ESU Schools’ Mace Debating Competition Network Meeting – 04 Nov 2021

ESU-Schools’ Mace: Thursday 4th November 2021, 4 – 5.15 pm (£48 incl. VAT)

Session will be led by Gavin Illsley, Head of Programmes

Whether your school is new to ESU competitions, or well-established, the ESU’s new online Competition Network meetings are designed to connect you with our experts and other schools to share ideas, gain valuable advice and learn more about how the ESU can support you.

The sessions are facilitated by senior members of the ESU Education team and are designed to answer teachers’ pre-submitted questions as well as support live idea sharing. As peer-directed sessions they are designed to be informal, so other than a short feedback survey, they do not include paperwork or recordings. They are simply a great way for you to build connections across the ESU community with others in a similar role, no matter where you are based.

Discussion areas for the Mace Competition Network meeting will include:

• Process: how a debate works on Zoom; what happens if one student drops out; bringing an audience

• Debate format and procedure: how you do a definition; taking a point of information; what a good summary looks like

• Basic preparation: my learners can speak for four minutes – getting them to seven; how to approach a motion; we’re on opposition, how to prepare when you don’t know what the other side will say

• Looking ahead: how can we get better, key winning ingredients

How it works:

• All meetings will take place via Zoom

• When registering you will be asked to submit a question for consideration/discussion during the session

• Questions will be collated and shared with the group in advance, so you can arrive at the session with ideas to share

• ESU facilitator will open the session and share initial ideas. Depending on numbers, breakout rooms may be convened for further discussion

• Related ESU resources and support will be highlighted to further support participants.