Courses

Think Smarter:
A Modern Approach to Logic and Persuasion

Taught by Laura Morefield
ages 14+ (or permission of instructor)

Full-Year 32-week Course

Course Overview:

This highly interactive course equips students with the intellectual tools to recognize manipulation, construct powerful arguments, and communicate with clarity.  The weekly class will feature live discussion, real-time analysis, collaborative exercises, and practical application. Using Thank You for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs as our primary text, students will explore the classical foundations of rhetoric alongside modern challenges in digital communication.

Course Description:

Think Smarter equips students with the tools to think clearly, argue effectively, and evaluate information in an increasingly complex digital world. Rather than formal debates, the class emphasizes how to influence responsibly, how to resist manipulation, and how to communicate ideas in ways that motivate people ethically.

Building on Thank You for Arguing, the course examines how ideas spread through social media, algorithm-driven platforms, artificial intelligence, and modern news ecosystems. Students explore topics such as information silos, confirmation bias, propaganda, rhetorical strategy, ethical persuasion, and the power of message distribution. 

Through our class discussions, assignments, and reading, students will gain an understanding of how rhetoric is used to persuade: focusing on rhetorical analysis, discussion and reading. We will analyze texts using Cicero’s techniques, identify logical fallacies, commonplaces, and code grooming. We will learn how to tailor writing for specific audiences using various media, including essays, speeches, and advertisements. 

Students will analyze real-world case studies, evaluate media sources, engage in structured debates, and construct persuasive arguments grounded in evidence and logical reasoning. Special attention is given to the role of AI as both a tool for inquiry and a force shaping communication, credibility, and truth. At the end of the year, the student will create a capstone project to present to the class based on their interests and learning throughout the year.

Schedule and Cost:

TWO COHORT OPTIONS:

Tuesday 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET

Tuesday 8:45 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. ET

Course Dates (click to download pdf)



For Tuition Fees, Code of Conduct, and all the details, see THE FINE PRINT

What your Student will Learn:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Recognize arguments and create their own effective arguments

• Locate, synthesize, and evaluate rhetoric in written and oral communications

• Identify logical structures and common fallacies

• Distinguish strong arguments from weak ones

• Analyze how media and algorithms influence public opinion

• Communicate with authority

• Think independently and clearly

 
 

Why this Course is Important:

In today’s society, influence moves faster than thought. Algorithms shape perception. AI generates arguments. Information silos reinforce bias. In this environment, students who lack formal training in logic and persuasion are vulnerable to confusion and manipulation.

After taking this course, students will demonstrate stronger reasoning, clearer written and verbal expression, and greater discernment in evaluating modern media and technological influence. Students will also know how to persuade and how to resist persuasion.

These skills support success in advanced academics, leadership roles, and responsible citizenship. 

Class Structure and Homework:

     • Weekly Discussions & Assignments: In each live, weekly class, students will engage in round-table discussions about their reading and have engaging activities designed to reenforce their learning.  Students will read approximately one chapter each week and may have some videos or short writing assigned. Homework is expected to take less than two hours per week, depending on the reading speed of the student.

     • Parental Involvement: Parents are welcome to join Google Classroom as students to stay informed on assignments and support their teen’s progress throughout the course.

Upon registration, students and parents will be provided with a Google Classroom link to join. Class materials and assignments will be posted directly to Classroom, and students may communicate with each other through this platform. Students may communicate with the instructor through Classroom and student inquiries are usually addressed as quickly as possible between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. ET. Student inquiries made on the day of class may be addressed in class instead of through Classroom.

Course Materials:

Required Text:

Thank you for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs (2020, 4th edition)