AVM Debating Club Report 2014-15

Who is the Judge?
God.
Why is He God?
Because He decides who wins or loses not my opponent.
Who is your opponent?
He does not exist.
Why does he not exist?
Because he is merely a dissenting voice of the truth I speak.
So speak the truth.
~ from the movie: The Great Debaters

The above dialogue from the movie, The Great Debaters is the underlying principle on which, the AVM Debating Club functions. Though the students of the club engage in fierce verbal battles, they understand that they are just trying to find the truth. The purpose of the club is to improve the logical reasoning, analytical thinking and persuasive communication skills of the students. Under the guidance of teachers, all the debaters get an opportunity to work in a team, representing their respective houses.

 

The yearlong club activity commences with new registrations from class 6, at the beginning of each new academic year. Immediately after the registration, students become a part of the club and initiate their training as a debater. After the training, they participate in practice debates. In these debates they are observed by their teachers and receive constructive feedback to improve their skills. Once registered, the students remain an active member of the club till they graduate from the school. Currently, the AVM Debating Club serves 94 students from classes 6 to 10.

The teachers of the English department of the school have prepared nine graded modules. Each newly registered student of the club goes through a nine-week course, learning the basic skills of the art of debating. The details of the training sessions held during the year are as follows:

Simultaneously, when the new debaters are learning the art, the previously registered members participate in practice debates throughout the year. This year fourteen practice debate sessions were organized, wherein, students got the opportunity to hone their skills, based on positive and constructive feedback from the teachers. The details of the practice sessions that were held during the year are as follows:

The activities of the year come to an end with the organization of a school-wide Inter House Debate Competition. This year’s competition brought out the best of the language skills of all the students. Participating students worked six to eight hours a week on their speeches. Teachers constantly helped them in revising and updating their drafts. This year’s competition was fierce and you could see the participants preparing and practising their speeches with great zeal.

Details of the Inter House Debate Competition for class 6:

Details of Inter House Debate Competition for classes 7-8:

Details of Inter House Debate Competition for classes 9-10:

Details of the House Points for the Inter House Debate Competition:

In the end, it was the Satyam House team that became the debating club champion for the year 2014-15. The students of the house shall lift the trophy and the winners and runners-up team members shall be awarded certificates in the school closing ceremony on 14th of February.

Thus, an electrifying year came to an end with the students becoming better debaters than yesteryear.

Written by: Chirag Sir