In this conversation-based public speaking class, we will take turns answering the classic discussion question of "what is your relationship to gossip/what do you think about gossip? Is it a good thing? Empowering? A bad thing? Why?"

Then we will take turns telling the little morsels of gossip that happened to our friends or our friend of a friend at their school/part-time job/family vacation. Remember, gossip never happens to us. It always happens to people we know. Or to people who know people that we know. It's impossible to tell your own gossip. That's called a self-narrative and is not what this class is about. For these people, we will give all the characters in our gossip stories a nom de plume. 

There are no grades in this fun class. Just laughs as you tell and hear wild stories about pet mayor elections, your friend's cousin who entered their cat in a dog show, the time your school janitor joined a raccoon cult, or the incident in an Alaskan prep school that made your brother a Swifty. 

To keep us on track, I will mediate the discussion; pulling people in if the conversation gets too heated or personal. I will pull the plug on the conversation if it veers off into any of the forbidden topics: abuse, unlawful activities, bullying, self-harm. This is a lighthearted class, people. Also, no abusive comments will be tolerated.