Public speaking, Critical Thinking, and Debate
Teaching these skills to 7th and 8th graders was eye-opening and a growth experience for me, the students, and their parents. Although most students were "voluntold" to sign up for this class by parents, each grew more confident in questioning, thinking, and expressing themselves and appreciated what they learned.
The fear of public speaking can hold us back from sharing our best ideas. Speaking confidently in front of audiences, big or small, is crucial for success. In class, we reduced filler words, improved eye contact, and learned non-verbal skills, all behaviors even adults struggle with.
Critical thinking is essential, but not natural to our way of thinking. Teaching kids to ask deeper questions early on helps them succeed in relationships and life. Without critical thinking, we're easily misled by what we see, hear, and read.
Debate is not what we see on TV news and at election time. It's about bringing forward truth through well-researched evidence and persuasion. Crafting a strong argument through evidence on both sides of issues helps us gain an understanding of where others are coming from. We desperately need more understanding and less divisiveness in our culture.
I learned that 13-year-olds are not so different from adults. Most don't want to speak up or be the speaker. Most struggle with questions that help us know why we think what we think. Any one of us can see some opinions change when we confront what we believe to be true.
13 or 53, it's never too early or too late to begin learning something that stretches us a little more than we'd volunteer for.
