Summer Workshops
Registration for 2011 Claremont Summer debate programs is now open. There are programs for middle school debaters (MSPDP format, national high school debaters (HSPDP and CHSSA formats), and international high school debate (WSDC format). The international sessions also include auditions for Team USA, the high school teams participating at the World Schools Debating Championship, the international high school debate championship, and other international tournaments, workshops, and debate exchanges.
Applications for 2011 are available on this page.
Claremont Summer – The Only Authorized Instruction in HSPDP, MSPDP, and USWSDC Formats
The Claremont Summer programs are the only authorized instructional programs for Public Debate Program formats. The Public Debate Program includes proprietary programs of the Claremont Colleges Debate Union – the High School Public Debate Program (HSPDP), Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP), and US-WSDC (US–World Schools Debating Championship). Programming is designed to integrate best instructional practices and maximize learning outcomes. The debate formats and instructional techniques are developed by John Meany and Kate Shuster. Both Meany and Shuster teach exclusively at the Claremont Summer debate programs. They train and certify summer debate instructors for Claremont programs. They are the authors of textbooks for each of the summer debate formats.
Other summer debate institutes offering instruction in the HSPDP, MSPDP, and USWSDC formats have not been authorized by the Public Debate Program and are unlikely to offer the instructional and format advantages of Claremont Summer programming, including required certified training for debate instructors, textbook and other approved curricular materials for all participants, certified judging for all debates, integration of an advanced performance rubric, training in new format rules and conventions (Meany/Shuster review, assess, and adapt rules, as appropriate, each year), and educational outcomes assessment.
Claremont summer debate staff are format-certified instructors and judges, engaged in MSPDP/HSPDP/USWSDC professional development during the academic year. Instructors formally integrate textbook and training materials in instructional sessions – all students participating in summer debate sessions receive a textbook. Summer staff appropriately use the public debate program and other rubrics for student evaluation, promoting comprehensive public speaking and argumentation skills development. And summer programming is assessed to maximize student learning outcomes.
Claremont Summer programs are designed and administered by the creators of the HSPDP and MSPDP formats; they are organized by the official US representative on the World Schools Debate Council and the authors of MSPDP, HSPDP, and WSDC-format textbooks. The institutes not only provide instruction in these formats but also offer cutting-edge innovations based on forthcoming rules and new developments in the formats.
2011 Claremont Summer High School and Middle School Debate Programs
General Information – High School
Summer programs are for in-residence and commuter students. Students entering 9th-12th grades in Fall 2011 are eligible to participate in high school sessions. The summer high school program includes sessions for students participating in the High School Public Debate Program (HSPDP), California’s state parliamentary competitions (CHSSA), and international format high school parliamentary debating (WSDC). The WSDC debate sessions will serve as two of the audition sites for the selection of US teams for the 2012 World Schools Debating Championship (Capetown, South Africa) and other international events, including the Pan American Debating Championship, the Pan Pacific Debate Championship, the Korea–US International Debate Exchange, and the European Open Debating Championship. The second WSDC session includes an opportunity to participate in the international Pacific Open Championship Debate Tournament, which is held at the conclusion of the workshop. There are 2 debate workshop sessions for each format and students may attend either or both of the sessions. Students attending more than one session are placed in select instructional groups to take advantage of their earlier work in the summer program.
The HSPDP and WSDC debate formats are similar and students readily adapt to each format, although students also quickly adapt to the slight difference between the HSPDP and CHSSA formats. The primary difference among the formats is the number of debaters per team. HSPDP and WSDC debate models have 3-person teams; the CHSSA format uses 2-person teams. John Meany and Kate Shuster developed both the HSPDP and CHSSA formats. John Meany is the US representative on the World Schools Debating Council, the sponsor of the international high school debate championship. All 3 formats feature parliamentary debating, that is, a debate format including one or more elements of parliamentary procedure (e.g., points of information). Debating includes extemporaneous argumentation (advanced topic announcement) and impromptu argumentation (topic announcement from 20 minutes to an hour prior to a debate). The summer program successfully accommodates new and highly experienced debaters.
General Information – Middle School
The middle school sessions offer comprehensive instruction in public speaking, critical listening and note taking, analytical reasoning. Eligible students are those entering the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in Fall 2011. The training prepares students for Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) competitions. In addition, debate training develops students’ oral communication and argumentation skills necessary for outstanding academic achievement and career success. There are 2 debate workshop sessions and students may attend either or both of the sessions. Students attending more than one session are placed in select instructional groups to take advantage of their earlier work in the summer program. Each middle school session is appropriate for new and experienced middle school debaters. Each year, there are novice and advanced competitors at each of the middle school sessions. Students may live on campus in a supervised dormitory used exclusively for the debate program or may commute.
2011 Sessions
June 23-30
California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) and High School Public Debate Program (HSPDP) – Session 1
July 1-8
World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) format (international high school parliamentary debate; for contests in the US and abroad; audition for Team USA) – Session 1
July 1-6
Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) – Session 1
July 24-31
California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) and High School Public Debate Program (HSPDP) – Session 2
August 1-11
World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) format (international high school parliamentary debate; for contests in the US and abroad; audition for Team USA ) – Session 2
August 1-6
Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) – Session 2
Summer Program Administration
John Meany, Director of Forensics at Claremont McKenna College and the administrator of the Claremont Colleges Debate Union, the nation’s largest college debate society, coordinates summer debate programming. He has directed and taught more than 150 summer debate workshop sessions in the US and abroad. He directs Claremont’s Public Debate Program debate outreach initiative, which includes the Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP), High School Public Debate Program (HSPDP), US – World Schools Debating Championship Program (US-WSDC), First Reporters Project, and Claremont Institute for Civic Leadership. This is the tenth consecutive year of summer debate programming at Claremont. He has coached five college national debate champions, including the 2010 US National Champion.
Kate Shuster is the curriculum director for summer debate programs. She is the Co-Executive Director of the Middle School Public Debate Program and coaches Team USA for the World Schools Debating Championship. A former college national debate champion, she has coached five college national debate champions. An expert in program evaluation for curricular and extracurricular educational initiatives, she is collaborating with state and regional non-profit organizations to expand debate programming to rural communities.
John Meany and Kate Shuster are authors or co-authors of 15 debate textbooks, including texts for MSPDP competition, CHSSA high school debating, HSPDP and WSDC high school debating (forthcoming August 2011), and college and university national and international debate formats.
Summer 2011 Applications
