What Happens When a Lesson Goes Six different Ways?: Debates at Their Best

Do Student Debates Actually Work?

One of the hardest things to get students to do successfully is argue with purpose. Debating is a great strategy I use in my classes. Although, they do not always go as planned. We have had meaningful and fruitful discourse, that has been very helpful to students, in the search for understanding. On these occasions, every group participated and the conversation was on topic and flowed almost effortlessly. The rebuttals and challenges seemed organic and spontaneous, although students prepared for the debate before hand. There have also been times, even with preparation, the argument was not lucrative. It fell short, in that it became more of an attack, than a deliberation. I had to intervene and ask probing questions to get them back on topic. Either way, with a student-led or teacher assisted argument-driven discussion, my students enjoy having an opportunity to challenge one another and get their opinions heard.

Harnessing the inclination for argument is easy. Focusing it can be more challenging. There are three main styles of classroom debate: Fish-Bowl, Four Corners and Role Playing. I have used all three successfully in my classroom. Fish Bowl debates are when there is an inner circle and an outer circle of desks. The inner circle are the 'talkers' and the outer circle the 'supporters' they can pass notes and help, their talker counter parts, non-verbally. Throughout the debate these two switch places keeping the discussion more organic and fluid. Plus, engagement goes up because the speakers change and the 'supporter' has to keep track of the evidence and provide information that can be used to defend their argument. This is a great way to make sure every student is participating, continuously, in some fashion.

Four Corners debates are slightly different than Fish Bowl debates. A Four Corners debate is mobile, students move to different corners of the room and then take turns defending their position. But, alas, the corners can get crowded with a larger class, causing some students to hide in the back and not participate. If they are engaged, students can decide to change their location based on hearing new information. This shift in opinion and having the opportunity to change one's mind is empowering for students. They become more involved in listening to the facts and making their own decision. They own their point of view and this brings them deeper into the discussion. As a teacher, watching one student defend on their own and then slowly but surely, seeing others switch corners and join them is cool. To see how it is not about friends but more about personal opinion and conversation that steers the activity in the end, is a beautiful thing.

In a Role Playing debate, students are required to take the opposing side. It is very difficult to defend a point of view, you may not agree with. Writing arguments is one thing, writing well-written counter-arguments is another. Seeing the world from a different lens is a skill that is very important to learn. It allows students to be more mindful and empathetic. It also provides them an opportunity to build relationships with students, they may not have otherwise. It brings the conversation about challenging topics out in the open. It gets students to see that having opposing views and thinking for oneself is a good thing. But, listening to others and truly understanding why people think the way they do, is how we overcome prejudice and racism. When we identify every opinion as valid, we begin to see, that we are all alike in the end, our goal is the same- to belong and feel apart of something bigger.

Debates in a classroom work. Even if they need some prompting. Children get very passionate about their opinions. They want their voices heard. They need to share their point of view. Allowing them to do so in an organized argumentative discourse, is a great way for this to happen. Debates can get loud and aggressive. They can get ardent and aroused. But, if we keep them on topic and provide a few mindful reminders, they are very productive. Yesterday, I had a Fish Bowl debate in each of my classes and in every class the discussion took on a different feel. In each class, the conversation was purposeful, but they were all very unique. It is proof that, debates are fluid and completely dependent on mindset, level of vocabulary, momentum and personality.

 What Happens When a Lesson Goes Six different Ways?

In my first period, the discussion began slow. I had to provide several minutes for students to look over their notes and feel more confident about the content: Texas Eco-regions. They had to convince me that their eco-region had the best resources for my purposes: I was an investor who wanted to move my business to the area. While some groups stayed quiet others started to challenge one another. The conversation remained very civil and on-point. They bantered back and forth and eventually, the reluctant teams began to join in. By the end, all the groups were organized against one team, the eco-region they felt would win. They threw challenging questions at this team up until the end. But, the team defended itself well, with data and facts they had researched the night before. Thus, holding their spot and becoming the winners of the debate. It was awesome to watch the debate evolve throughout the class and to see even the reserved students get in on the action.

Second period, a smaller class, was less successful. The debate began with a bang, but ended with a whimper and I had to redirect the conversation and ask them questions to get them involved in the discourse. Second period is a Pre-AP class like my first period, but my second period is a lot more reserved and taciturn. It took a lot more guidance and luring on my part. But after I started asking questions, they began to listen to one another's responses and then ask if they could challenge each other. Finally, I stepped back and they began to challenge and rebut naturally.  By the end of the class, they were very intentional and engaged. It was a drastic difference between first and second periods, but both ended successfully. Debates do work, even if they need a little nudging and prodding from a teacher.

Third, fourth, sixth and eighth periods are all my gifted classes. You would think that all of these debates would have been easy. They were not, but for different reasons than why my second period debate was challenging. Gifted students are born arguers. They are so passionate and aggressive it takes all my time to keep them restrained. I did not have to get them engaged or excited about the content. I did not need to prompt them to challenge or rebut. This came to all of them naturally. Each class, is unique with personality, temperament and dynamism. In third period it came down to a handful of students who dominated the conversation and the argument dwindled to a two group debate. Three boys against three girls. It was like a tennis match, watching the ball back and forth over, travel over the net. Sometimes fowling allowing for quick attack, while mainly keeping up a fast paced banter, both using facts and arguments well designed and spoken. It was a sight to behold.

Fourth period and sixth period were similar in that both classes are boisterous and rowdy. I had to several times, calm them down and hush the crowd. But, each team in the class, wanted to participate and the debate was more flushed out over ten groups rather than two. Fourth period had more evidence, they pushed forward with specific data. Their arguments were focused and precise. Every student was involved and engaged in the conversation. Until, eventually a clear winner emerged. Sixth period remained very diligent on defeating a particular team. The team that usually dominates in a debate. Three debate students. Each team directed their challenges their way. But, the debaters held their own. Until, misinformation was given and an opposing team caught them in their misstep. Then the other teams jumped in, to question other evidence that the team shared, until the team fell apart. It is interesting to watch this happen. It is not always the most confident or prepared that win. It is just as often, in my class at least, that the team that has the most outgoing, outspoken personality that wins. The winners were the underdogs but they out spoke and outlasted the strongest of debaters.

Finally, eighth period, sauntered in. Very nonchalant and seemingly unprepared. Their debate started chaotically. They were throwing insults rather than challenges. I had to stop them and simply say "this debate is about raising your eco-region to a higher status, not attacking and demeaning another eco-region." They relaxed a bit and eventually, my more eager students stepped up and began to debate. Then other teams slowly emerged with some challenges until the conversation melded into a purposeful discourse. By the end of the class, however, there was no distinct winner. So I chose the top three and then had them give me a thirty second 'pitch' as to why I would want to invest in their eco-region. Together with their presentation score from the previous day, I determined my winner. The debate was successful eventually, but because it took so long to get them fully committed to the task- I had to tweak things a bit in the end.

Debates are super boisterous at times, very energetic at times, and then on the other side of the spectrum, they can be bumpy and hesitant. It takes patience and determination to see them through. I often, sigh and think strongly about stopping them, but I don't. The reason that I allow them to play out, is because I want my students to know I trust them. That I respect their process and mindset for learning. Argumentative discourse is messy. Some students rise to the challenge while others cower. Holding your ground and continuing to dispute and quarrel with fellow students, even when they are not locking horns, can be exhausting. Many students give up out of sheer frustration. But, if we train them to lure their opponent in to a purposeful battle of the minds- they will outlast and they will want to keep the momentum. This is what eventually happened in all my classes. The discourse may have waned at times. I may have needed to spark the conversation forward, but they did take the lead. They did argue. Until finally, they prevailed.