Which debate camp is the best

My ability to spend commensurate time with a variety of instructors who actually cared about my personal success as a debater and person gave me multiple perspectives and indispensable insight. Moreover, in addition to sixteen guaranteed debates, DDI offers a unique, season style tournament with eight preliminary rounds. The tournament acts as an amazing launching point into the season by replicating the structure, competition, and atmosphere of prestigious national tournaments during the year.

I would be blatantly lying if I said four weeks of thought provoking lab discussions, intensive research, and multiple competitive lab debates did not contribute to my win column this season.

DDI not only helped me craft my own debating style, it helped me craft my lifestyle. It sounds cheesy, but I think having such a personal relationship with the staff created the best and most open learning environment possible. The confluence of perspectives on debate that meets at the DDI taught me flexibility, without ideological baggage. Instead of focusing on pure evidence production, it provides electives and lab discussions that focus on the aspects of debate that the students are interested in.

So, you learn how to find evidence and, most importantly, you also learn how to use that evidence. Every single person at the camp is very smart, very friendly, and very willing to help a student with any request.

I highly encourage you to contact the camp you are interested and ask any specific questions. Every participant at the GDI will give practice speeches each day, and participate in a minimum of 10 practice debates each.

We believe that there is no substitute for actual speaking practice and the opportunity it provides for personalized feedback from leading instructors. The GDI is staffed by successful coaches and debaters with a track record of enthusiasm for teaching debate.

Students also work with various faculty and graduate students from the 1 ranked UGA rhetoric program. We guarantee a low student-to-staff ratio in order to maximize individual attention and quality of instruction.

This looks like a great Southern region option for new and somewhat experienced debaters alike. Topics covered are not listed on the website, so if you are a more advanced debater I would contact GDI and ask what the camp would offer you at your experience level. Contact: georgiadebateinstitutes gmail. Debaters need to learn to reason about the resolutions, and write logical, well thought-out cases, with excellent, persuasive rhetoric.

Research skills, strategic skills, cross-examination and delivery are all emphasized and practice rounds are thoroughly critiqued. We recognize that Public Forum is an event in flux: accommodating to regional differences and judge adaptation are vital for every competitor to be able to succeed and at FFI we ensure that students learn to do this. Regardless of age and ability, each debater will receive individual attention and emerge a strong competitor!

Dates: July 18 — August 1, two weeks. Thoughts: Overall camp philosophy and focus on individual attention seems promising. Probably a more intensive experience than GDI by virtue of being two weeks long. Miller at registration ffi4n6. Students will learn how to construct briefs, deliver the most persuasive speeches, and research effectively.

Students will debate a variety of topics throughout the institute. More important than instruction, students will have the ability to debate and receive feedback from a number of experienced debate coaches. This will help students as they can work on the skills necessary to become successful debaters.

This program is appropriate for students of all ages, but especially rising 9thth graders. Practice Rounds: the camp philosophy prioritizes live debate experience, but not exact number is listed. Debate and competitive speaking are fun and exciting. Debaters learn best by debating. Speakers learn best by speaking.

We work to create a comfortable environment where students can learn by doing, with the guidance of caring and experienced instructors. Our focus at the Hurricane Debate Institute is to engage personal development of logic, research abilities and independence that will create an effective debater and public speaker that can effectively communicate in any given situation.

Thoughts: This camp does not provide housing, so it is limited to commuters in the area. This is a long-running camp with solid Policy faculty but I am not sure about the Public Forum staff. The camp philosophy is sound, but I would look into what specific skills and topics will be targeted for the Public Forum program.

I would also ask what each week will offer so you can make an educated choice about how many weeks to attend. There may be a variation in what skill level is targeted each week. This post I will cover camps in the Midwest middle of the country. Be on the lookout for a guide to the South and East in the coming weeks. Daily activities include vocal warm-ups, skills workshops, individual coaching sessions, and Gustavus value sessions.

High school coaches from around the Midwest with extensive knowledge in Public Forum debate will critique participants and lead lecture sessions. Peter, MN. Thoughts: This camp is a steal price wise, a great opportunity for those in the region, and staffed by two excellent educators.

Our comprehensive approach to debate process and argument construction will enable you to advance round-winning arguments to a broad spectrum of critics. The MGW senior staff are lifelong high school teachers as well as coaches.

They have been honored with awards for teaching excellence. They know the importance of a well-designed program and of carefully-crafted lessons that stress active learning and mastery of skills and concepts. Deadline to Apply: final payments due June 1, so I would guess at least weeks prior. I would contact the Workshop and ask questions about the skills and topics covered. As the fourth year in the PF program this should be up and running smoothly. Contact: Institute Director Jason Sykes : director meangreenworkshops.

Our novice Public Forum section is perfect for students that want to improve public speaking and advocacy skills while learning the basic form of PF style argumentation. Thoughts: PF is a new offering this year at Comet, and it usually takes some time to build a summer program. Keep you eyes out for the PF faculty and if they have taught at other camps.

Ask some PF specific questions of the camp before committing. Again, a good option for the region and a competitor with the Mean Green Workshops. Contact: E -mail the Comet Debate Institute at debate utdallas. The first session June July 3 , designed for students at the Novice to Intermediate level will introduce students to the foundations of argument construction, presentation and speaking, tournament preparation, and in round strategy.

The second session July 5-July 12 , designed for students experienced in PF competition and ready to advance to the next level, will finely hone debating skills and work with the unique structure of the PF activity to develop strategic approaches to contest round victory. Students looking for a more rigorous experience are welcome to attend both workshops.

The goal is to train students to seamlessly incorporate sound argument and persuasion skills into contest round performance. Students will learn to how to incorporate evidence into their speeches without becoming dependent upon it.

All students will receive the individualized criticism, encouragement and instruction they need to come away from the workshop much improved. The fourth thing to consider when picking a summer debate camp is the curriculum and schedule. What are they teaching? What style of debate are they offering? Knowing what you are going to be learning is an integral part of selecting a summer debate program.

There are a lot of factors like how they teach or how long you will be working each day that you should consider before registering for a summer debate camp.

Finally, the last factor that all students should think about for summer debate institutions is how long their sessions are. As we pointed out earlier, some debate camps run for just a few days, others for three, four, even seven weeks. The most common length is around weeks. Debaters should think about how much time they have to commit as well as how much time they want to dedicate to a summer debate institute. Despite all of this, there are still some downsides to debate camp. Summer debate camps can be pricey and take up big chunks of your summer vacation.

The camp you attend really matters. All Levels We provide programs for students with any degree of experience, from those with no exposure to debate or public speaking to those preparing to win national tournaments.

Programs Our Programs. Public Speaking For students who have no competitive debate experience. Learn more. Public Forum For students currently competing or who will compete next school year in Public Forum Debate , a two-person team debate where students debate a national topic that changes throughout the school year.

Congress For students currently competing or who will compete next school year in Congressional Debate or Model Congress , where students write, propose, and debate legislation, employing parliamentary procedure. Established for Over 35 Years Years of experience and excellence! Low Student-Faculty Ratio Students get individual attention from our amazing instructors! Harvard Debate Council Excellence The Harvard Debate Council takes pride in ensuring the quality of student experience at their programs!

About Us. I am writing to thoroughly thank you and everyone else involved with the camp.