This was another outstanding session with our SKI Debating & Public Speaking Club. Our skill focus this week looked at Points of Information (POIs) and how best to implement these important interjections during debates.
Our newsround saw topics raised from the forthcoming Presidential election in the USA to weather events and climate change. We also discussed personal highlights from the week just gone, including swimming with Dolphins.
We also looked at an unseen of the Japanese moon mission landing. Excellent teamwork helped uncover the story behind the image.
Our warm up question asked:
'If you could study a new language, what would it be and why?'
This saw a wide range of options from German, to Mandarin, with very good explanation in each case, from widening cultural understanding to spending time with friends and family, and potential business opportunities later in life. We also discussed whether Spanish as the additional language at school should be changed? This idea was rejected. The group voted unanimously in favour of Spanish given the proximity to Hispanic communities in North and South America.
With The Today Programme (on the BBC in the UK) covering the story of exploration in the Antarctica and our very own Socratic colleague Georgina having just been on an expedition there, we looked at the motion:
(i) 'This House would allow tourism to Antarctica'.
Voting was unanimous throughout in favour of the motion. It was strongly felt that experience, time spent in Antarctica helped with learning about this precious space and raising awareness more generally. Checks and balances (perhaps having a cap on the 100,000 record hit this year) biosecurity and expeditions accompanied by professional researchers were put forward as ways of allowing tourism to continue. Members were very keen to visit this remarkable landscape if ever the opportunity arose and experience 'real cold' conditions and to see 'penguins'.
(ii) For our second debate we turned to the motion: 'Should School Uniform be banned?'
Here again voting was overwhelmingly for the motion - it was felt that comfort was key to education and learning and that the existing school uniform was not comfortable or practical enough. It was argued, however, that in a sporting context, a uniform or team outfit was useful.
At the end of the session we also had the chance to reflect on some superb artwork.
A super session! Well done all.
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