Students have been in teaching presentations all morning and afternoon about counterplans. The structure of CDI has changed (for those of you familiar with the old structure) so the students spend time learning about positions in one large chunk rather than spread out over a few days. Dispersed throughout teaching presentations are practicums so that students get more hands on skills with students of the same level working on their new knowledge for one segment of counterplans or disads or whatever the specific session is about. After spending most of the day learning about counterplans, students will get to here from the lab leaders about judging paradigms.
This afternoon during alternative use time is the first student vs. staff basketball games. The staff is expecting to win. If yesterday's push-up challenge is any indication it will be a decisive victory (Aneesh Sohoni beat Trevor A. from Edina by at least 25 push-ups in a 60 second timeframe).
Tonight is the start of the 2nd Annual Bob Groven Tournament. This is a four round tournament with a final round judged by Chris McDonald, Fred Sternhagen and the kernels. Guest judges are coming in for what looks to be some fairly decent debates since students have had the evidence for a week. This tournament has been dedicated to Bob Groven for his years of service to the educational opportunities and curriculum design at the Concordia Summer Debate Institute.
Check out the push-up contest pictures over at flickr. There should be some basketball pictures sometime tomorrow.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Research!
Now that the students know a lot about disadvantages, it’s time to do research. Today, all of the students will be focusing on specific disadvantage areas on which to do their research. The Hailer/Mapes/Marso lab will be focusing on Japan, the Faltesek/Sohoni lab will be researching Africa, the Cronin/Johnson/Kirkeide will focus on overconfidence/hegemony arguments, and finally the Mapes/Short lab will work on China. The evidence deadline for the research is at 11 P.M. tonight. The kids will be using the research skills they learned yesterday to cut many cards.
Throughout the day, all the lab leaders will be doing their second drill with the students. Every student will finish camp with a minimum of 8 drills from their lab leaders.
The library will be our home for the next 12 hours.
The 2nd Annual "Bob Groven" Tournament will begin tomorrow at 7:45 P.M. The students will each debate a minimum of four rounds after which two teams will debate in the final round on Saturday.
Throughout the day, all the lab leaders will be doing their second drill with the students. Every student will finish camp with a minimum of 8 drills from their lab leaders.
The library will be our home for the next 12 hours.
The 2nd Annual "Bob Groven" Tournament will begin tomorrow at 7:45 P.M. The students will each debate a minimum of four rounds after which two teams will debate in the final round on Saturday.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Day Three
Today includes another grueling day of lectures and debates. This morning, the debaters started out by going to the library. Students were introduced to library resources and given presentations on researching. In addition, the students received a lecture on writing blocks and were shown examples of blocks that the staff has written for their own use. After lunch, the students were presented with a series of disadvantage lectures including impacts and turns, specific vs. generic links, weighing disads, and kritiking disads. The beginner students will also receive lectures on advanced research and card cutting. This will help them with the research aspect of debate.
Throughout the day, the advanced students have also been working on cutting a fiscal discipline disadvantage. They have approximately three hours to do the research and put the cards together in file form. It’s a lot to do, but they are working hard.
After some free time and supper, the students will do a practicum on disadvantages to put together everything they have learned about them through the day. Once that is done, they will hear an introductory presentation to counterplans.
Later that night, the students will have intra-lab practice rounds. After that, it will be time to call it a night.
Throughout the day, the advanced students have also been working on cutting a fiscal discipline disadvantage. They have approximately three hours to do the research and put the cards together in file form. It’s a lot to do, but they are working hard.
After some free time and supper, the students will do a practicum on disadvantages to put together everything they have learned about them through the day. Once that is done, they will hear an introductory presentation to counterplans.
Later that night, the students will have intra-lab practice rounds. After that, it will be time to call it a night.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Demonstration Debate and Day Two
A little more on the demonstration debate that took place yesterday.
The affirmative team of Michael Mapes and Dan Faltesek ran an affirmative dealing with the AIDS problem in Africa. Michael read the first affirmative constructive that had two advantages. The first advantage stated that those who have AIDS are stigmatized. They argued that the stigma is what prevents people from seeking help for their medical condition. The second advantage dealt with women’s rights. In Africa, men often refuse to wear condoms and thus the spread of HIV is increased. Also, women who seek HIV/AIDS testing are often subjected to violence. Due to this, the affirmative presented a plan to change the prevention component of PEPFAR to a culturally sensitive and comprehensive program including: Routine and Diagnostic HIV testing, education on condom use, gender equity, and microbicides.
The negative team of Aneesh Sohoni and Meggie Mapes ran four off case arguments and case arguments. Aneesh read Topicality, U.S. Politics, African Union Counterplan, and a Ghana Politics net benefit. He also read arguments on the solvency and stigma portion of the case.
Dan rebutted these arguments in his 2AC with a variety of creative arguments.
Meggie rose to give her 2NC and argued for the AU Counterplan and Ghana disadvantage. Aneesh went for politics and case arguments in the 1NR.
After this portion of the debate, there was a 15 minute break in which the students went with their lab leaders and had a discussion of the debate thus far, and discussed what would be good strategies for the affirmative and negative teams to go for in the end. This was very educational for the students as they were able to ask clarifying questions about the round and also forced them to think strategically about the rest of the round.
In the 1AR, Michael gave a splendid rebuttal in which he extended a combination of offense and defense on the arguments that were still left in the round.
After discussion with her partner Aneesh, Meggie decided to go for the AU Counterplan and Ghana net benefit in her 2NR. She argued that the counterplan solves just as well as case and that the permutation cannot capture the net benefit of Ghana.
While Dan was supposed to go for defensive arguments in the staged debate, he went for a little too many good arguments in the end. His extension of the permutation on the counterplan helped sway the kernels vote for the affirmative. The kernels voted 24-10 in favor of the affirmative.
All in all, the main goal of having an educational round was achieved. The debaters spoke at an adequate pace and the kernels were engaged through the round.
Today the debaters are going to hear a series of lectures on argumentation models and flowing. Later tonight they will have one more practice round before they go with their lab leaders to work on specific drills to improve their speaking.
More to come later!
The affirmative team of Michael Mapes and Dan Faltesek ran an affirmative dealing with the AIDS problem in Africa. Michael read the first affirmative constructive that had two advantages. The first advantage stated that those who have AIDS are stigmatized. They argued that the stigma is what prevents people from seeking help for their medical condition. The second advantage dealt with women’s rights. In Africa, men often refuse to wear condoms and thus the spread of HIV is increased. Also, women who seek HIV/AIDS testing are often subjected to violence. Due to this, the affirmative presented a plan to change the prevention component of PEPFAR to a culturally sensitive and comprehensive program including: Routine and Diagnostic HIV testing, education on condom use, gender equity, and microbicides.
The negative team of Aneesh Sohoni and Meggie Mapes ran four off case arguments and case arguments. Aneesh read Topicality, U.S. Politics, African Union Counterplan, and a Ghana Politics net benefit. He also read arguments on the solvency and stigma portion of the case.
Dan rebutted these arguments in his 2AC with a variety of creative arguments.
Meggie rose to give her 2NC and argued for the AU Counterplan and Ghana disadvantage. Aneesh went for politics and case arguments in the 1NR.
After this portion of the debate, there was a 15 minute break in which the students went with their lab leaders and had a discussion of the debate thus far, and discussed what would be good strategies for the affirmative and negative teams to go for in the end. This was very educational for the students as they were able to ask clarifying questions about the round and also forced them to think strategically about the rest of the round.
In the 1AR, Michael gave a splendid rebuttal in which he extended a combination of offense and defense on the arguments that were still left in the round.
After discussion with her partner Aneesh, Meggie decided to go for the AU Counterplan and Ghana net benefit in her 2NR. She argued that the counterplan solves just as well as case and that the permutation cannot capture the net benefit of Ghana.
While Dan was supposed to go for defensive arguments in the staged debate, he went for a little too many good arguments in the end. His extension of the permutation on the counterplan helped sway the kernels vote for the affirmative. The kernels voted 24-10 in favor of the affirmative.
All in all, the main goal of having an educational round was achieved. The debaters spoke at an adequate pace and the kernels were engaged through the round.
Today the debaters are going to hear a series of lectures on argumentation models and flowing. Later tonight they will have one more practice round before they go with their lab leaders to work on specific drills to improve their speaking.
More to come later!
Registration and Day One
Registration was successful. The students were excited, and parents asked some great questions as the students moved in. There was a 60% chance of rain on Sunday according to the Fox News Weatherman, and current lab leader, Dan Faltesek. Luckily we were able to avoid it.
Day 1 has come and gone faster than you could say the word "debate." Students under went the normal diagnostics Sunday to help place them in teaching presentations, practicums, and lectures. The students lab pairings and week one schedule are on the Concordia Debate Institute homepage: http://summerdebate.cord.edu. In the morning the students heard back to back topic lectures with a background on Africa, a "words on this years resolution" presentation discussing the nuances between different terms, and a topic specific lecture. A few logistical presentations were given and then the students were off to labs to meet and greet, read evidence, and prepare for the first practice round.
Dinner was delicious, and the first practice round was fun and challenging. The students proceeded to watch a demonstration debate between Michael and Dan vs. Aneesh and Meggie (all staff members). The students voted 24-10 for Michael and Dan even though Aneesh and Meggie were "supposed" to win. (Apparently going for defense means going for a permutation in the 2ar that claims to solve for the terminal link to the disad and all the case attacks. Dan is not good with direction).
This morning students are in tiered lectures learning about the fundamental and advanced theory or argumentation before hearing about micro vs. macro refutation. Another practice round will be happening tonight.
More updates to come!
Day 1 has come and gone faster than you could say the word "debate." Students under went the normal diagnostics Sunday to help place them in teaching presentations, practicums, and lectures. The students lab pairings and week one schedule are on the Concordia Debate Institute homepage: http://summerdebate.cord.edu. In the morning the students heard back to back topic lectures with a background on Africa, a "words on this years resolution" presentation discussing the nuances between different terms, and a topic specific lecture. A few logistical presentations were given and then the students were off to labs to meet and greet, read evidence, and prepare for the first practice round.
Dinner was delicious, and the first practice round was fun and challenging. The students proceeded to watch a demonstration debate between Michael and Dan vs. Aneesh and Meggie (all staff members). The students voted 24-10 for Michael and Dan even though Aneesh and Meggie were "supposed" to win. (Apparently going for defense means going for a permutation in the 2ar that claims to solve for the terminal link to the disad and all the case attacks. Dan is not good with direction).
This morning students are in tiered lectures learning about the fundamental and advanced theory or argumentation before hearing about micro vs. macro refutation. Another practice round will be happening tonight.
More updates to come!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Get Ready...
Concordia Debate Institute is about a week and a half away and we are excited to have you here. You should be getting an email with information about stuff before camp and the address for this blog. We will be using this to post updates during and after camp. Rather than sending out an email to parents each day we will use this blog to post information about what is happening at camp, what your child is doing and things like that. After camp you can come back and read about the success our students are having throughout their season!
We are looking forward to seeing you on July 8th between 2-4:30 for registration in the Olin Lobby. Bring your working hats because it is going to be a jam packed and fun filled 3 weeks.
We are looking forward to seeing you on July 8th between 2-4:30 for registration in the Olin Lobby. Bring your working hats because it is going to be a jam packed and fun filled 3 weeks.
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