The Editor’s Note: It ain’t easy to change the narrative

Abstract

Suspicion about rhetoric has in recent years given way to greater interest in deliberately shaping narratives to suit advocates’ particular purposes. However, Kappan editor Rafael Heller notes that changing hearts and minds requires more than finding the right metaphor, telling the right story, or using the right communicative platform. Persuasion takes time and effort, and it’s especially challenging in the current environment when there is no clear rhetorical leader in the education world.