This was another superb session with our SKI Debating & Public Speaking Club.
Our skill focus this week looked at talking with clarity and simplicity.
Our warm up question asked:
'If you could produce a movie for cinema what would it be about and why?'
This saw a range of options mentioned, from animation to a documentary.
Our newsround saw topics raised from the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, Space exploration, to the issues over the Mothering Sunday photo released by the Princess of Wales.
We also looked at two unseen works involving editing an image, with Henry VIII's family portrait including Jane Seymour who had long since past away and the artist David's Napoleon crowning himself and his wife with his Mother onlooking, even though she did not actually attend the ceremony. We asked in the context of the newsround mention of the Princess of Wales Mothering Sunday photo, whether it mattered to photoshop or edit an image or painting? The group like the idea of 'truth' but accepted that all images and paintings told different stories and involved artistic editing, the key it was argued was 'what was/is the image for?'
We then turned to two technology themed debates:
(i) Our first on the motion: 'This House believes that robots can replace teachers'.
The group unanimously rejected the motion. It was argued that we already use many robots in education, but the overall class teacher could not be replaced. Whilst it was felt there could be economic savings, emotional intelligence and adapting to the situation required a human being to be present.
(ii) For our second debate we turned to the motion: 'Books are better than e-books?'
Here voting was split. Those in favour of e-books, liked the flexibility that a kindle or tablet provided for travel and the fact that you didn't need to cut down trees for paper. Whilst those for the motion disliked the need for electric charge for the device and liked 'turning the page' in a real book and the idea of passing books down between generations.
Well done on another excellent session. Looking forward to next week.
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