Should We Teach Debate In Grade School?

I was talking with a group the other day about the inability of many kids to carry on a verbal conversation.  If they're texting they can communicate...sort of.  But verbally?  They have little to say, don't know the basics about active listening, and generally appear to view conversations as either ways to express agreement, or ways to express anger. 

But that fine line in between, where debates take place, appears to be lost on them.  (Heck, if you look at adults, it seems an equally depressing wasteland of verbal ignorance.  Especially in Congress, where they're supposed to know the ground rules of debate vs. yelling at one another.)

I loved debating in high school.  We were serious about our debate tournaments.  We got to the state level before getting our clocks cleaned by some amazingly well trained debaters from another region of our state.  I taught debate to high school students years later and they loved it too. One of my kids went all the way to nationals, but I can claim no credit, he was naturally gifted and needed little coaching.

Somewhat do you think?  Could we get kids so fired up about debating, there would be cheerleader squads for favorite teams?  School rivalries?  No?  Would be fun, though, and there are no concussions from debate meets.  The kids' heads may hurt but that's from so much exercise of their brains.

Comments

[Bill Burkhead (@northeagles)]

Yes we should have debate and debate teams/classes as soon as kids are old enough to reason. I would love to see a sold out stadium for a high school debate! An outstanding teacher at our school is starting a debate team this year. Thanks for the post, it got me thinking!

[Lib Gibson]

It was interesting to note that you were a talented debater in high school. Why doesn't that surprise me? I too was a debater, winning a few school championships (no higher level to move on to). I always did the rebuttals, which is the most demanding, but the most useful training.

I have often reflected that debating taught me some of the valuable skills that translated into my career. As you so rightly point out, if you're going to rebut an argument, you really have to listen to it carefully. Your rebuttal has to actually address the points raised by your opponent, not just repeat your own position. You have to think fast and talk persuasively. You have to remain calm and think clearly under considerable challenge. Those are pretty useful talents.

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