Debate 10

Upon the completion of the Sophomore drama production, Chesterton students shift the focus of their oratorical pursuits towards the art of debate. In their first year at Chesterton, students will work towards mastery of the classical liberal arts of the Trivium: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Through the Trivium, students learn how to use the symbols of language correctly, how to think soundly, and how to effectively communicate this thinking to others. Sophomore debate builds upon these foundational arts of language, challenging students to practically apply these modes of reasoning, communication, and persuasion in a formal oratorical setting. During the first portion of the course, students learn the practical terms and skills associated with the art of formal disputation. Subsequently, students complete research and argument composition to prepare for their participation in a timed and teacher-judged debate. The successful execution of this final debate serves as the culmination of this course.