thinking are top qualities for tomorrow professionals but are poorly, if at all, cultivated in the school classroom 3.The world is turning upside down – students must have self knowledge and a strong documented opinion Rhetoric as a game of words and ideas The identity of the project This research program is part of modern rhetoric and democratic culture. Its object is the systematic and simultaneous cultivation of speech and creative thinking. The “Teisias" project has been applied to rhetorical groups of students, adults and teachers for the last 11 years. In it was applied as design research and as part of my doctoral thesis, with permission of the Pedagogical Institute, in 8 schools and a sample of 160 students. Since 2006 more than teachers, students and young professionals have been trained (for free) and many have applied the program. In 2012 “Teisias” was presented to teachers of "Diapolis" program (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) for the training of immigrant students. Members of the Hellenic Association for the Promotion of Rhetoric in Education enrich the program with their experience and apply it to rhetorical teams, book and reading clubs, project classes, pre-school activities etc., as well as teacher training seminars. inventiveness experimentation variety originality curiosity self-improvement inspiration challenge Ideas for groups and the classroom 1. Narration and description (e.g. personal experiences, reportage, procedural texts, storytelling [anecdote, myth, event, experience, imaginary story – Rodari etc.], 2. Improvisation exercises (e.g. improvisation competition, continuing text / dialogue, makeshift tents, chain story, circle brainstorming, ABC game) 3. Creative thinking / writing (e.g. put to other uses, "what would happen if...", SCAMPER questions, 6 thinking hats - de Bono, poster, television / radio advertising, Office of ideas, Box of ideas) 4. Argumentation (e.g. hot chair, "Why?", corridor of consciousness, simulation of trial, rhetoric of the image) 5. Style (e.g. add punctuation, reading and comparing texts, role playing games) 6. Vocabulary (e.g. story / narrative vocabulary words, flat style - communicative context, exercises with the help of dictionaries, definitions) 7. Body language (e.g. "Speaking with Hands", understanding feelings of images / videos, pantomime) 8. Τeamwork / cooperation (selected exercises at the beginning of the school year and in every meeting) 9. Communication exercises (e.g. discussion circles, team coordination, negotiations, crisis management) 10. Confidence – public speaking rules 11. Rhetorical games in the classroom and the whole school: expressive reading, impromptu speaking, persuasive speech, debating, duet acting 12. Students speaking always and in every opportunity: school gatherings, parents meetings, national holidays… Speaking with passion and meaning… International Conference 2013 – Rhetoric in Europe Universität des Saarlandes / Université du Luxembourg / Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen