D ebating
A gritty battle of wits and rhetoric
I realised recently how important debating had
become in my school week and how much I look
forward to it. At a competition, my partner and
I misread the motion we were arguing, reading
‘condone’ rather than ‘condemn’, and had hence
prepared for the complete opposite of what we had
to argue! It was only when the judge read out the
motion that we realised the mistake we had made
– and were sure to never make again. The next five
minutes of our debate were spent frantically thinking
of possible arguments and rebuttal and somehow,
we still managed to come out victorious despite
the mishap.
It was after this that I realised that debating is not
just an afterschool activity, but is actually a gritty
battle of wits, rhetoric and structured argument.
Through debating I have developed my ability to
formulate an argument, explain and justify my ideas.
I have developed my critical thinking skills. In addition,
by judging debates I have learned how to compare
two arguments, by picking holes in lines of reasoning
and deciding which arguments or ideas are more
important. These skills have been useful in many of
my classes, such as History and English.
I also really appreciate how Debating Club has
developed my understanding of key principles, history
and current affairs. Each motion that we debate is
centred around a significant issue which affects local,
national or international communities. The students
who attend Debating Club come from a wide range
of year groups and experiences. By taking part in the
debates and having discussions about the motions,
we are given space to explore our opinions and learn
from others.
Lastly, debating has given me a chance to go to
competitions. This year I have represented Sevenoaks
at three national debating competitions. These are
challenging events and require you to function under
high pressure, while still remembering and applying
previous feedback. I have enjoyed them tremendously.
Kieran Kiggell, Year 10
108
TRIPS, CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES