In response to a question about what I’d change about first-year writing, I said, “I’d love it if the class had more of a rhetorical focus.”

Next respondent as he looked at me: “Well, I don’t know about having the same handbook, but we should be able to develop a shared mission statement…”

So from that response, I guess the equation looked something like this in his mind:
rhetorical focus = choosing the same handbook

Say it with me: Jeez-O-Pete! While I’d agree with the last part of his reply, the first part of his response through me for a loop.

I will have to develop more comprehensive answers! Maybe next time I get asked this question I’ll say: I’d love it if the class had more of a rhetorical focus and we could identify the key terms and concepts that we think are important to teach in first-year writing. For example, context, audience, purpose, and maybe arrangement, re/mediation, and re-vision to start… ???