MASTER PEDAGOGICAL PORTFOLIO & INSTRUCTIONAL ARCHIVE

Professor Rob Redding

Department of Communication Studies, Rhetoric, and Media Ethics

PART I: PEDAGOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

TEACHING STATEMENT PARAGRAPH

My teaching begins with the griot, the one who remembers in a world that depends on Black forgetting. I teach in an academy where Black voices are too often reduced to numbers on a diversity spreadsheet, where speaking clearly can cost a student their standing and a professor their peace. I have watched students retaliated against for telling the truth about what they lived, and I have watched administrations hide behind policy while dismantling DEI with a smile. In this landscape, the griot is not a metaphor but a necessity. Memory becomes method, truth becomes responsibility, and voice becomes inheritance. I ask my students to read African thinkers who understood this long before America learned the language for it, and to ground their work in scholarship that refuses erasure. For Black students, their task is to claim narrative authority; for non-Black students, it is to unlearn institutional amnesia and become active, accountable participants in historical truth. My own work as a journalist, artist, and theorist follows the same demand: to tell the truth in a place that punishes those who dare to speak.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

My teaching stands on the figure of the griot, the West African tradition of the storyteller, memory-keeper, and community facilitator who brings knowledge down from abstract towers and makes it stick to the ribs of everyday people. In an academic world that often relies on cold lectures and clinical distance, I do not teach through intimidation. I teach through the disarming, humanizing power of story.

The griot understands that before people can learn, they must feel welcome, safe, and heard. Because I enter the classroom as a tall, Black, queer professor, I know that students sometimes carry anxiety or assumptions on Day One about what the course will be. I confront that up front with warmth, humor, and radical accessibility. Instead of standing behind a podium to lord over the room, I sit down with my students in an open circle. I frame our class not as a lecture where I dictate truth, but as a shared conversation where everyone has a voice. By humanizing myself immediately, I lower the temperature in the room and establish a positive rapport where students of all racial, cultural, and political backgrounds feel comfortable asking questions and participating actively.

My approach to communication pedagogy rests on three simple, core commitments:

1. Memory as Method (Rooting Theory in Real Life)

Communication theory should never be abstract jargon memorized for an exam and quickly forgotten. To teach complex concepts like attitude-versus-behavior consistency, I go beyond shallow internet summaries. I combine classic scholarship, such as LaPiere’s landmark social research, with real-world human narratives. We look at historical discrimination, the history of public health policies regarding blood donations, and how modern youth navigate health systems. We bring culture into the room, using the music of Luther Vandross to analyze the rhetoric of love and connection. This method shows every student, regardless of their background, that theory is alive and that understanding history is essential to becoming a clear, ethical communicator.

2. Truth as Responsibility (Fostering Evidence over Friction)

In the griot tradition, storytelling is not about imposing personal opinions; it is about accountability to facts, evidence, and human experience. I ask my students to read foundational thinkers, including African scholars like Achebe, Ngũgĩ, Aidoo, and Armah, who understood early on that narrative power shapes society. When we discuss difficult topics like race, identity, or historical harm, my goal is never to make students feel guilty, defensive, or excluded. Instead, I model how to discuss hard truths with clarity, evidence, and mutual respect. For students from marginalized groups, this validates their lived realities. For non-Black and majority students, it replaces defensiveness with curiosity, helping them become thoughtful listeners and critical thinkers who can analyze complex issues without fear. As shown in my official teaching evaluations, this balanced environment keeps the classroom focused, inclusive, and deeply engaged.

3. Voice as Inheritance (Building Accountable Communicators)

I remind my students that they are entering a conversation that began long before they arrived. In my classroom, listening is not passive spectating; it is an active civic skill. I teach my students that their voices carry weight and that they have a responsibility to use them ethically. Whether guiding investigative journalism projects, theoretical critiques, or group discussions, I structure my courses so that every student learns to back up their claims with rigorous evidence and respectful dialogue. The classroom must remain a sanctuary where no student is managed or silenced, but where every student learns to speak with clarity and integrity.

This philosophy is not theoretical; it is how I operate every day as a journalist, artist, theorist, and educator. By sitting in the circle as a griot, I create a learning environment where academic rigor meets human empathy. In a world that often uses communication to divide people, the griot uses story to bring us back to the truth and to each other.

PART II: SCHOLARLY FRAMEWORK & RESEARCH SYNOPSIS

TOWARD A GRIOT-CENTERED COMMUNICATION PEDAGOGY: BLACK FACULTY ABSENCE, RETALIATORY STUDENT DYNAMICS, AND THE NEED FOR A NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK

(Forthcoming Monograph / Working Paper)

ABSTRACT

Black faculty remain severely underrepresented across U.S. higher education, and those who do enter the academy often face student-driven retaliation when teaching about race, identity, and power. This paper argues that the absence of Black professors is not only a demographic crisis but also a narrative crisis within communication studies. The stories that shape public meaning are produced without the presence of those most affected by racialized discourse. Using a communication narrative lens, this study examines the structural forces that limit Black faculty participation, the documented patterns of student hostility toward Black professors, and the consequences for knowledge production. Through a qualitative synthesis of existing research and a theoretical intervention grounded in the African griot tradition, this paper proposes a new framework that positions the griot as a model for communication pedagogy capable of restoring memory, accountability, and narrative authority in academic spaces. Crucially, this paper demonstrates how a griot-centered approach intervened in white student fragility and retaliation by transforming passive or defensive listeners into active, ethically accountable participants.

Access Request Notice: The complete working draft, case study methodology, and manuscript text are available to university search committees, tenure boards, and journal editors upon formal request via the Access Portal.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY & THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS (APA 7th Edition)

American Association of University Professors. (2018). The racialized governance of academic labor. AAUP Reports.

Asante, M. K. (1998). The Afrocentric idea (Rev. ed.). Temple University Press.

Baldwin, J. (1963). The fire next time. Dial Press.

Barber, K. (2007). The anthropology of texts, persons and publics: Oral and written culture in Africa and beyond. Cambridge University Press.

Chronicle of Higher Education. (2020–2022). Investigative reporting on racialized student complaints and faculty discipline. The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Dei, G. J. S. (2012). Indigenous African knowledge systems: Decolonizing possibilities. In G. J. S. Dei (Ed.), Indigenous philosophies and critical education (pp. 1–13). Peter Lang.

Fanon, F. (2008). Black skin, white masks (C. L. Markmann, Trans.). Grove Press. (Original work published 1952)

Fanon, F. (2008). The wretched of the earth (R. Philcox, Trans.). Grove Press. (Original work published 1961)

Fisher, W. R. (1984). Narration as a human communication paradigm: The case of public moral argument. Communication Monographs, 51(1), 1–22.

Hale, T. A. (1998). Griots and griottes: Masters of words and music. Indiana University Press.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. (1986). Decolonising the mind: The politics of language in African literature. Heinemann.

Paris, D., & Alim, H. S. (Eds.). (2017). Culturally sustaining pedagogies: Teaching and learning for justice in a changing world. Teachers College Press.

Spillers, H. J. (1987). Mama’s baby, papa’s maybe: An American grammar book. Diacritics, 17(2), 65–81.

Wiredu, K. (1998). Toward decolonizing African philosophy and religion. African Studies Quarterly, 1(4), 17–46.

PART III: INSTRUCTIONAL ARCHIVE & CURRICULUM BLUEPRINTS

THE CURRICULUM BLUEPRINTS AND TEACHING LINEAGE OF PROFESSOR ROB REDDING

The Official Instructional Archive for Speech Communication, Rhetoric, and Media Ethics

Welcome to the primary instructional repository for Professor Rob Redding. A course syllabus is far more than administrative paperwork that expires at the end of a semester. In reality, a syllabus serves as a curated blueprint of an educator's worldview, pedagogical methodology, and intellectual evolution.

This repository preserves fifteen-week course frameworks, assigned reading rosters, debate prompts, and speech rubrics across higher education institutions including Seton Hall University, Union County College (UCNJ), the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), New York City College of Technology (City Tech), Pace University, and Marshall University.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH

Professor Redding’s instruction bridges classical rhetorical theory, contemporary media criticism, and practical performance. Grounded in both an MA in Communication Studies and an MFA in Fine Arts, his curriculum challenges students to analyze how speech, power, and media structures interact in modern public discourse.

Core Instructional Pillars

  • Structural Argumentation: Guiding students from foundational speech mechanics to complex persuasive strategy and ethical debate.

  • Curated Primary Sources: Intersecting classic rhetorical texts with modern media cases, race theory, and contemporary press coverage.

  • Practical Rhetorical Application: Demanding real-world execution through speechwriting, oral delivery, and critical media analysis.

ARCHIVED UNIVERSITY COURSES, SYLLABI & READING LISTS

Explore and download complete semester blueprints, reading lists, and instructional modules organized by institution and course level.

  1. Seton Hall University

    Persuasion / Persuasive Speaking (2023–2024)

  1. Union County College / UCNJ

    Dynamics of Communication (2025–2026)

  • Overview: An examination of human communication dynamics across interpersonal, small group, organizational, and public contexts. Focuses on verbal mechanics, nonverbal communication, and social perception.

  • Archived Materials:

  1. American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA)

    Oral Communication/Film (2026)

  • Overview: Tailored for performing artists, vocalists, and communicators. Focuses on vocal projection, rhetorical presence, dramatic delivery, and structural speech composition.

  • Archived Materials:

    • [ Download Course Syllabus (PDF) ] — Oral Communication Syllabus (2026)

    • [ Access AMDA Assigned Reading List ] — Literature on oral interpretation, performance rhetoric, and voice

    • [ Download Performance Rubrics ] — Vocal delivery and speech evaluation criteria

  1. New York City College of Technology (City Tech)

    Public Speaking (2016–2017)

  • Overview: Foundational public speaking instruction emphasizing speech preparation, research integration, audience analysis, and clear delivery for diverse academic and professional fields.

  • Archived Materials:

    • [ Download Course Syllabus (PDF) ] — Public Speaking Framework (2016–2017)

    • [ Access City Tech Assigned Reading List ] — Essential speechwriting texts and outlines

    • [ Download Outlining Guides ] — Step-by-step speech preparation worksheets

  1. Pace University

    Public Speaking (2016–2018)

  • Overview: Multi-section public speaking curriculum focused on critical listening, speech organization, persuasive delivery, and overcoming communication apprehension in high-stakes environments.

  • Archived Materials:

    • [ Download Course Syllabus (PDF) ] — Public Speaking Syllabus (2016–2018)

    • [ Access Pace Reading List ] — Assigned speech transcripts and rhetorical critiques

    • [ Download Evaluation Metrics ] — Peer review and instructor grading rubrics

SELECT TEACHING EVALUATIONS & STUDENT FEEDBACK

Official university evaluations serve as verifiable metrics of teaching performance, course effectiveness, and student engagement in high-demand communication courses.

Union County College (UCNJ) — Dynamics of Communication

  • Instructional Focus: Interpersonal dynamics, nonverbal mechanics, and group communication strategy.

  • Teaching Performance Excerpts:

    • Official Institutional Rating: High marks in course organization, clarity of instructional goals, and real-world application of communication concepts.

    • [ Download UCNJ Teaching Evaluation Summaries (PDF) ] — Verified institutional evaluation results.

Pace University — Public Speaking

  • Instructional Focus: Speech delivery, public performance, overcoming communication apprehension, and structural rhetoric.

  • Teaching Performance Excerpts:

    • Official Institutional Rating: Strong ratings across multi-section public speaking courses for classroom engagement, instructor feedback quality, and speech preparation guidance.

    • [ Download Pace University Teaching Evaluation Excerpts (PDF) ] — Curated end-of-semester student evaluation reports.

TEACHING IMPACT & COACHING MILESTONES

Professor Redding’s academic career spans classroom instruction, curriculum design, and competitive collegiate coaching.

  • Mass Student Impact: Directed public speaking and oral communication coursework as lead instructor for over 600 students at Marshall University, alongside multi-section instruction at Pace, Seton Hall, City Tech, UCNJ, and AMDA.

  • Championship Debate Coaching: Served as Debate Coach at Seton Hall University, coaching the team to seven individual titles, a 2024 New Jersey State Championship, and a top-10 national finish at the 2025 Pi Kappa Delta tournament.

  • Interdisciplinary Integration: Synthesizes two decades of syndicated talk radio broadcasting and visual arts practice into classroom lectures on media hegemony and speech execution.

CAMPUS LECTURES & GUEST SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

University departments, student organizations, and academic conferences can book Professor Redding for guest lectures, keynote addresses, and instructional workshops.

Featured Speaking Topics:

  • Rhetoric, Media Hegemony, and the Black Press

  • Persuasion in the Digital Age: Broadcasting, AI, and Public Discourse

  • The Art of the Monologue: Speech Delivery and Independent Media

  • Cross-Disciplinary Thinking: Merging Studio Art, Media Theory, and Communication

For lecture bookings, syllabus permissions, or academic inquiry, submit a formal request via our Access Portal.