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The_Sheriff · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject: Help for Student Coaches

I've been asked to explain some debate theory to novices in our club this next Friday and following weeks. These novices haven't had any prior experience with debate and I need to assume that they know nothing about it except for reading the first three chapters of Christy Shipe's introduction.

This is the first time I will be teaching on a non-one-on-one level. If you could answer some of these questions, that would be wonderful.

First, do you have any general suggestions or tips for either student coaches or coaching novices?

Second, right now it is my plan to start teaching on constructing an Affirmative Case, then move on to Negative Strategies of attacking (and introducing the Stock Issues for the first time) and finally, talking about the composition of an individual argument (toulmin model, four-point refutation). Do you have any comments/thoughts on this plan?

Third, I am teaching my peers, yet I am teaching novices... Confused

Do you have any suggestions on how to find a balence between these two? I would like to avoid being a 'teacher' and instead be more of a 'older brother' but I also want to communicate my message in a way that maintains professionalism, without getting too casual. How have your student coaches done this?

Lastly, are there any activities/examples that you have found work well to demonstrate the fundamental concepts of debate theory?

Thanks all, I appreciate any help/advice that you can give!
God Bless,
Gregory Escobar
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JustMe · HSD's Fairy Godmother Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 16777215

Isaiah · Slave Driver Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 16777215

Gregory,

I usually start the order a little differently. I start with what debate is and why we need resolutions, then I go straight into the general ideas of stock issues (talking on subject, having good reason, proposing a specific alternative and proving that it works), and then proceed with the rest of the order you have. I find that people will grasp stock issues better if you've already laid the framework once or twice (it takes a few times to get stock issues, and if you don't do it right, they'll think of them as rules and not principles of everyday argumentation).

$0.02
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JustMe · HSD's Fairy Godmother Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 16777215

Yes...I go over the general ideas like that as well when we discuss what debate is and the resolution and stuff. We also go over each of them when discussing the affirmative case. We then go into greater depth later after they have heard the words a few times. It's probably pretty similar to what Isaiah says in the classroom, just different in explanation here.

djcarter · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 864 Location: San Antonio, Tx

Sounds like you have a plan which is very important.

There is so much information it's hard to know where to start but it sound like your approach will work just fine.

Just remember to keep it simple and try your best to make sure your students understand one thing before moving on to the next.

Good luck and keep us posted if you have any other questions or problems.
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birdible · Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:21 am Post subject:

praisetheLORD · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 436 Location: Recovery mode

Gregory,

I want to be in your class. It sounds like you have a real teacher's heart. Let us know how it is going!
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There are no accidents in the life of the Christian. -- Rowland Bingham

jedi · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject:

Gregory,

Hope everything goes well with you. Being a student coach myself, I think your plan sounds solid. Provided your students are willing to work dilligently, you shouldn't have too much trouble.

One question I have, though, (for my own edification) is: what do you do when the students don't work at it, don't care, and don't turn in homework assignments? Being only a little more than a year older than the oldest one I coach, I don't feel that I have the authority to have any kind of consequences for not having the work done. And when my mom tries to lay down the law, the students' parents start running interference about why their poor child couldn't get the speech memorized or couldn't get their affirmative case written. Sometimes I would feel so frustrated I'd be ready to quit. What should I do differently for next year?
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Isaiah · Slave Driver Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 16777215

Irish Man · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:32 am Post subject:

Keep reintegrating basic ideas. For example, keep describing why stock issues are important/what they are. I went the first two months of my time in debate thinking that debate had something to do with Wallstreet. I kid you not. Wink

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Wild Flower · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:49 am Post subject:

I just saw this and thought I'd put in my 2 cents.

The most important thing I can say about teaching novices is... don't dump too much theory on them!! Theory is great, the second year. The first years need to know how to debate before they have to memorize all three types of Inh, and explain in depth topicality.

My novice year was... oh, this year! I came into it knowing more theory than I have used all year, but without a clue how to actually debate.

For me, it would have helped if I had been taught the basic stock issues, but not in depth, then been shown a few different aff cases, and been briefly taught how to construct one. Neg strategies were never addressed in our club, and I felt very scared my first neg round.

Also, if you can, get a few other people together and do a real, full length, debate. Nothing would have helped me more than seeing a real-life debate, especially one that was a little pre-scripted for the benefit of my first-year-ness. Smile

Remember that the Shipe book can be intimidating for novices (it was for me) so go easy on it.

Example of debate theory... My sister came up with one that is terrific. Tell the kids to go mow the lawn, then ask them to come up with reasons why they shouldn't/don't have to mow it, such as...

It doesn't need to be mowed, (no sig harm). It was mowed yesterday (inh). It isn't my job to mow it (great plan, but wrong actor). If I mow it then the greenhouse gasses from the lawnmower will hurt our environment (DAs). We should get a goat instead (counterplan). We live in an apartment (no reason for change).

It gets the juices flowing on rebutting the simple statement "mow the lawn", and then translates well to the debate world.

The command "take out the trash" also works, but not quite as well.

I know this is a bit late, but hopefully it can be of help to someone.
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