July 28, 2005
WEDNESDAY -- International Program Begins
Steve Llano judging a high school debate
International students got a chance to familiarize themselves with Burlington, the campus as well as the library. John Meany and Bojana Skrt began a three day program designed to prepare the international students to work with the college parliamentary debaters who arrive on Friday.
The WDI faculty took some richly derserved time off while the staff started gearing up for the arrival of College Policy Debaters on Thursday.
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TUESDAY -- High School Debaters Depart, International Arrive
Going for the Win!
Today was move out day for the High School Policy students. Many sad goodbyes, exchanges of contact information, and a few last times together. It was sad to be leaving each other and Burlington, but there was a positive feel for having made new friends, and many will return to Vermont.
Bad weather delayed some airline departures and two students even had their flights cancelled so they had to stay over in Burlington, but they were looked after and safely housed.
International students began arriving for the program beginning tomorrow. The group will move over to Patterson Hall for the college portion of WDI.
Posted by at 11:17 AM | Comments (511)
July 27, 2005
MONDAY - Debates, Awards, and the End
THE TOP TEN SPEAKERS IN THE TOURNAMENT
The final debates took place at 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM. There was strong competition as the undefeated teams were meeting each other. Even those teams who had not fared so well were giving it their all to scratch out another win.
The students were given the late afternoon off so that they could say goodbye to each other and enjoy the campus a bit without any work hanging over them.
At 7 PM the awards assembly was held. After filling out evaluation forms the team and speaker awards were presented. Three teams emerged with 4-0 records. Raya Harris was the top speaker. TYhe most important awards are the "hats" given out. Six hats were given to those thought to be the "most valuable members of the intellectual community," and not necessarily the debaters swho won awards. Faculty made short speeches about each student to receive this honor. After that it was back to the dorm for final goodbyes and long talks into the night with new friends they had met here at WDI.
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SUNDAY - The Tournament is Here
At 1:30 PM Sunday the tournament began. Four debates would yield tournament winners and top speakers. Debates came one after the other, with a 3:30 PM debate and then a 7 PM debate after dinner. The competition was fierce but friendly, and students got to experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Many thanks to those who helped judge, especially James Ahern and Jen Knops.
Students got some sleep because the fourth and final round would be the next day.
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SATURDAY - Beach Day and Tournament Preparation
The HS Policy workshop arose early to get the day started -- a day of work and fun. In the morning the faculty were located in individual classrooms and were available for students to come and ask questions about arguments and the evidence sets they had received the day before. The back and forth was intense and informative.
In the afternoon the students were bused to North Beach for an afternoon of sun, swimming, and play. All students attended as did att RAs, as well as the ever popular faculty member Jillian Marty.
In the evening students returned to preparation because the tournament would begin the next day on Sunday.
Posted by at 10:33 AM | Comments (1)
FRIDAY - Victory with Research Projects
HS Policy workshop students finished research assignments in a flurry of activity. The copiers were humming as evidence sets were produced for each student. Research projects were concluded on prison searches, school searches, national id cards, topicality, critical race theory, politics and the 4th amendment, and many other assignments. By afternoon students were picking up their evidence sets and the evening practice debate was cancelled so that students could spend more time reading and absorbing the new research and arguments. This seemed justified since in six previous practice debates every student had shown up and debated, so they had shown their determination.
The Coach & teacher workshop concluded with more specific qork on team organization and management. The teachers presented Kate Shuster with a paid of teddy bears they called "Plan" and "Counterplan." The teachers all seemed confident in their nw abilities and all received certificates for completing the program.
Posted by at 10:15 AM | Comments (60)
July 24, 2005
THURSDAY - The Fun Never Stops
The HS Policy workshop continued their struggle of research and practice debates. Many groups feel they are close to completion while others feel they are a bit behind in the research process. The small instruction groups continue, today the advanced students worked on last rebuttals while the intermediate students worked on prep time and decision making.
The Coach & Teacher workshop spent today learning about the gamut of advanced negative arguments, then after lunch they learned about argument briefing, research coordination, and how to troubleshoot for squad problems. In the evening they accompanied an experienced judge to watch a high school practice debate.
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July 22, 2005
WEDNESDAY - Practice debates begin to show polish
The HS policy workshop has been debating since the second day of the program, but now those debates are starting to show dramatic improvement. Students are learning about the topic and their arguments, so the quality of argumentation is improving. Likewise their public speaking and cross examination is improving. They seem encouraged and there have been some upset wins as less experienced debaters show their new skills.
The Teacher workshop had a busy day, as high school and college teachers were separated for instruction. Profs. Snider & Meany tooks the college coaches while Kate Shuster took the high school coaches. These small groups allowed a lot of direct interaction and the questions were fast and furious.
Posted by at 3:25 PM | Comments (219)
TUESDAY -- Research hits full stride
At the HS policy workshop students had small groups and a practice debate, but every student is in a research group and they are in the library, reading thick books, searching the Internet, reading law journals and coming face to face with the 21st century information landscape. Debatijng about constitutional rights concerning search and detention is not an easy task, but they seem to be pouring themselves into it. They seem to realize that in order to know more you have to learn more. The goal is to have the research assignments done by Friday so everything can be studied for use in the tournament coming up.
The Coach & Teacher workshop had a heavy day of debate basics, covering the affirmative, the negative, evidence use and evaluation and judge training. In the evening they watched a practice debate with a trained judge.
Posted by at 3:14 PM | Comments (1)
July 19, 2005
MONDAY - Comings and Goings
The HS Public Debate Workshop and the Middle School Public Debate Workshop came to an end today as instruction and debating characterized a flurry of activity for these students. An awards assembly was held for them where they were recognized for their individual achievement and received certificates for completing the program. John Meany, who directed the HS Public program, and Kate Shuster, who directed the Middle School program, were both effusive in their praise of the students and their hard work.
The Policy Debate Coaching Workshop began today as high school and university teachers gathered to learn the coaching art and to improve their current abilities. Kate Shuster is the director of this program. After an orientation period in the AM the teachers received instruction from Alfred Snider about how to teach effective speaking techniques for different debate formats, as well as specific drills to improve speaking. After lunch Steve Llano presented a lengthy program about recruiting and training new debaters. In the evening the coaches met informally with WDI faculty down at Sweetwater's for a jolly meal and good conversation.
The HS Policy Debate Workshop continued its steady work. Small group activities involved advanced disadvantage and critique techniques for the advanced students, while intermediate students worked on affirmative preparation and negative case attack techniques. Research groups continued working and a lot of students were seen lugging heavy books around with titles that are not usually on youth reading lists. Everyone had a practice debate in the evening.
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July 18, 2005
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Some pictures from WDI and UVM.
UVM Campus.
Posted by at 8:29 PM | Comments (0)
WDI Blog seeks expansion
Welcome to the WDI Blog. We have been here for a few days just posting news about the program. Now it is time to move out and diversify the voices heard here. Debating should entail a basic respect for and inclusion of previously excluded voices.
I will be distributing to facluty and students passwords and code to begin posting their own messages. They will tell you far more about WDI than my posts so far.
Alfred "Tuna" Snider
Posted by at 8:15 PM | Comments (1)
SUNDAY - Time off, and then back to work!
Although WDI students and faculty got to sleep in on Sunday morning, others were up jogging before the heat set in while others were attending religious services. After lunch things were back in action.
HS Policy Debate: Research groups met and heavily used the library and the computer labs. Small groups also met for instruction on flowing and speaking. A practice debate at 7 PM finished off the day.
Middle School Debate: The day consisted of a couple of debates after lunch followed by a trip downtown to the original Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream store -- it all started here in Burlington.
HS Public Debate: Also a couple of debates after lunch. This crew is mad for debating, and complains if they don't get to debate enough. Reports from judges indicate that their performanceds have been exceptional.
This next week will be a tough one, lots of research, lots of debating, and we can only hope that the weather will cool down a bit to a normal Vermont summer.
Posted by at 3:43 PM | Comments (1)
July 16, 2005
SATURDAY - Entertainment on campus
There will be a live band and a movie tonight, all outside on the grass about 100 yards from the debate dorm, Mason Hall.
The Band: Dervish
The members of Dervish hail from Sligo in the Northwest of Ireland, an area long noted for producing some the major names in traditional Irish music. Since their first album in 1992 this band has stood at the forefront of Irish music.
Their performances at venues such as Wolf Trap and The San Francisco Celtic Festival dramatically launched them before American audiences and created a sensational stir, which has been substantially reinforced in subsequent tours.
Dervish's concerts reflect a myriad of tones and moods, ranging from high energy tunes played with intuitive fluidity to beautifully measured songs; from charming lyrics of life and love to inspiring melodies that lift audiences from their seats. All the elements are drawn together by vocalist Catherine Jordan's masterful stage presence. Her stories to the songs and interaction with the audience draw people into the music in a way very few performers can achieve.
The Movie: Into the West
Mike Newell (currently directing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) directed this visually arresting movie about a pair of intrepid Irish Gypsy brothers and their adventures. The boys, with aid of a spirited white horse, escape the decrepit housing projects of Dublin and run away ãInto the West,ä leaving their loving but alcoholic father (Gabriel Byrne) to search for them.
This modern day fairy tale is suitable for children of all ages.
More at:
Posted by at 2:33 PM | Comments (3)
FRIDAY - Swinging Into High Gear
HS PUBLIC DEBATE: Two lectures, one on defending a proposition and one on attacking a proposition, and two debates. Research assignments in the evening.
MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE: Student presentations were fopllowing by two debates this morning. After lunch there was a computer research lesson and then two more debates. Homework included research and case construction/
HS POLICY DEBATE: Morning lecture on the topic as Sarah Snider discussed negative possibilities and strategies. After lunch students met in their small research groups with individual faculty to determines their research topics for the upcoming days. The advanced debaters were very ambitious in their plans. Small group instructional sessions were held on different subjects for different levels, including advanced flowing, stock issues, and speech obligations. After dinner every student was involved in a practice debate.
OVERALL: Seems like an excellent group of students, very focused and very smart.
Lookm for photos and movies to be coming soon.
Alfred "Tuna" Snider
Posted by at 2:25 PM | Comments (1)
THURSDAY - Programs at the 2005 WDI for high School Students
USA POLICY DEBATE: Rigorous development of skills, arguments and evidence to debate the 2005-2006 national policy debate topic.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially decrease its authority either to detain without charge or to search without probable cause.
Thursday saw a series of welcome to students from Admissions, Residential Life, Food Services, Campus transportation, the ALANA Program, and then went into a pair of topic lectures. Katie Baxter-Kauf gave a background lecture on the current state of the law, followed by Gordie Miller's lecture possible affirmative cases (including the one he prepared for WDI as a sample) and the directions the topic may take during the year. This was followed by a partner social where students picked their own partners at which point they were given the complete evidence set. After the dinner break the faculty came to the student dorms to work with them to prepare for tomorrow's practice debate.
HS PUBLIC DEBATE WORKSHOP: This program is a skills based approach for students who want to learn debate skills for brpoad application to various debate formats, life skills, and study skills. John Meany of the Claremont Colleges is directing this program. Students spent the morning learning basic skills like argument building, refutation, note taking, and finally used these in a communication skills lab. They immediately prepared for impromptu debates of their own and staged two of them. Students were given homework and had an informal group on research that evening.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PUBLIC DEBATE WORKSHOP: For the first time middle school students are attending WDI and Kate Shuster of the Claremont Colleges is directing this program. In the morning students were given basic debate format bckground and studied refutation, note taking and other debate skills. After lunch they saw a video of a sample debate and then staged two of their own. They had evening homework and there was an informal small group for them to work in.
Posted by at 2:02 PM | Comments (1)
The Blog IS Up and Operating
The 22nd year of the World Debate Institute is well underway on the campus of the University of Vermont. Although staff and students have been working productively since arrival day on Monday, it has taken me a while to get the blog up and operating. But here it is.
I want the blog to be a place where staff and students can share their experiences at WDI and also raise issues that are very importangt to them. It is a newsplace for everyone here as well as an open door to others everywhere but also a resource for those thinking of attending WDI in 2006 to find out about the experience.
Debating is a marvelous activity. I think it should teach us that the process of intellectual disagreement can be a productive and a growthful one, where we change our own minds based on information and ideas from others that we are willing to accept. I expect there to be some disagreement in these blog entries, and that is because this is ... debate.
Alfred "Tuna" Snider
Posted by at 1:53 PM | Comments (2)