Lincoln Douglas Debate
The Mean Green Lincoln Douglas Debate Workshop was created to provide the best possible educational experience for all levels of students. We ask you to consider some important qualities that distinguish the Mean Green Workshop from others. Our staff this year is unlike that found anywhere else in regards to experience, diversity of teaching, stylistic preferences and other core identifiers of diversity. We believe that students, parents and coaches should collectively weigh all of the available information to assess which summer experience would best benefit each individual student.
What are things to consider in evaluating or considering an institute?
One of the first things to consider is the issue of staff. Who will actually be teaching students during their summer experience? Do they actually have training as teachers or is their knowledge of debate limited to their experience as a recent competitor or assistant coach?
Many camps hire young college students who have successful high school records and allow them to direct labs, without guidance on teaching high school students, under the assumption that success as a competitor breeds success and/or competence as teacher and coach. That assumption is fallacious in our opinion. The best teachers offer a breadth and depth of experience that comes from time in the classroom, summer experiences, and interaction with professional colleagues, tournament judging, being in situations with students with divergent academic and social needs as well as extensive coaching.
Additionally, many times camps hire staff with similar competitive and ideological backgrounds. This seems to limit the exposure that students have to different styles, theories, strategies etc. A younger staff also creates supervision issues. The Mean Green Workshop has seasoned, credentialed teachers on staff who have made a career in teaching as well as coaching and judging debates throughout the year at local, regional and national events in different areas of the country. Aaron Timmons, Dr. Scott Robinson, Perry Beard, Beena Koshy, and Jonathan Alston are teachers with many years of teaching experience, which is instrumental in creating curriculum for students with diverse learning styles, experience and levels of motivation, yet are still in the current debate game! No less important is the part of the staff that, while not classroom teachers, have proven themselves to be amazing assistant coaches, judges and summer workshop lab leaders invested in educating young people. Neil Conrad, Chetan Hertzig, Stephen Babb, Kris Wright, Eric Melin, Jennifer Miller, Ajay Ketkar, Gary Johnson and Liz Mullins share a record of recent competitive success as debaters but more importantly, they have coached winners in numerous prestigious events across the state of Texas (and the country) in addition to having a desire to share those experiences and tips with students who attend. Thus far, lab instructors at UNT have had students in the past year who have won championships at The UIL State tournament, TFA State, Greenhill Round Robin, Montgomery Bell Academy Round Robin, Victory Briefs Round Robin, The Glenbrooks, and Grapevine Fall Classic in addition to others. In addition to runner up slots at the 2006 NFL Bluebonnet Nationals and St. Marks Heart of Texas Invitational. In addition, we also pride ourselves on the first and second year students we hire. This year Katherine Thompson will be returning to our staff in addition to David McGough, one of the most successful debaters of the 2006 - 2007 school year. We think a lab situation that has a more experienced coach (to the degree possible) paired with a younger former debater is the best of all possible worlds. In NO circumstance will two first year individuals bear the responsibility for teaching a lab at the Mean Green Workshops.
What about curriculum?
The curriculum of any institute is crucial to what a student is likely to gain. In this regard, one should consider whether an institute offers a curriculum that addresses the diversity of conditions students are likely to confront in their debate career. One should also consider whether the student would be taught an educationally sound set of practices or a series of tricks that happened to work at a single tournament or in front of a small number of judges.
Our senior staff members have taught at dozens of workshops including University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, Stanford University, University of Michigan, Sacred Heart, University of Texas, Victory Briefs, Sacred Heart, National Debate Forum, The Championship Group and Catholic University to bring together the best attributes of all of those programs in addition to creating many more. With the core of the staff being professional educators, some with Master's degrees in curricular design while still being competitive coaches in the debate game, we have and are continuing to develop an approach that is being designed from scratch. We won't have lectures just because we had them in the past. The curriculum is built to respond to "contemporary" needs of debaters.
Our approach to debate is pedagogically sound and time tested in regards to competitive success. Students will have guaranteed access to all staff members. At many other institutes a student's exposure to staff is limited to lab leaders and large group lectures. We want all students to have one on one attention with the instructor of their choice at some point during their stay.
The curriculum is designed to give students a common knowledge base, yet avoids hours and hours of lectures on issues that have become tangential to contemporary Lincoln Douglas Debate. Each year we have modified our program based on feedback from coaches and students. Some of the components of our curriculum include the following:
- Our pedagogy emphasizes small lab groups. The top lab will be limited in size this year based on experience and coach recommendation. Students with extensive experience will be given enrichment exercises to accelerate their growth.
- The novice lab will continue to be a place for students with limited or no experience.
- Instead of splitting duties between administration and lab leading, Mr. Timmons will return to being a full time lab instructor during the duration of the camp.
- Case labs (with different instructors)
- A balance of large group lectures and electives to allow students to focus on things they wish to learn/work on.
- Article groups (on the workshop topic) that allow in-depth discussion on select works in addition to focusing on the best method to "cut cards".
- Office hours that allows students one-on-one time with instructors.
- Written critiques that allow each instructor to see what skills need to be worked on and what progress is being made
- More actual debating (after sufficient time to prepare and modify cases) to allow students the opportunity to address weaknesses and emphasize areas of strength.
The Mean Green Workshop will also focus on how to research, a skill that many camps seem to have put on the backburner. While it is true you can write cases without evidence, it seems some base in the literature is required to have a grasp of the context of the resolution. One of the most important debate skills is the ability to research in college libraries. The internet is helpful, but should not be the only tool that is used to research. Attention will also be placed on effective case writing, effective speaking techniques, strategic decisions and general tips to help students achieve whatever goals they have set for themselves.
Comparing Institute Costs
Are all costs factored in to the up front costs? Are an appropriate number of meals provided? Are students required to pay additional "lab fees" that add to the total cost of the program? Do you have to pay to print materials from the computer labs? Students will have to pay for copies of books, etc. but the printing of articles from online sources and your cases are free at PC labs on campus. The PC labs also include all electronic resources available at Willis Library. At the University of North Texas workshop, there are no hidden costs.
Do you have access to the best facilities?
A fourth consideration is University-approved access to the library. Since many camps are not affiliated with the University but are instead just leasing space, those Universities may either deny access or place severe restrictions on the time you may research. The Mean Green Workshop is sponsored by the Communication Studies department and has the full, complete backing and support of the University. Many workshops use the name of Universities that are housing their program but are basically only renting space. An intuitional affiliation is important and provides the security of insurance in addition to the same health service resources that regular college students have access to You are given full access and complete privileges to all libraries on campus and a library card that allows you to check out books.
While students are paying good money to work becoming a better debater you will have some free time as well! The campus has undergone major development during the past few years and as a result has been called one of the most beautiful campuses in Texas.
At the University of North Texas, computer labs are available for research, case editing/writing etc. You may also print at no charge. In addition, for those of you with laptops, U.S. News and World Report has listed the University of North Texas as one of the most "wired" campuses in the United States including wireless access in all buildings. Technology has become an integral part of the summer workshop experience and at UNT we think that the summer workshop should do all it can to make a student's experience the best possible in regards to technology access.
Don't forget location!
The UNT campus is lovely. UNT (Denton, TX) is minutes away from DFW airport or Love Field, both major airports. This makes our workshop more accessible and priced at a lower cost than many other institutes. The dorms are very nice and the food is good. The school is in a small college town, which is very safe. The campus has undergone major improvement over the last decade to truly take its place among the finest in the state. UNT resident assistants and older staff members handle all the residential living and dorm supervision. Professional staff oversees the residential facilities as opposed to instructional staff. Teachers focus on instruction and the residential staff focus on providing a safe residential environment. While you will work hard and have lots of fun, we believe the health and safety of our students are our number one priority.
Three Week Session: June 22-July 12, $2300
Two Week Session: June 22-July 4, $1500
What have others said?
"UNT was an unbelievable experience; I have never learned so much in 2 weeks. As a beginner, I was worried about whether I'd be able to follow along, but my lab leaders (Beena, Tanya, and Matt) made sure that I had a firm grip on the foundations of debate and were there to help me every step of the way. I met great people, heard lectures on a variety of interesting subjects by the top instructors and debaters in the nation, and (above all) practiced, practiced, practiced. Whether you're looking to learn more about distributive justice, syllogistic cases, or utilizing time in the 1AR, Mean Green is the place to go!" -Kathy Lee
"I was a first time debater when I showed up at UNT. I didn't even know how LD debate worked at all. After attending the camp I knew more ahtn I ever thought there was to know about debate and I had a great time learning it all. It was a great experience that will help anyont throughout high school and beyond even if you decide not to make debate your top priority." -Justin Jones
"Week 3 of Mean Green was the best debate instruction I have received from any institution I have ever gone too. I felt that the lab sessions were incredible with a combination of lecture and drills. Each round I received a very long helpful oral critique. However, instead of just receiving commentary, the emphasis on rebuttal redos helped me fix mistakes that have troubled me over the past two years of my ld career. The instructors were always very open to questions and were very dedicated to helping campers as much as they could. The great part about Mean Green is that you could go to all instructors for help while many other institutes often limit students to just their lab leaders. Week three of Mean Green was definitely an enlightening experience." -John Monagle
"The inspiration you find from these people is so much that it makes extraordinary dreams realistic." -Chey Mashburn
"UNT was a great experience, for me because the staff and students were absolutely amazing. I'll never forget the three weeks I spent at UNT because I not only became a better debater, but I made friends that I'm going to retain for the rest of my life." -Marin Mueller
"I learned a lot from UNT. The lab rotation and article groups allowed me to work with different staff members. The staff was amazing, they all had diverse skills that really helped me improve in different areas and step out of my comfort zone." -Berenice Villela
"I came to UNT afraid the 'theory' debate that was becoming more a part of LD rounds. Mr. Timmons (perhaps given his balance of coaching LD AND policy debate) explained things in a way that demystified those arguments. While Mr. Timmons was really good is so many other areas, I cant think of anyone that else that would be better to help develop/enhance the skills to both run and answer 'theory.'"
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