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Debate (Spring)
Grades 8 - 12Some information is not shown until you have an approved application, and logged in with an approved account.
Course Schedule
Dates: 2024-01-09 to 2024-05-16
Cost
Supplies: $0
Expectations and Homework
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About the Course
Debate offers an excellent avenue to learn public speaking, research, writing, critical thinking, and respectful argumentation. Debate is a type of conversation, formal or informal, where people of differing opinions express their ideas and refute or challenge ideas that are opposed to theirs. True debate is the practice of comparing and contrasting ideas respectfully. The goal is to learn to compare and contrast ideas in order to identify truth, or the best answer to the issue being discussed. With so many views presented in the culture today, being able to analyze ideas, in light of truth, is important.
We will begin our study of debate by looking at the history and applications of debate (Rhetoric has been an important element of the classical tradition since the Athenian period). Then we will learn general logic and reasoning, critical thinking, tests of evidence, using evidence persuasively, refutation and rebuttals, stock issues, and finally two styles of debate - Team Policy (policy debate) and Lincoln Douglass (value debate).
This class will meet the spring semester only.
The textbook is "Argumentation and Debate, Taking the Next Step" by Bush Haffey, Jeffrey B. Motter, and Christy Shipe.
Registration
Cannot enroll children into a inactive course.
About Diane
Diane Cullen has taught classes at Cornerstone since 2013. Previously, Diane led the Truth Advocates Speech and Debate Club for nine years teaching students the skills of speaking and debating for competition. She has given feedback on a large number of speeches and debates. She also coordinated and led speech and debate tournaments for the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association. Before that, Diane taught Career Decision making at IUS for fifteen years. While at IUS, Diane was also the Internship Coordinator. She is certified in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality assessment tool and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Taylor University. Diane homeschooled her five children who have all now graduated from college. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, interior design, hiking, kayaking, and spending time with friends and family.