Judging a debate.
Posted 10-27-2008 at 02:47 PM by tommyhtown
This past weekend I was invited to be a judge at a Texas Forensic Association event at one of the Houston Magnet school. The whole thing ran late. The host students where the event was held were panicking and scrambling like heck. Anyhow, I ended up doing the final round of Domestic Extemporaneous instead of LD and CX. DX is not a debate per se, but it was easier for me to judge.
Man! Some kids were really winging it big time. My fav was this girl who drew a topic of 'Should Bush tax cut continue after the election?' The girl got the facts all wrong, but she just went on and on. Obviously, she did little preps to the subject without any references to back anything up. There was this guy who started using yiddish words and all the judges were like 'WTF?' Another kid was talking about how the Fed should not have supervising power over all the banks but she was quoting opinion articles and editorials WITHOUT telling the audience where they came from.
Overall, the students did a great job. I hope I wasn't too hard on them. I am afraid one of the kids would read my evaluation of him/her and start crying.
Man! Some kids were really winging it big time. My fav was this girl who drew a topic of 'Should Bush tax cut continue after the election?' The girl got the facts all wrong, but she just went on and on. Obviously, she did little preps to the subject without any references to back anything up. There was this guy who started using yiddish words and all the judges were like 'WTF?' Another kid was talking about how the Fed should not have supervising power over all the banks but she was quoting opinion articles and editorials WITHOUT telling the audience where they came from.
Overall, the students did a great job. I hope I wasn't too hard on them. I am afraid one of the kids would read my evaluation of him/her and start crying.
Total Comments 6
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kids are stupid and they deserve mental smackdowns.
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Posted 10-28-2008 at 07:24 AM by SunWuKong
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If they're a magnet school, they gotta get their lumps in somehow.
Give it to 'em when and how you can, since you'd probably only be able to have this sort of impact on someone once. |
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Posted 10-28-2008 at 08:58 AM by Adaon
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One of the family friends (parents friend) was the debate teacher at one of the schools in Houston, or suburbs. Don't know which school, but I think it was in Alief. You aren't really supposed to coddle the kids. Life is hard, let them take their lumps when it doesn't count as much, and it'll help them in the long run.
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Posted 10-28-2008 at 09:24 AM by Craig
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The magnet school students weren't eligible to participate. It was a regional event (Houston) where students from other schools competed against one another in a team format and individual.
And you are right we pamper these kids too much. Back when I was a kid oftentimes I was walking 15 miles to school during the hurricane. And when I was late to school corporal punishment was issued right then and there at the school entrace. Kids these days have it easy. All kidding aside, Texas Forensic Association board has asked the judges to be constructive and encouraging with our comments. I guess I blew it. BTW, I have been noted before but heck they keep sending me the invitations. |
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Posted 10-28-2008 at 11:29 AM by tommyhtown
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So you were DEstructive instead of CONstructive. Way to screw up someone's formative years, dude. You see, I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.
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Posted 10-28-2008 at 12:52 PM by eos
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Huh! Whatever pre-crack Whitney! You sound like a protective mom.
Mother Tell your children not to walk my way Tell your children not to hear my words What they mean What they say Mother Mother Can you keep them in the dark for life Can you hide them from the waiting world Oh mother! |
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Posted 10-28-2008 at 02:53 PM by tommyhtown
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