On the train headed to the Lafayette debates, sponsored by the French Embassy and GW in lovely Washington, D.C. A different sort of debate competition that I have enjoyed helping the students prepare for. During the run-up to all of this, as I have all semester, I have been interrogating why I am so frustrated…

Read More

For many years I have been trying to hammer out this book on metaphors for debate as an educational practice. Competitive debate is, of course, tied up in there even though I know you refuse to believe you are participating in something educational (my own students call non-tournament debate events ‘learning trips’ – nicely diminutive…

Read More

It’s raining, but four years ago it was sunny when I watched my mom breathe for the last time. Now I’m sitting here looking at reciepts  for pizza and taxis and filling out forms that prove that, yes, these were university expenses. And I think my job is so important and valuable. She wasn’t gone…

Read More

I’m doing the tab for GW this weekend, and I regret it already. Tabbing makes me feel terrible on every level: I feel like I’m wasting my time, I feel like I am ignoring my students, but worst of all, when I look to the way judges are ranked and assigned in competitions, I feel…

Read More

A teacher is not someone who knows more than the student; A teacher is someone who knows differently than the student. It is a fallacy to believe that students, by definition, “don’t know.” Particularly in the teaching of the art of rhetoric this is doubly offensive/hilarious since most students have been speaking and arguing their…

Read More

Heading to Montana tomorrow to begin a new program in partnership with another university to bring debate programs and debating culture to the colleges on Native American reservations. So-called tribal colleges are routinely forgotten in the national conversation about the University, the college, their purpose and mission, and the importance of education that is like…

Read More

I wish I had more reading time. Time built into the system and schedule that was reserved for reading is what I mean. Of course I can make that time happen at the expense of other important things: administrative duties (debate), chatting with students, course prep, writing for the purpose of non-blog publication – all…

Read More

The clear mission for those who teach debate in 2017 is to reveal to all concerned listeners and students of all kinds not to fret; for the post fact era has not just been born. As an avid “birther” of the post fact era, I demand a birth certificate! Even then I might not be…

Read More

A formally instituted external organization run by an executive director and a staff for WUDC could do a lot more than just allow council to be the visionaries and take the organization in new and exciting directions. It could also allow council to discuss deeply rules, regulations, and norms of competition. But what else could…

Read More

 What is the end of Worlds? This immense event, enjoyed by many is reaching a point of immense difficulty to carry out. Last week two bids for WUDC 2019 were announced – a relief to many – but there still seems to be little long-term development of hosts for the far future. The end of…

Read More