I’m biased. I debated in high school, and spent four years debating at the University of Utah under Jack Rhodes, and then I coached debate for a year under Tim Browning at the University of Arizona. That training got me through journalism school, into law school and through it, and did me yeoman service in politics. The ability to survive and thrive in the heat of public policy discussion is . . . fun.
Over at The Reflective Teacher, we get a great argument for using debate to teach 8th grade English, especially the persuasive writing paper and the research paper. Looks good to me.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
Agreed. I think students make greater progress when they learn to support their ideas. Anyone would.
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Just today I attended a training session with a well-seasoned teacher leading; she insists that debate is an outstanding way to learn history, too.
I think any time we can get students to seriously engage the material to the point that they really debate an issue, we make progress.
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Thanks for the link, Mr. Fillmore’s Bathtub!
I guess I’m especially happy about the fact that someone so familiar with debate appreicates the truncated and diluted form I’m teaching.
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