Middle School Speech & Debate [S25]
Description
Topics Students Will Learn About: public speaking, Lincoln-Douglas debate (in-depth debates on a single topic), parliamentary debate (debate on a topic after only a short amount of preparation time), congressional debate (debate in a chamber format about various pieces of legislation), impromptu speaking (learn how to give a five minute speech on any topic with only two minutes or preparation), oratory, various speech events, argumentation, technical writing, research, evidence gathering, persuasion techniques, constitutional theory (all 27 amendments), logic, political philosophy (e.g. John Locke’s social contract theory), morality (e.g. Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative) and ethics (e.g. Aristotle), theories of justice (e.g. John Rawls’ veil of ignorance theory), current events, democratic theory (e.g. Robert Dah's five criteria for a democracy), issue selection in debate, writing succinctly, how to deliver closing arguments, cross-examination strategies, case preparation, blocks preparation, etc.

Classes will focus on preparing students for debate tournament competitions (which are a lot of fun!). A national committee assigns students across the country a topic for Lincoln-Douglas debate. In the Spring, students who choose to compete in Lincoln-Douglas debate will debate two topics: one for Jan/Feb and one for Mar/Apr/May. The topic for the fall semester was: Resolved: In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standardized tests in undergraduate admissions decisions. The topics for the spring semester will be announced by the national committee in December, they include topics like: “States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals”; “The United States ought to eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels”, “Predictive policing is unjust”, etc.

In-Class Activities, Include: Lincoln-Douglas debates, congressional debate rounds, SPAR debates, impromptu speaking, case writing, blocks preparation, debate drills practice e.g. verbal static drills, crystallization drills, rebuttal redo drills, philosophical discussions, and occasional games like: “Debate Baseball”, “Presidential Debates”; “Do I Have a Right?”.

Tournament Preparation: Classes will also prepare students to compete in speech and debate tournaments. Each semester will have between 2 to 4 tournament opportunities for students. Tournaments are really fun and a great way to accelerate student learning! CAIS students have been very successful at tournaments throughout the history of the CAIS debate program.


GOALS:
- Learn the art of public speaking
- Develop mastery over logic, critical thinking, and reasoning
- Enhance writing skills at an early age
- Fun! Learn these highly transferable skills through fun lessons like practice debate debates, "Debate Baseball", “Taboo Verbal Static”, philosophical discussions, “How Loud Can You Get”, “Running for President”, “Tongue Twister Fun Speaking Exercise”, “Storytelling Games”, “Making a Commercial”, and more!
- Have the opportunity to attend online debate tournaments for elementary students. There will be 3 to 4 tournament (online) opportunities for the Spring.

VIDEO:
Check out this video to get an idea of what Athens Debate is all about.


ABOUT ATHENS DEBATE:
The debate program at CAIS is managed through “Athens Debate” - a program led by Sachin Jain. Sachin has 18 years of experience competing and coaching Speech and Debate. His students have achieved great success at the local, state, and national levels. He completed his undergraduate degree Summa Cum Laude from UC Berkeley and his Masters of Public Policy from the top ranked policy school in the country, UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy. Sachin has taught undergraduate students at UC Berkeley, debate at Stanford University, and at various debate academies in the Bay Area. Most notably, Sachin uses his experience in Speech and Debate to find success in the real world. He has worked in political and policy capacities at the United States Senate, White House, San Jose City Council, the Governor of California, President of the UC System, and the Mayor of San Jose. ​He enjoys teaching students how to make debate come alive for them and be applicable to their future pursuits. Debate changed his life and he hopes to do the same for all of his students. For a full description of the program you can visit athensdebate.com.

APPROACH
Debate has the power to be transformative. With the right approach, debate can become a vehicle that channels natural curiosity towards some of life's most challenging subjects and vexing questions. This debate program is designed to augment natural student curiosity with curriculum and an educational pedagogy that prioritizes deep learning and content mastery. In placing a premium on the mastery of logic, writing, philosophy, communication, and public policy, students develop the intellectual toolkit to tackle any issue.

TESTIMONIALS:
"...Debate has had a huge impact on my development as a speaker, writer, and thinker. I am extremely grateful to have been a part of the debate program. I feel like I have gained the ability to look at a problem from all sides, learning and viewing issues in a much more dimensional way…" - student from last year

"...I started with zero knowledge of debate, and with you as my coach I’ve come far. From day one, debate was made to be fun. I still can’t fathom how you made 6th graders enjoy learning about obscure topics like whistleblower protections. There is no team I have been prouder to be on than Athens Debate. The skills you’ve taught me in debate have helped me in so many aspects of my life. I’ve become a better writer and improved my research skills. I even persuaded my parents to get me a phone :)..." - student from last year

"...As I said before, Sachin is an exceptional coach that has a way with the kids that inspires kids to love debate like the Robin Williams character in Dead Poet's Society inspired kids to love poetry. I know my kids are totally hooked and your legacy will live on in these kids' lives…" - parent of CAIS debater from last year

RESULTS
The debate program offered by Athens Debate has been tremendously successful. Just this past year, students from the Athens Debate program won the California Middle School State Championship and got 2nd Place at Nationals.

WHY DEBATE?
Debate is a valuable activity for students of all skill levels. Debate teaches useful skills for other academic pursuits and life more generally. Debaters build confidence speaking in public and expressing their ideas eloquently. That comfort speaking in front of others is useful in so many areas of life, from interviews to school presentations to discussions in college seminars. In having to master an issue from both sides, debaters learn to flex their analytical muscles, gain tolerance for competing viewpoints, and understand the intricacies of a world filled with nuance. According to Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education, debate is “uniquely suited” to build skills required of a modern citizen, including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. These skills help students express their thoughts better in their academic work, in the community, at your dinner table, college, and their future careers. The College Board recently revamped the SAT test to focus more on exactly the sorts of skills debate teaches. As the New York Times explained, students taking the new version of the test must write “a critical response to a specific argument” based on analysis rather than personal experience. Debaters are used to responding to unfamiliar arguments in time-sensitive situations; thinking critically about a written passage on the SAT is not so different from responding to an opponent’s argument in a debate round. Studies have found that debaters outscore non-debaters on every section of the ACT. Studies across the country have found that high school debate improves reading ability, grades, school attendance, self-esteem, and interest in school. For those who commit to speech and debate, it offers a lifetime of benefits. Forbes published an article titled “How to Find the Millennials Who Will Lead Your Company,” suggesting that the leaders of the future are ex-debaters. As that article notes, debate teaches “how to persuade, how to present clearly, and how to connect with an audience,” exactly the skills businesses look for in their young employees. You’ll find ex-debaters in every area of public life, from Bruce Springsteen to Oprah Winfrey to Nelson Mandela. 60% of Congressional representatives participated in debate, as well as at least a third of the Supreme Court. There are ex-debaters excelling in business, law, politics, academia, and many other fields.

Perhaps most important of all, debate is fun! You may have to cajole your son or daughter to go to their test prep class or do their homework, but debate makes learning a game; students build their critical thinking and speaking skills without it ever feeling like work. Debate gives students a rare opportunity to take ownership over their own intellectual development. And throughout the years of practice and competition, debate builds lifelong friendships and community, teaching teamwork as well.

FOR QUESTIONS:
If you have any questions, feel free to email Sachin Jain at sachin@athensdebate.com

Instructors: Sachin Jain
Dates: (14 classes) Feb. 5, 12, 26; Mar. 5, 19, 26; Apr. 2, 9, 23, 30; May 7, 14, 21, 28. [G7 miss 4/9 & 4/23, G8 miss 3/26 & 4/2]


Location:
CAIS K - 8th
Dates:
2/5/2025 - 5/28/2025
Time:
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Ages:
Grades 6th - 8th
Cost:
$1,725.00
Availability:
This session has openings
Registration will end on 1/7/2025 at 11:00 PM.