The Days Are Just Packed

In the past few days, labs have been working on case revision and argument blocking.  After the first few practice rounds, students went over specific problems that were plaguing them in round.  Jackie Allgayer, Laura Rau, and Rahim Sayani  all chose to explore the concept of a narrative and how to use one in a round.  Sean Martin educated the lab on biopower while David McGough addressed his issues with issue selection (pun intended). David Wolfish started to educate the lab on the types of policy arguments that were infiltrating LD.  So far, the lab has gone over topicality, kritiks, value-inclusive counter plans, conditionality, and theory arguments.  As the workshop tournament begins, students are hard at work editing cases, creating blocks, and practicing rebuttals.

David is silly, We are all Jews, and It's goin' down

LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMBLE! Today labs were given the first chance to actually debate a whole round with their cases, but with a twist. The labs was formed into teams of twos and threes that affirmed and negated. The point of the exercise was to highlight how strategy and planning ahead is effective in wining rounds. Rounds were followed by discussions, and then students went to article groups. After dinner students were eager to attend a demonstration round on the workshop topic. The round featured the David Wolfish on the affirmative versus
Tanya Choudhury on the negative. The substance of the round featured a classic utilitarianism versus deontology, illustrating that classic arguments are just as effective as critical theory. After the rounds, students broke up into labs to further discuss the round, and signed up for which electives they wanted to attend in the upcoming week.

Day Five Concludes

The day began with a lecture by Beena Koshy on vocal theory, presentation, and ethics in and outside of debate. After the lecture, labs got the opportunity to work with other staff members in speaking drills and exercises. In lab, David discussed the importance of cutting clear and lucid evidence (to the chagrin of Josh "Jo Shoverton" Overton and Sean "S-Mart" Martin) and students discussed new arguments for their second case. The afternoon was taken up entirely by library time, giving the students time to research new case positions, as well as do their assignments. In the evening, students were given options of partaking in a variety of activities. Students could either work in Maple Hall, watch a demo round between Josh Meah and Shane O'Neal, or attempt to "school" Gary Johnson, Nathan Foell, Matt Levinson, and David Wolfish in basketball. Second cases are due tomorrow night, so students are hard at work. Stay tuned because tomorrow night's update will feature a student interview!

Day Four Concludes

It is surprising that it is almost a week into the workshop. The day started off with a lecture on advanced argumentation followed by a drill lab involving rebuttals. The drill lab was followed by article groups. After lunch, students were in the library, hard at work finishing their first case drafts. The afternoon featured a lecture on communitarianism by Jonathan Alston. Dinner was followed by lab where students continued to finish and revise cases. During lab, students were assigned new assignments requiring them to find evidence on specific issues in the resolution. The students are doing a great job on keeping up with their work and Mr. Timmons, David, Nathan, and I are glad to be working with such talented group of debaters.

Day Three Concludes

As the deadline for first cases approaches, the lab sessions were focused on creating coherent advocacies. The rest of the morning focused on cross-examination. Students witnessed demonstrations on how to trap opponents and demystify complex arguments. After the demonstrations, students got the chance to apply what they learned when given the opportunity to cross-examine lab leaders. Lunch was followed by a very informative lecture on resolving means-ends conflicts in debate rounds then another one about relativism. Students were given the chance to apply what they learned from the research lecture as they went to the library for the first time today. Though at first daunting, a quick rereading of the lecture notes allowed student to use the library with ease. After dinner, Laura De La Cruz gave a very popular lecture on critical theory and its application to debate. The day ended with labs as students continued to develop case positions. After coming back to Maple Hall, students are diligently working on cases as staff members field questions.

Day Two Concludes

Hello! The students began the day with a lecture by Tyler Bexley and Gary Johnson on burden theory, immediately followed by a lecture on advanced casing given by Gary and Sam Duby. After lunch the students broke into article groups and then labs. In lab, David introduced yet another flowing exercise, this time set to music (The students agree that Panic! at the Disco needs to attend the vocal delivery lecture Beena Koshy is going to give later this week). The students got the rest of the day off. They first went to the ice cream social and afterward got to choose from a variety of movies. As the day winded down, the students again had a chance to discuss debate with the staff.

Day One Concludes

Greetings from the Wolfish-Timmons-Foell Lab! Today we had the first official meeting of lab groups. After brief reintroductions of staff, students introduced themselves (Tony "Sparxxx" Godfrey was very vocal about how there is three "x's" in his chosen nickname) and then we made a brief trip to get UNT ID cards. When we returned to lab, David Wolfish began by introducing an interesting flowing drill that the students found educational as well as entertaining. After the flowing drill Nathan Foell facilitated a discussion about the workshop topic, Resolved: A just government ought to provide health care for its citizens. Students had many different interpretations and thoughts about the resolution, which provided (pun not intended) for a good discussion. After lunch, students attended a lecture on proper research methods and techniques given by Dr. Robinson, Sam Duby, and Laura De La Cruz, followed by the first meeting of article groups. Afterward, the lab met briefly where Nathan introduced the philosophical focus of the lab: positive and negative rights. Before dinner, Asher Haig from the policy division of the workshop gave a lecture introducing the concept of a "kritik." After dinner, the students observed a demonstration debate between Matt Levinson and Liz Mullins on the NFL National Tournament (where Ms. Mullins placed 2nd) topic: Resolved: In matters of collecting military intelligence, the ends justify the means. Beena Koshy moderated the debate and students gave their comments at the end. After the debate, students met in labs. David was anxious to reveal his list of student nicknames, but the only reaction he received was the sound of crickets. As the first day came to a close, students had the opportunity to casually discuss various debate related issues with a variety of staff members. Between lectures, labs, and research, the students have a very busy week ahead of them!

Aaron Timmons

Aaron has spent over twenty years as a professional educator in Texas. He has served a variety of different schools with varying resources, sizes and commitment to debate. For Mr. Timmons, educating students is not just a hobby or a summer business, but a passion that shows itself both in his classroom and whenever he has the opportunity to interact with students. He maintains a responsibility to all students as a teacher, regardless of school affiliation or previous debate experience. His approach and pedagogy are based on a genuine desire to help students succeed. His vast experience can help students achieve whatever goal they have set for themselves. He has taught literally hundreds - if not thousands - of students at dozens of institutes over past years.
Mr. Timmons is unique, in that he is one of the few active, so called "national circuit" coaches who is respected for both policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate. Mr. Timmons is the only coach in the history of the National Forensic League National Tournament to have multiple winners in both Lincoln-Douglas and policy debate. Mr. Timmons has even had an IE student earn the most points at the NFL National Tournament in 1990. Timmons' LD students won Nationals in 1990 and 1997 with a finalist in 1993. His LD students have also won St. Marks, Stanford, the Greenhill Round Robin, the Barkley Forum at Emory University, as well as multiple Texas Forensic Association state championships. His students success in policy debate is equally impressive - winning NFL nationals in 1996 and 1998 with a finalist in 2001. In 1996, he coached the top speaker at the Tournament of Champions and NFL Nationals. He also coached Greenhill to win the Tournament of Champions in 2000. His students have won most major invitationals including Montgomery Bell Academy, St. Marks School of Texas, Stanford University, Northwestern University, the Harvard University Round Robin, the Barkley Forum at Emory University, Wake Forest, Isidore Newman, Bronx High School of Science, the Glenbrooks Round Robin, Stanford Round Robin and the Glenbrooks. He has numerous TFA Championships in policy debate as well. It is worth mentioning that at a time when policy arguments are making in-roads into LD, few are more capable of demystifying those arguments and explaining how to run and/or beat them than Mr. Timmons. Mr. Timmons is still active in the judging ranks of both policy and LD at local, regional and national invitationals.

Nathan Foell

Nathan Foell debated for Edmond North High School in Oklahoma from 1996-2000.As a junior, he was a participant at the Greenhill Round Robin and the topspeaker at the Glenbrooks. As a senior, he was a participant at the Greenhilland Glenbrooks Round Robins, placed second at the Bronx Round Robin, and placedthird at both Greenhill and the TOC. Nathan graduated summa cum laude from theUniversity of Oklahoma with degrees in philosophy and political science, and isnow a second-year graduate student in philosophy at Harvard University. Nathan's interest in philosophy was first sparked by his involvement in highschool debate, and as a graduate student in philosophy he continues to bepreoccupied by the same moral and political issues that first gripped him indebate. In his ever-dwindling free time, Nathan is an avid sports fan and aself-appointed movie and music critic. He is excited about the opportunity towork with some wonderful students this summer and to pass on his passion for debate.

David Wolfish

You could have been anywhere else right now, and I appreciate that you decided to join us at Mean Green. My name is David Wolfish, and I can’t wait to teach. I’m a UNT veteran staff member, and I also bring experience from Sacred Heart Debate Institute in Massachusetts. I’m currently a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a major in Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics with a minor in Women’s Studies. I debated for Greenhill School in Addison, Texas and compiled one of the most successful records in the history of the activity. Outside of debate, I play on the club Ultimate Frisbee team, manage my fraternity house, serve on the Dean’s Advisory Board, and hit some of the most impressive ping-pong shots you have ever seen. I love debate and have always lived by the motto that the harder I work the luckier I get. Dedication and persistence can take you anywhere in the activity. Over the next few weeks, I will teach the skills that will help you excel on any circuit.

Ajay Ketkar

Ajay debated for three years at Cinco Ranch High School under the guidance of Perry Beard. During his senior year, Ajay broke at numerous tournaments both local and national, including the Grapevine Classic, and the Isidore Newman Invitational, earning speaker awards at both. He also placed second at the Third Annual Dark Horse Round Robin. Ajay continues his involvement in the community by being a preferred and respected judge by both competitors and coaches. Ajay is currently a freshman at the University of Texas at San Antonio studying history and philosophy.