
It was great to catch-up with our SKI Debating & Public Speaking Club following our 'Half Term break'. Our skill focus this week looked at 'team' work. Most debating is held in a team format and those participating will be expected to work with others to succeed. For those wanting to win a debate, to be convincing as possible, harmony and teamwork are a priority - in essence: 'teamwork divides the task, multiplies the success'.
Our newsround saw topics raised from Gun crime in the USA to the Women's Australian Open tennis title.
We also looked at an unseen on three fictional detectives (Sherlock Holmes; Hercule Poirot; & Miss Marple). Great teamwork helped uncover what these three had in common.
Our warm up question asked:
'What was the highlight of your half-semester/and the highlight of the week just gone'?
As always with these questions we are looking for extended justification for 'why' they were highlights.
We had a tremendous array of responses, from Canada and New York visits, Niagara Falls to snow, to relaxing time at home, to working on projects: Social studies on the first people of the Caribbean and a 9'11 Project.
(i) Our first motion asked whether 'sport is more important than music'?
The ancient philosopher Plato argued that music 'gives soul to the universe and wings to the mind'. Here we discussed health benefits, both mental and physical, and teamwork - whether as part of a sporting team or as part of a band, group or orchestra. We also looked at acquiring new skills. Voting split 50/50 at both tellings.
(ii) For our second debate we turned to the motion: 'This House would focus on space exploration over ocean/sea exploration'.
Here the voting was unanimously in favour of exploration of the seas and oceans. This was not to say that the group did not acknowledge the vital importance of space discovery and role satellites play for instance in our daily lives, but it was felt that the seas and oceans of the world were a greater priority. The group was surprised by the difference in investment between the two options, with space exploration having huge levels of investment at present.
(iii) Our third motion looked at the motion:
'This House would spend more money on education rather than on healthcare'.
It was quickly acknowledged that this was a 'chicken and egg' debate, and the arguments centred around the need for education to make medical advances and to provide the next generation of medical professionals; against the need for healthcare to be able to study and live a productive life. The group voted unanimously in favour of healthcare.
At the end of the session we also discussed Nuclear power and Greenhous gases.
Another great session - well done SKI!
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