Teaching Debate

Sample Debate: Is Television A Bad Influence?

   

   

As part of our new effort to put video resources online, we're pleased to present a new sample debate in the MSPDP format on the topic "Television is a Bad Influence." The debate was filmed during our summer enrichment programs here at Claremont McKenna College, and features student debaters from public and private middle schools from Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. We've also filmed an actual judge's decision of the debate, available here on Google Video. As with all of our sample debates (there are currently three available online, plus the championship debate from 2006), teachers can order DVD copies from us to use in the classroom. If you're interested in ordering DVDs, please email me at kate[dot]shuster[at]cmc.edu.

Running a Middle School Debate League: What's it like?

 

   

So, we've been pretty busy this summer at the MSPDP. We've run several residential student programs (with more than 100 participants in conferences), gotten some grant money for an upcoming program expansion in Los Angeles, and filmed a number of videos. Here's one of them. Three league presidents in the Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) discuss what it's like to manage a middle school debate league. Featuring Lee Harris, from St. Mark's School of Upland, Greg Paulk, from Desert Springs Middle School, and Katie Ward, from Pasadena Polytechnic. Moderated by me, MSPDP Director Kate Shuster.

Oh, and I've also moved the blog to Typepad. Please update your bookmark, if you've got one, to reflect my new address: http://teachingdebate.typepad.com/.