Big Questions Camp (Live)
In this four-day intensive debate camp for high schoolers, students will learn all about principles of rhetoric, logic, and philosophy, and apply them with fellow campers in mock Big Questions rounds.
What's included
4 live meetings
3 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursProjects
1-2 hours per week. Students are strongly encouraged to work on some of their case writing and practice their speaking skills outside of the camp meetings. They are also encouraged to do independent research.Progress Report
Students who wish to receive personalized feedback from the instructor on their performance and progress as a Big Questions debater may ask for such feedback, as well as guidance on any future goals they may have with formal debate.Class Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
In this four-day debate camp, students will learn all about principles of rhetoric, logic, and philosophy, and how to apply them to the form and structure of Big Questions, one of the newest and most abstract academic debate formats. This is an interactive camp where students will work on researching, writing about, and then debating a resolution from the previous school year's Big Questions competitions. Note that the topics here are much more abstract than in the other debate events. These are not practical questions of policy, but abstract questions about what exists, what is meaningful, and what we ought to value. Students will receive coaching from an instructor who has coached numerous national qualifying and state champion debaters. This is the perfect camp both for a novice student considering joining a formal debate team and for an experienced debater interested in learning about incorporating frameworks from philosophy into their rounds.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the principles of rhetoric, logic, and philosophy that they will need to be successful in formal and framework debate.Students will write cases based on an actual resolution that was used in Big Questions rounds in the previous academic year.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum4 Lessons
over 1 WeekLesson 1:
Principles of Rhetoric
On day one, students will learn all about best rhetorical, logical, and research practices for formalized debate. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
The Structure of Philosophical Debate
On day two, students will learn all about Big Questions, including how to incorporate concepts from philosophy into their cases about complex, abstract questions. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Case Writing
On day three, students will learn how to write their own debate cases based on a Big Questions resolution. 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Mock Debates
On day four, students will practice debating in the Big Questions format with each other. 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This camp will require students to research, write, and debate about several potentially hot-button moral and religious issues, such as whether morality or a deity exists, whether there is such a thing as objective truth, or what the nature of knowledge is. Students will not be able to choose their own side on the topic as the sides will be randomly assigned by the instructor. No preferences from parents or students as to assigned sides or debating partners will be taken into account out of fairness to everyone and due to the educational value of having to adopt perspectives that differ from one's own.
Students will then engage in a robust exchange of ideas with each other about the topic and will thus be exposed through both the research and the debating processes to numerous perspectives on these issues. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to decide if this is an appropriate activity for their child. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.
Supply List
A pen and paper for "flowing," a style of notation used in debate rounds, will be required for each student. No digital tools will suffice for this; it must be a physical pen and paper.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2024
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Philosophy from Northern Illinois University
Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Illinois Wesleyan University
I have a BA in Philosophy with minors in Political Science and Greek and Roman Studies, as well as an MA in Philosophy with a concentration in Ethics and Political Philosophy. I’m the head coach of a competitive high school debate team and teach the liberal arts at a classical school. I’m also a professional creative writer and journalist.
I love helping students of all ages understand and interpret difficult subjects and learn how to crystallize their thoughts in writing and oral communication. I believe formal debate is a wonderful way to facilitate this kind of growth and learning.Reviews
Live Group Class
$80
for 4 classes4x per week, 1 week
50 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
1-18 learners per class
