LYNNFIELD – Lynnfield Recreation is beginning a new Middle School Debate Club for students in town.
According to the announcement, “Students will learn the art of structured argument, teamwork, and persuasive speaking while discussing fun, age-appropriate topics… in a supportive environment that encourages respectful dialogue and critical thinking.”
The instructor, Colin Potter, is a social studies teacher at Lynnfield Middle School. His experience with debate began in high school, where he debated in a legal studies class. Since then he has taken classes on running middle school debates, and he has also brought debate into the classroom as a teaching tool. Potter married a lawyer and added, “You could say I’ve been losing debates ever since.”
Over the summer an incoming eighth grade student reached out to Potter to express interest in beginning an extracurricular debate club and also to ask if Potter would facilitate it. The plan is for the club to be primarily student-led, with Potter available to guide and support them as the students pick topics and run debates.
The club intends to spend its first session reviewing debate formats, coming up with a list of topics, and doing research. The debates begin in the second session.
According to Potter, “Topics will range from serious world issues and current events to lighthearted, fun debates, and we’ll even practice debating positions we know are incorrect to build quick thinking skills. … Mostly, though, we just want to create a supportive and fun place for students to try something new, build their confidence, and learn to express their ideas clearly.”
Potter also shared some resources that can help students interested in joining the club get a head start. Interested students can find beginner guides and videos from the National Speech and Debate Association, and the International Debate Education Association (IDEA) offers free learning resources and sample debates.
