Visit our new History Debates Website !
DebatingHistory.com
Debate is a powerful learning tool. Classes in the History Debate program involve students in structured, highly engaging discussions where they craft and evaluate one another’s claims and arguments. These classes are designed to give students exciting opportunities to apply critical and creative thinking skills.
This program is built upon three key foundations:
- Research and Information Literacy: While textbooks may be used as a general resource and to get an overview of a topic, the most relevant and meaningful information is obtained through research. Students will learn how to find sources, determine their credibility, analyze for bias, and evaluate the usefulness of the information. They will learn how to cite and organize information in order to help them craft and support powerful arguments.
- Student Driven: Students are given an overview and mini lessons on overarching themes and topics. Ultimately, however, students determine which topics to research more deeply. They decided which topics would be relevant to learn in order to do well in their debate. They have the opportunity to use creative thinking to come up with new angles from which to craft and present arguments.
In addition, debates are debated and judged by the students. The teacher acts only as a guide and facilitator when needed. In this way, students truly create their own learning community. They craft and present their own arguments, challenge, judge, and coach one another. They direct their learning.
- Meaningful and Healthy Social Interactions: Students will receive direct instruction and coaching on how to listen, understand, and effectively communicate with one another. They will gain tools to help them affirm and encourage their peers as well as ways to debate peacefully and respectfully when in disagreement with one another. Students will have the opportunity to practice and apply what they learn as they work in their research and debate groups and as they debate and judge one another.
I am currently able to teach classes in the History Debate program to homeschool co-ops and other learning communities in the Wichita area. Typically, for the debates to work, we need a minimum number of seven students. However, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you cannot meet this minimum number. There are several ways to customize this program to meet the specific needs of your learning community.
I am also able to teach these classes virtually and synchronously if you are not in the Wichita area.
These classes are geared toward middle school and high school students.
Samples of the Type of Work We Do
Example Debate Topics:
Was the American Revolution avoidable?
Was Abraham Lincoln a magnanimous leader?
Was the Industrial Revolution good for the United States?
Was American Imperialism justified?
Was the New Deal good for America?
Should the United States follow a stricter policy of isolationism?
Did colonialism accelerate or hinder the advancement of colonies?
Was the development of nationalist movements good for society?
Were nuclear weapons necessary to end World War II?
Sample Unit Plan
The debate questions are not intended to be perfect. For the most part, they’re intentionally vague and/or multi-layered with many possible interpretations. The goal is to get students to think and examine a subject from multiple angles (and, in some cases, to get them to recognize that there are better questions that should be asked and that the debate question can be misleading).
The examples above are on just a few of the topics available. If you would like to inquire about a particular time period or topic in history, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
These classes are highly customizable, and I aim to tailor-fit the debate question, topic, lessons and schedule to each learning community’s specific needs. Please fill out the form below if you would like more information or to join our waitlist.