#2 Finding Dialectic SPAR with students - Best Practices
Published by Lily Parker
Hey SCJFL coaches,
I told the kids right off the bat that I didn’t know how to do this event, I had never seen this event, and I had no handouts or models. Then, Mike made a 30-minute lunch visit one day and pitched the event; the kids were intrigued. Next, I scared the hec out of them by saying that DS was more like “policy” and only advanced debaters would be doing it! Finally, I had to back-track, eat my words, and beg some of them to try it!
I have 6 kids on our DS squad now: 1 PF debater (8th), 2 former SPAR debaters (6thand 7th), and 3 brand new novices (all 6th graders).
What we have discovered in our five brief sessions together is that we are finding it together – nothing is top down and the coaching is very dynamic. They DO understand the goal and they are helping find the way. Discoveries-R-Us, I guess. The cool thing is that there are no old, carved-in-stone conventions to adhere to – just the rules, clear and sparce as they are.
I would like to share a new “best practice” from our Emerson S&D club program. I am approaching DS in a group setting - a step-by-step process in order to build a skill set for the event. This includes...
Pooling background knowledge for common current events
Making arguable resolutions
Developing sound reasoning to support a clear point of view
Listening well & note-taking
Careful questioning for clarification
Compromising & creative problem solving
I give them a few broad topics for whole group discussion. For example, immigration, fast food, military budgets.
We brain-storm whole group: what do we know or think we know about this. I call on kids quickly for a bullet. I clarify as necessary. (group note-taker uses white board or overhead projector – students bullet notes)
I ask, finally, can you see how this topic is arguable?
Begin break-out sessions: I assign partners – 2 on each topic. They are
charged to come up with 1-2 arguable resolutions. I give them 1-2 minutes.
Whole group again: I call on each group to state their thesis on their broad
topic. The group tweaks each statement as necessary to make it clearer/more
debatable.
When all groups are done, I call first couple up, assign AFF/NEG, begin time,
and run the DS.
I hope we can use this blog to share what is working for us. I hope to make a new entry later this weekend. Lily 1/31/19