Pao School's Tony He and Cory McCormack at the Shandong Division of the National High School Academic Debate & Speech Tournament (image courtesy of Iqilu.com)
On December 12-13, Pao School students Tony He and Cory McCormack competed in the National High School Academic Debate & Speech Tournament, both scoring victories in the open group category.
Participating in the competition were nearly 300 students from the top high schools in cities that included Shanghai, Hangzhou and Ningbo. Amidst intense competition, Tony and Cory were the eventual winners in the Zhejiang Division of the competition. This success story is their second victory this month – Tony and Cory were also winners of last week’s middle school debate competition in Shandong.
Pao School's Tony He and Cory McCormack both scored first place in the Shandong Division of the National High School Academic Debate & Speech Tournament (Image courtesy of Iqilu.com)
Pao School's Tony He and Cory McCormack both scored first place in the Zhejiang Division of the National High School Academic Debate & Speech Tournament (Image courtesy of NFL China)
Pao School has continued to focus on educating each of its students as a whole person, encouraging them to develop their interests. Pao School has seen many of its students become debate experts. As the school’s debate club president, Year 11’s Clementine Li is no exception. She has also represented Pao School at the Harvard Invitational tournament, placing third. She shares some of her experiences and tips for aspiring debaters with Atlas.
Q & A
Q: Tell us about your debating experience.
A: I was in Year 9 or 10. My classmate Tracy Wang’s teammate had left the country, so she asked me to participate in a debating competition with her. That’s how I got started, and I never looked back. Basically, I would participate in one or two tournaments a year – I’ve done six or seven now. I’ve scored two first prizes, one third prize, an award for top debater, and a third prize at a Harvard invitational event.
Q: Do you think debating has changed your personality in any way?
A: The greatest reward I’ve received from debating is the courage to speak. The topics you get handed down are usually ones that require you to think fast. This actually makes you more confident in your own abilities, and more willing to express yourself in front of many people.
Q: Which debating event left the most lasting impression on you?
A: That would be the one where I competed against Shanghai High School International Division’s Ricky and Chloe. In debate, you need a strong opponent, because only strong opponents can inspire you to make better rebuttals. The quality of the debate is largely determined by the quality of your opponent.
Debating tips
Q: If your opponent speaks about a topic you hadn’t prepared for, or brings up immoral or indecent types of topics, how would you respond?
A: In terms of immoral or indecent topics, you could say that person is using an ‘abusive definition.’ The best way to respond is to compare by using your own abusive definition.
If I encounter a topic I’m not familiar with, I would use my two minutes wisely and determine whether I could employ any of my previous rebuttals. If not, I would try to find holes in the opponent’s argument. Every argument has a weak spot – the key is to figure out what this is in a short amount of time.
Q: Which aspect of debate is your specialty – crossfire, rebuttal or final focus?
A: That would be crossfire. I can think fast. With crossfires, you don't have a lot of time to think. You have to answer in two minutes, and allow your opponent to respond within two minutes. Crossfires are the best way to showcase your ability to think and speak quickly.
Q: Any tips on improving crossfire skills?
A: First of all, don't look at your notes!! Look at the opponent or look at the referee, but do not look at your computer or your notes.
You could also develop an arsenal of generic but effective responses ahead of time. This way, even if you’re unable to think of a good response at the time, you can draw from material you’ve already prepared.
Q: How did you get so proficient at speaking English?
A: Actually, I studied English quite late. When I was little and hadn’t started speaking yet, I did live in the US for one year, but this didn’t help me with my English skills. I studied the very well-known English programme at the Shanghai World Foreign Language Primary School when I returned to China, but even then, I wasn’t able to achieve native level fluency. It wasn’t until Year 6 at Pao School that my English skills suddenly began to improve dramatically.
Q: As president of your school’s debate club, how do you guide the members of your team?
A: We use our 1.5 hours each time to talk about framework. I would prepare a PowerPoint presentation, and everyone would make up their own examples. I would often organize simulations similar to parliamentary debates, which encourages them to participate. I would also show them examples of relatively strong public forum debaters in competition.
Debate relies heavily on your own abilities. I could provide you with resources and training opportunities, but being a good debater depends on your personal skills. I never received any formal debate training, so I think the most important thing is to gain more experience and mature mentally. Debating skills will improve with time.
Q: We’ve heard you may be planning to bring policy debate and Lincoln–Douglas debates to China.
A: While I was debating in Harvard, I watched a few rounds of policy debates and Lincoln-Douglas debates. I really enjoyed it and then I wondered why we didn’t have this back at home. Debate has been developing in China for many years, and we now have some very mature and outstanding debaters. I believe we have the ability to try something more challenging. This would also give our debaters more room to grow and develop.
(Interview taken from Official WeChat account: Atlas)
