When it comes to keeping kids active parents are usually on the hunt for student activities with benefits of almost a mythical nature. Cue the images of all super activities with seemingly extraterrestrial skill-building powers like teaching expert NASDAQ or Bitcoin skills in an hour, developing a phone that doesn’t need to be upgraded, or training cats to use the toilet. Show us where we can find an activity that helps teach reading comprehension, or to read Swahili, boost grades, offer yoga in Spanish, help with critical thinking, perfect street smarts, cooking and creating a budget for annual snack expenses all-in-one. Where does a program like this exist? Asgard? Wakanda? Pleasantville? The Matrix? It has to be out there. We may have found a program that comes close in speech and debate.
With speech and debate, there are a myriad of benefits including competition, team building, academic progress, critical thinking, college readiness, socialization, life skills, social emotional intelligence, and confidence-building. All of these benefits have been proven to be positively impacted when elementary to college level students engage in competitive speech and debate programs. Typically at the top of the list of areas parents value most when it comes to benefits of speech and debate include critical thinking, academic progress and college readiness. Parents aren’t the only ones. Argumentation professors Douglas Ehninger and Wayne Brockriede recognize in their work, 1978, that it is imperative for society to develop leaders with strong critical-thinking skills: “in an age when a single bomb can wipe out a great city, critical thinking is not a luxury but a necessity”. However, the benefits of speech and debate extend far beyond critical thinking. Speech and debate offers students opportunities to collaborate by exposing them to information centered around perspectives, topics and communities outside of their own. While weighing pros and cons, students gain access to information about communities outside of their familiarity. Also, engaging in speech and debate builds confidence by lessening fear so that students can self-advocate through life events, speak publicly and more easily process their ideas. In Survey Details How Speech and Debate Bolsters Student’s Confidence, Dr. J. Scott Baker provides excerpts from a 2015 national survey of speech debate coaches. The article reports on responses from coaches that describe their students as being able to carry themselves with confidence, having a willingness to try new things, and better prepare to operate in society. When fear is reduced, students are able to function and communicate at a higher level. With speech and debate, activities involving ideation, leadership and strategy are more accessible because their confidence is boosted and fear is less of a focus. Other benefits include exposure to difficult topics that sit outside-of-the-box. These benefits help build social emotional intelligence because they invoke empathy and compassion for others' experiences. Exposure to stories, issues and information outside of one's own bubble helps to remove what Prominent University of Vermont Professor Alfred C. Snider considered the “darkness”. Professor Snider dedicated his life to teaching debate, stating that debate calls to task simplistic public dialogue and foments a kind of global critical thinking. In 2004 with the Burlington publication, Seven Days, he stated, “my agenda is to fight back the darkness by trying to bring the light of human reason. I want to replace the weapons with words. I want every citizen to be a debater.” With the threat of political issues and cultural experiences creating divisions in our community, critical conversations become imperative. A background in speech and debate is necessary when navigating through it all. To be involved in speech and debate presents opportunities that help develop skills applicable throughout life. The benefits not only improve academic to career readiness and critical thinking skills, they also help guide students into becoming better observers, researchers, and advocates for communities. Students have a greater chance at engaging their curiosity so that they become lifelong learners. What’s gained has been considered by many as a life changing and rewarding experience. Bibliography Baker, J. S. Confidently Speaking (Survey Details How Speech and Debate Bolsters Students’ Confidence). UIL Leaguer. September 2016. Ehninger, D., and W. Brockriede. 1978. Decision by Debate. 2d ed. New York: Harper and Row. Fink, L. Dee. 1999. “Active Learning.” Snider, Alfred C. and Lawrence, Edwin W. DEBATE: Important for Everyone World Debate Institute. University of Vermont January. 201.
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If you see 12-year-old Shruthi Nagulapalli before a competition, you may see her “shaking it out,” running through tongue twisters, or, most importantly, having a special moment with her sister as she wishes Shruthi good luck. She calls her sister her lucky charm!
Whether it’s the countless hours of practice or this special routine--it’s working. Shruthi was selected as the NSDA showcase finalist in two categories, declamation and pro con challenge, at the National Speech and Debate Tournament. She was a state champion in not one, but two categories: humorous interpretation and storytelling. She also won silver at the Middle School State Tournament. “I honestly think that though awards are awesome, what I’ve learned along the way matters a whole lot more. I’ve learned how to be more comfortable with strangers, and I’ve also gained confidence,” she shared. “And that’s what I value the most!” Shruthi joined the Golden State Academy because she wanted to try something new, while improving her confidence and speaking skills at the same time. And with experience in six different events now, she’s built both that confidence and those skills. “I think the hardest challenge to overcome was my fear. I was always super nervous before any tournament,” she said. “After attending more tournaments though, the fear subsided.” She’s learned everything from how to create and deliver strong debate cases to talking on the spot. If you ask her about her greatest strength, Shruthi will share that she has LOTS of energy. She believes that this is an important skill because if you’re having fun, chances are your judges are having fun, too. As for advice for other speech and debate students, she shares, “It isn’t all about winning. It’s about learning from your mistakes so that you can improve next time. Don’t forget to have fun!!” This year, Shruthi is looking forward to more competitions--and is planning to win many more events. Final Saturday night breaksPlease note that if they did not post your speech simi final round tonight they may go directly to finals. Please check postings in the morning. If your round go's to finals please be on campus at 11AM If you advance to out-rounds on Sunday, please be sure to check the logistics email to see what time you must report to the Benson center on Sunday. When results are available they will be posted at the link below. There is no set time when this will happen so please check in. If postings are not up around midnight please get some rest and check early in the morning. I will keep everyone updated with this blog when i get news. https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/postings/index.mhtml?tourn_id=5499 JudgesTo clarify GSA has nothing to do with the number of rounds that you judge. That is completely at the discretion of the tournament and tabroom. I understand that it may seem unfair if you have judged all day, Unfortunately it is out of our control. Sunday ScheduleSunday, November 20
You MUST arrive on campus by 7:30 am for SPEECH. You MUST arrive on campus by 9:00 am for DEBATE. 8:30am-10am Events Semifinals / Congress Semifinals (Bills 7-8)* 10m-Noon Octofinals Debate Noon - 2pm Events Finals 2pm-4pm Quarters Debate / Congress Finals (Bills 9-10)* 4pm - 5pm Awards 5pm - 7pm Semifinals Debate 7pm - 9pm Finals Debate |
The Golden State Academy
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