Debate Camp for Beginners
In this 5-day course, students will be introduced to debate through highly interactive activities, lectures, and debate. #academic
Lindsey Dixon M.S., B.S., Professor
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(386)
What's included
5 live meetings
6 hrs 15 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. There will be no formal homework but students can look up information on their own.Class Experience
Hey, Y'all!
Are you looking for a fun and engaging way for your child to develop critical thinking, public speaking, and confidence? Look no further than my debate camp!
With 15 years of experience training students in debate, I am a college professor whose full-time job is teaching and training in the art of argumentation and debate. I have worked with students from middle school through college ages and have traveled the world to offer up my debate expertise.
The style of debate that I teach is called the British Parliamentary Debate (BP or Worlds). This is the only style of debate that is done all around the world, and it focuses on persuasion and everyday communication styles. This means that not only will your child develop valuable debate skills, but they will also gain useful critical thinking and persuasive speaking skills to take to any interpersonal interaction or job.
I personally believe that debate is only worth doing if your audience can listen and understand the arguments you are trying to construct. That's why I focus on teaching skills that go beyond competitive debates and can be applied in real-life situations. And with my fun and engaging teaching style, your child is sure to enjoy themselves while developing valuable skills.
Sign up for my debate camp today and watch as your child's confidence and communication skills soar!
1. So how will the camp be structured?
Day One-
-I will teach the basic level of argument building and the format of BP debate.
-We will have a debate to start the camp to be able to see how we grow by the end of camp.
Day Two-
- I will teach you how to prioritize your arguments in a debate while giving you a checklist of things to think about when you are preparing your speeches.
- We will also learn about how to avoid making bad arguments.
-We will end with debate exercises
Day Three-
-We will learn how to do proper rebuttal and learn how to respond to your opponent's arguments
-We will learn more advanced debate strategies and how to position yourself and your arguments to win a debate round.
Day Four-
--We will work on "what to do when you don't know anything about the debate topic"
-We will learn how the best ways to write during a debate (flow/notetaking)
-We will do an activity called "who speaks next". This activity will have the learners try and juggle all the skills we have been learning into a debate but none of the students know what side they are on or when they will speak. They will just have to be ready for anything.
Day Five-
-We are going to do 2-3 full debates to help represent a tournament.
2. What topic will we cover?
- Each student will get an age-appropriate topic.
-Some topics might include but are not limited to:
-Sports
-College
-School
-Tech
-Pop culture
3. How will I teach this class?
- I will use PowerPoint slides and interactive activities along with handouts.
5. What is my teaching style?
- I have been teaching in college for 10 years and I have been in debate for over 15 so I have learned through experience how to keep debates engaging and empowering for students. I love being positive and upbeat while also offering helpful and meaningful constructive criticism. I also have run debate camps all around the world and have plenty of experience organizing and running camps.
6. How much will learners interact with each other?
-This will be a highly interactive class and will have students engaging with each other and me often. Students will have to ask each other questions along with also giving speeches and having to respond to what their fellow students are saying in their speeches.
7. Are there any required experience or knowledge needed?
- No! This class is open to anyone! Anyone can join the camp regardless of their debate experience.Learning Goals
The goals of this class are:
1. Critical thinking
- It's important to engage students in areas that they like but also can help hone their critical thinking skills by constructing arguments and having to respond to their fellow classmates.
2. Argumentation building
- building arguments is foundational for all areas of our lives and learning the steps of how arguments are formed and then practicing those steps is paramount to mastering them.
3. Listening skills
- A large part of the discourse is having to listen and comprehend what others around you are saying and not just waiting to speak next. This debate helps students to focus on listening to respond not just waiting to talk.
4. Improve Public Speaking Skills
- Debate allows students to work not only on their critical thinking skills but helps to build their confidence with public speaking.
5. Building a Community
- A great part of debate is building a community of people who also enjoy talking and debating.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined July, 2020
4.9
386reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Communications from Illinois State University
Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Ball State University
Hi, Y'all!
As a highly experienced educator and Director of Debate with a track record of success, you can trust that your child is in capable hands with me. Since 2012, I have been running a highly respected debate program, which I started from scratch and has since grown into one of the most reputable programs in the country. We travel throughout the United States and the world for competitions and training, and I pour my heart and soul into my students, both in the classroom and on the debate floor.
Throughout the years, I have helped organize some of the largest debate tournaments in the United States and the world, promoting critical thinking, argumentation building, and public speaking. I was even the first woman to ever host the United States University Debating Championship, the largest debating competition in the country.
As an expert in debate, we cover a wide range of topics and help students learn how to communicate effectively, respectfully, and with objective information. I have led countless workshops on how to communicate about difficult topics such as gender, racial, social-economic, and cultural issues, so you can rest assured that I am equipped to handle sensitive and complex issues with sensitivity and care.
I have also been invited to participate in prestigious debate training programs worldwide, including the North American Debate Academy in Burlington, Vermont, the International Debate Academy in Slovenia, the Southern Debate Academy in South Carolina, and the Beihang World Debate Academy in Beijing, China. These experiences have allowed me to bring a unique global perspective to my teaching and further develop my skills as an educator.
With my extensive experience and passion for teaching debate, your child will receive a top-notch education that will help them build critical thinking, communication, and advocacy skills that will serve them for a lifetime.
Personal Debate Awards and Accomplishments
Achievement
Convener of the United States University Debating Championship Clemson University
This is the largest debate tournament in the country.
The first female to ever convene the national championship.
Chief Adjudicator for the United States University Debating Championship Denver, Colorado.
This is the largest debate tournament in the country. I was elected to assist in
running this prestigious event by my peers at the 2016 National Tournament.
Judged the final of the United States University Debating Championship
Anchorage, Alaska
Atlanta, Georgia
Denver, Colorado
Chief Adjudicator of Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee
Chief Adjudicator United States Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Chief Adjudicator Herstory Womxn
La Verne, California
Chief Adjudicator Huber Debate
Burlington, Vermont
Chief Adjudicator for the Pan American Championships
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Chief Adjudicator for the University of North Georgia
Oakwood, Georgia
Broke as a judge at over 50 tournaments
Breaking at a tournament as a judge means you are recognized as one of the best
judges at the tournament.
Invited Debate Training
North American Debate Academy
Burlington, Vermont
International Debate Academy in Slovenia
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Beihang World Debate Academy,
Beijing, China
Reviews
Live Group Class
$100
for 5 classes5x per week, 1 week
75 min
Completed by 797 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-15
6-12 learners per class
