Debate Club (Live)
In this ongoing club, students will get to practice their public speaking skills by participating in a mock debate on a resolution that has actually been used in live debate rounds in a variety of formats.
What's included
1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hours per weekProjects
1 hour per week. Students may wish to work on their case writing and practice their speaking skills outside of the camp meetings. This is not required as there will be prep time at the beginning of each class.Progress Report
Students who wish to receive personalized feedback from the instructor on their performance and progress as a 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 ongoing club, students will get to respond to a new debate topic each week and participate in mock debates with each other. I will release the topic to students around two days before each class, but they will receive some time during class each week to actually prep their arguments together. As such, outside work is optional. Note that if students do opt to prep ahead of time, they will have to prepare both sides as they will not be assigned a side until class time. This is a good thing: academic debaters always prepare to argue both sides, and this teaches students the value of adopting perspectives different from their own. After prepping together, we will have mock debate rounds. The format will be rapid-fire, based on the Extemporaneous debate format. This is so we can fit more debates and arguments into a short timeframe, allowing greater participation. Depending on the number of students each week, they may debate individually or in teams.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the principles of rhetoric, logic, and research that they will need to be successful in formal debate.Students will craft and present cases based on an actual topic that has been used in real debate rounds.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This class will require students to research, write, and debate about a potentially hot-button political issue, such as the economy, public policy, practical ethics, an abstract philosophical concept that may touch on religion or morality, or international politics. 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
$20
weekly1x per week
50 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
1-18 learners per class
