greetings from DPI
Evolving Arts Advocacy: Ethos, Logos and Pathos Chris Gleason, Arts & Creativity Consultant, DPI
This past summer, we moved to the Green Bay area. Moving allowed me to sort through mounds of old stuff (like how I phrased that?). I ran across an old concert pro- gram from my days
as a music educator at East Troy Middle School. After reminiscing about former students, I noticed a page full of quotes, statistics and statements regarding the value of the arts. After another hour of sorting, I found a program from my days at Logan Middle School. In this program, I had quotes from famous composers like this one from Beethoven: “Music is a higher rev- elation than all wisdom and philosophy.” More recent programs from my teaching in Sun Prairie included student quotes, like “The arts allow me to see and experience the world in new ways.” As I reflected on this, I noticed that each of these programs represented a different strategy for com- municating the value of the arts. Was one better or more compelling than the other?
In a recent article, author Carmine Gallo stated that “ideas are the currency of the 21st century. The ability to persuade, to change hearts and minds, is perhaps the single greatest skill that will give you a competi- tive edge in the knowledge economy – an age where ideas matter more than ever.” Over 2,000 years ago, Aristotle developed a formula for mastering the art of persuasion in his work Rhetoric. Since then, countless great communicators have applied his prin- ciples to craft some of history’s most pow- erful speeches, presentations, and ideas. It is all about Ethos, Logos and Pathos:
Ethos or “Character”
Ethos focuses on establishing the writer’s or speaker’s credibility and authority. Your audience must determine whether the author/speaker is qualified to discuss the topic. Aristotle argued that a speaker’s credibility would suffer if their actions did not align with their words, ultimately weakening their argument. You can build credibility by citing reliable sources, using appropriate language, and highlighting their expertise or personal experience. For example, having a student express the essential need for arts instruction and what it means to them in their daily lives is impactful because it is authentic. Most
“We have to be more strategic and use what we have learned over 2,000 years to craft more persuasive, compelling narratives so that every child has the opportunity to learn in and through the arts.”
national education conferences find ways to incorporate student voices as their perspec- tive is powerful.
Logos or “Logic”
Logos, the appeal to logic, persuades an audience through reasoning and evidence. You can establish logical connections be- tween ideas, support arguments with facts and statistics, and use historical or literal
Important WSMA Dates & Deadlines
wsmamusic.org/important-dates-and-deadlines
Don’t miss a beat – mark your calendar!
12 April 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57
