Ask Jim about Debate
|
Breaking Down Barriers: Ask Jim about Debate |
You can submit questions too, just email Jim at hansonjb@whitman.edu
Different Cases--should a squad run one case or should each team have their own case?
The squads that I have coached have done both; its a matter of what you prefer.
Working together on a case helps increase sharing of ideas; allows you as a coach to have more in-depth knowledge and provide more help for the case; allows your debaters to gather all the negative arguments against the case and prepare against them.
Working on a different case helps each student develop his/her own arguments more; your students can "surprise" opponents more because their opponents can't prepare against just one case your students run; you learn more about different ideas/cases; you have more diverse practice rounds.
For our program, one or two cases worked well for my first 4 or 5 years. This year, each of our four ceda-ndt teams has had their own case. Its been harder for me to keep up with it all and more work for students because they can't share the research burden. But, it has worked well overall.
Jim
Thanks to G. William for this question.