The idea…
I was recently thinking of ways that I could give back to the debate community. I competed in LD debate as well as Parliamentary debate in STOA (that’s a competitive league for homeschool students). There is so much that I learned from participating in debate. Debate gave me opportunities to make new friends, travel the country, and grow in my independence.
So, I decided that the best way to give back would be to share that experience with a new wave of kids. I decided that I wanted to create an introductory course to teach kids the basics about debate.
Here’s what it will look like…
The course will consist of eight weeks of class-like teaching on techniques, structure, and skills used in debate. This will include logic, philosophy, and limited social studies. The course will also include (the ninth week) tournament prep and (the tenth week) a tournament. Some weeks, I may include projects for kids to work on between classes, but it will likely not be every week. The class will be hosted on Zoom and I will be available for questions through the week.
Is there a breakdown of what kids will be learning?
Yes, actually. Here it is:
Week one will include types of arguments, purpose of constructive argumentation, and types of evidence used in debate.
Week two will cover fallacies and how to identify and counter them.
Week three we will talk about some of the differences between informal arguments and formal debates. We will also cover types of debates and debate ethics.
Week four we will talk about resolutions, preparing arguments, and how to flow a debate.
In week five we cover the structure of rounds and cross examination purpose and techniques.
Week six is all about judging debates. We will cover how to judge a debate, how to give and receive judge feedback, and judge psychology.
Week seven will cover honesty and integrity in debate. We will also talk about why and how you should research your arguments and cite your sources.
The last week of class we will focus on practicing different styles of debate. This will give everyone an opportunity to get a feel for what it’s like to participate in a tournament round. Then we will share the resolution for our tournament to allow everyone to begin prepping their cases.
Week nine we will review the kid’s cases. They will receive constructive criticism and have an opportunity to test their arguments against their peers.
Week ten is tournament week. The structure will be based on STOA tournaments. Kids will compete against other kids. Individuals are eliminated based on records of wins and losses, until we reach finals and a winner is clear. Rounds are judged by me and other adults that have been trained to judge debate. There will be opportunity for parents of kids to judge if they participate in a training class. Regardless of how anyone performs at the tournament, each kid will walk away with valuable skills and (hopefully) new friendships and connections with peers who have similar interests as them.
When is it?
The course will begin on February 3rd at 2 p.m. EST, and continue every Wednesday until completion (the tournament will likely differ from this schedule, but I do not have the dates confirmed yet). If students miss a class, they will have access to a recording of the class, and I will be available through the week for questions and feedback.
How much is it?
The course will be set at $120 (which will include the class and tournament expenses) I will also be doing something special for the kids at the end of the class that will be of no extra cost.
Is there an age requirement or limit?
Requirement: I would say no. As long as you believe your child is mature enough to understand the complex concepts here, they are welcome. I have seen kids as young as six to eight compete impressively in debate. I will be doing my best to ensure that the concepts in this class are broken down in an easy to understand way. There will also be an emphasis on practicing the concepts so that they are learning through experience.
Limit: My personal opinion on this would be that anyone may participate as long as they are a student who has not graduated high school yet. I competed against high school seniors when I was twelve, and I ranked highly at those tournaments. A mixed age group would be amazing. I think that is the best way for all of the participants to be challenged. I will say that an older child should not enroll unless they are open to working with younger peers.
How do I sign my kid up?
Right here. Click to go to the form for signup. A $20 deposit will be due before the first class. You must pay the deposit by February 3rd to secure your child’s place in the class.