Feb 08, 2024 At 02:40 PM EDT
Our debaters often describe their lives before and after debate. The activity is a turning point.
Mara*, a middle school debate alum who went on to debate at Central High School, admits, "I think about myself before debate...in fifth grade, I had no friends." But joining the team introduced her to peers that mirrored her interests and pursuit of confidence.
"When you meet people who care about the same things as you, it gets better," Mara said, describing debate as a "family" where you feel "that you matter." She understands that "debate is more than just rounds....There's a whole community behind it."
Debate creates a unique community of learners that students want to belong to, invest their time in and return to again and again. Organizations like our own Minnesota Urban Debate League, as well as other leagues across the country, expand this community to include as many students as we can reach.
Mara found not only a group of peers with whom she could build friendships, but also an activity that gave her confidence in speaking and critical thinking. Encouraged by coaches, peers and her own ambition, she remained engaged, and her love of learning was sparked through debate. We hear this story again and again from debaters.
The communal and competitive features of the activity push students to collaborate, work hard and keep constantly engaged with topics that interest them. Sadly, not all students have this privilege. Recent data has unveiled an attendance crisis: a startling, widespread lack of participation in schools.
We are only beginning to grasp the devastation COVID wreaked on student engagement and attendance. The New York Times' editorial board detailed this dismal state, explaining that math and reading scores have fallen behind nationally by two decades and that more than a quarter of students were chronically absent in the 2021-2022 school year.
Even in 2023, absenteeism in many districts has remained doubled from what it was before the pandemic. Even darker is increased prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation amongst students during and after COVID.
The pandemic not only devastated educational opportunities, but also destroyed student communities and their ability to make friends and develop self-worth.
The New York Times suggests potential solutions such as creating a statewide tutoring program like in Virginia, or scaling up after-school and summer school programs. But hiding in plain sight are the debate communities and Urban Debate leagues poised to solve this crisis.
Debating leads to a well-demonstrated increase in academic performance, but it is also associated with a dramatic increase in student attendance compared to citywide averages.
Minneapolis Public Schools' most recent Research & Accountability Report showed that 96 percent of Minnesota Urban Debate League students had 95 percent or higher attendance rates during the 2022-2023 school year. Compare this to only 30 percent of students across the whole of the Minneapolis-St. Paul school districts who had the same rate of high attendance.
While the factors behind attendance are complex, from our perspective, debate is an outstanding method of keeping students engaged. The community of debate builds enthusiasm for learning that draws students back to school as well as practice.
Especially after the crushing blow of COVID's social isolation, students need community to survive adolescence more than ever.
Dwindling attendance rates are more than an academic question. They go to the core of what motivates students to learn and come to school.
The delicate mental health of students warns us that a solution that only focuses on upping instruction hours will utterly fail. Tapping into debate could provide one avenue to help students into a community they love beyond educational material.
Mara's story shows us how debate can mend a lack of social connection and develop important connections. We believe debate can provide the social and emotional groundwork for these valuable learning connections to flourish into a love for learning and a real reason to stay in school.
Harper*, a debate alum from Keewaydin Middle School, told us that in addition to great perks like getting to "eat pizza [and] other snacks," you also "make lots of friends, meet new people" and are "part of a great debate community."
Understanding lower attendance rates as a need for meaningful relationships instead of just new curriculum and more staffing opens a bright path to saving children's education.
This community that debaters enjoy also teaches them educational skills that can turn back the clock against pandemic learning losses. Debate focuses on topics that are directly related to current events, providing students with insight into the world around them and encouraging critical thinking about the information presented to them.
Fatima*, a debate alum from Clara Barton Open School, said she learned "about topics that I've never heard of, important things happening in the world...a lot of people aren't aware of."
This feeling of discovery and new, valuable knowledge can motivate students in the classroom, too. Beyond just academic skills, debate is providing the confidence for students to feel empowered in their classes and take control of their education.
Jake*, a summer camp debater, said that the skills students learn don't just stay in debate. "It actually spills over to help you with things you're doing in school like English classes, or speech classes," he said.
The pandemic's shadow still lingers over many lives, especially those of our children, and new measures are needed to address the attendance rates collapsed by COVID.
The MNUDL is providing a way to bridge this massive gap by creating a community of learners engaged with education and each other. Debate provides students with an avenue where they can be taught and challenged, but also grow excited about their team and learning with others.
Mara, among many others, found a pairing of friendship and learning in the debate community. We hope expanding debate to many more students will help them find a love of learning together, too.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the debaters.
Amy Cram Helwich has been the executive director of the Minnesota Urban Debate League since 2009 and brings 25+ years of nonprofit management experience to her role. Amy competed in academic debate in both high school and college, and believes in its power to engage students and create pathways for academic success. She holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
