Program Overview

Our Advanced Debate Track is designed for high school students ready to elevate their debating skills while navigating busy schedules. This program combines personalized tutoring with elective-based courses for a tailored experience. This program is for students who have completed level X and want to personalize their learning. With a flexible structure, this track combines personalized tutoring with elective-based courses to create a customized experience tailored to each student’s needs.

Skill Intensives

3 hours total

Three 1-hour sessions per intensive

Offered twice per semester

Focus on specific debating skills

Content Intensives

6.25 hours total

Five 75-minute sessions per intensive

Offered twice per semester

Advanced argumentation strategies

Personalized Tutoring

15 hours total

Initial 30-minute consultation

Flexible scheduling

One-on-one or small group sessions

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Intensives

Our Intensives are designed to provide in-depth learning experiences in specific areas of debate. Choose from Skill Intensives for practical techniques or Content Intensives for advanced argumentation strategies.

Skill Intensives
Content Intensives

Skill Intensives

3 hours total, 3 sessions per intensive

Dive deep into specific debating skills with our Skill Intensives. These focused sessions provide a thorough exploration of essential debate techniques.

Current Semester Options:

First Speakers:

Summary

Frontlining

Second Speakers:

Weighing

Final Focus

Content Intensives

6.25 hours total, 5 sessions per intensive

For students seeking more advanced argumentation strategies, our Content Intensives focus on complex, higher-level material. Each session is 75 minutes long, offering deep dives into advanced concepts.

Winter/Spring Semester Options:

Frameworks

Intro to Theory

Personalized Tutoring

Our Personalized Tutoring program is designed to provide individualized support and guidance to each student, ensuring they can focus on their specific areas of improvement and achieve their debate goals.

Personalized Tutoring

15 hours of customized one-on-one or small group sessions

Initial Consultation

Begin with a 30-minute meeting with a program director to outline your personalized curriculum and discuss your goals and objectives.

Flexible Scheduling

You'll be assigned a pool of 3-5 tutors, allowing you to book sessions that fit your schedule. All tutors are briefed on your specific goals to ensure consistency and progress.

Customized Content

Our tutors work closely with the curriculum director to ensure you're progressing towards your goals. They have access to a range of drills and activities to enhance each session, with the flexibility to introduce new content as needed.

Key Features:

Consistent progress monitoring

Access to experienced tutor pool

Elective Courses

Students can choose one skill-based and one concept-based course per semester, totaling 12 hours.

Skill-Based Electives
Content-Based Electives

Skill-Based Electives

Three 1-hour meetings per course

Case writing

Rebuttals

Cross-examination

Summary and Final Focus

Concept-Based Electives

Three 2-hour meetings per course

Kritiks (K)

Theory

Other advanced topics

Additional Information

Recorded sessions available for missed intensives

Parents notified if tutoring hours are underutilized

Pricing similar to regular semester offerings

No additional tournament requirement

Bergen Debate students eating a meal during a tournament.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this program different from the regular debate classes?
Unlike our regular 2-hour weekly classes, this program offers a more individualized approach. It includes 15 hours of tutoring, which is tailored to the specific needs and goals of each student, and 12 hours of electives, where students can choose from skill-based or concept-based courses. The flexible structure allows students to schedule tutoring at times that work best for them, while the elective component provides the freedom to focus on advanced debate techniques that are most relevant to their personal development.
What topics will be covered in the Skill and Content Intensives?
Skill Intensives focus on practical, debate-round techniques like case writing, rebuttals, cross-examination, and frontlining. These are split into three, one-hour sessions to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience. Content Intensives dive into more theoretical and advanced areas, such as frameworks, theory structure, and kritik (K) structures. These consist of five, 75-minute sessions. Each semester, students will have the option to choose from various intensive topics to best suit their individual interests and goals.
How does the tutoring component work?
At the beginning of the semester, each student will meet with a program director for a 30-minute consultation to discuss their goals and areas for improvement. Based on this meeting, students are assigned a group of 3-5 tutors who are specifically suited to meet their needs. From there, students can schedule tutoring sessions at their convenience. The tutors work closely with the curriculum director to ensure that each session is aligned with the student’s objectives and progress is consistently monitored.
What if I miss a Skill or Content Intensive?
We understand that students have busy schedules, so if a student is unable to attend a scheduled Skill or Content Intensive, the session will be recorded and made available for later viewing. This ensures that students can still benefit from the material covered, even if they cannot attend in real time.
Is there a penalty if I don’t use all of my tutoring hours?
There is no penalty for not using all of your allotted tutoring hours. However, we strongly encourage students to take full advantage of the resources available to them. If a student is not scheduling their tutoring time, we will notify parents to ensure that students are getting the most out of the program
How do electives work in this program?
Students in the Customized Learning Track can select one skill-based course and one concept-based course per semester. Skill-based electives focus on practical aspects like case writing, rebuttals, and final focus, while concept-based electives explore advanced topics such as kritiks and theory. These electives are designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the techniques and strategies required for competitive debate. Each elective consists of three sessions, allowing for a thorough exploration of the chosen topic.
Is there a requirement to attend tournaments?
While tournament participation is encouraged, we have decided not to make it a mandatory requirement for this program. We want students to focus on their development at their own pace. That being said, competing in tournaments is a great way to apply the skills learned in the program and to continue growing as a debater.
Can I purchase additional intensives or tutoring sessions?
For the time being, we are focusing on offering the core program as a complete package. However, if there is interest in purchasing additional intensives or tutoring sessions outside of the program, we may consider introducing this option in the future. Stay tuned for updates on any a la carte options.
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