From: Dean Dr. Eric Miller <eric@storytellinginstitute.org>

The Dean's Message is here.

 

 

 

 

Debate Topics for Students

 

Should every student have to participate

in athletics?

 

Should all students be required to do

volunteer work in their community?

 

Should students who fail a test be

given the chance to take it again?

 

What is better: in-person school or

online school?

 

Should there be limits on screen-time

for young people?

 

Should young people be allowed to

use Instagram (and other social media)

without close parental supervision?

 

Should young people have a set

bed-time?

 

At what age should young people

receive their own mobile phone?

 

Should people be allowed to play

amplified music in public spaces?

 

Is it better to be the youngest or the

oldest sibling?

 

Should young people learn (in-class

and at home) by using computers

and through online experiences (visiting

websites, playing educational video

games, participating in discussion

forums, typing, etc); or should they just

read books, and write by hand?  If some

electronic teaching-and-learning is ok –

what kinds and how much?

 

Should young people compare themselves

with other young people (in terms of being

a "good student", being talented and

skilled in a particular area, or family wealth)?

 

Do any responsibilities come with freedom?

 

Is it better to have a few close friends or

many acquaintances?

 

Under what conditions might playing video

games benefit or harm young people?

 

Under what conditions, if any, should

animals be kept in zoos?

 

Is it better to read the book and then see

the movie, or to see the movie and then

read the book?

 

Is space exploration worth the cost?

 

Is it better to grow up in a city or in the

countryside?

 

For young children in school, is there

enough free-play recess time?

 

Is it more important to be kind or to be

honest?

 

Is it important, useful, and healthy to

express gratefulness (gratitude) for

what one has in life?

 

Should "financial literacy" (ways to

manage money) be taught to teenagers

in school?

 

Growing vegetables and fruits, and

cooking food, are essential life skills

that each individual should learn.

 

Is it important to plan everything to its

minutest detail, or should we be flexible

enough to take life as it comes?

 

Agree or disagree: All of one's waking

hours should be dedicated to studying

in order to be the first in class.

 

Is peace the absence of fighting, or

the presence of cooperation and

collaboration?

 

How and why do "inter-generational

conflicts" occur, and what are some

ways they can be resolved?

 

Should young people have to do

household chores?

 

What is more important? – Self-love

and self-confidence; or attention, praise,

and validation from others.

 

In what situations do you prefer one or

the other? – Doing things by yourself,

or doing things with a group.

 

What do you get more out of? –

Discussions in the classroom, or

discussions with your friends outside

school.

 

If one finds an injured animal, what is

the best course of action?

 

Is keeping public space clean

everybody's responsibility?

 

Agree or disagree:  These foods, if

eaten in excess, are bad for one: oil,

salt, white refined flour (maida), white

refined sugar, artificial ("nature identical")

flavours and colours, and "processed

foods" in general.  Foods that are good

for one include: raw and lightly-cooked

vegetables, fruits and nuts, and whole

grains (whole wheat, etc).

 

Should everyone have a pet?

 

Should children in India learn about

the Indian political system?  Should

they learn about other political systems?

 

If one donates to a charity, is it best to

be identified by name publicly, or to

give anonymously?

 

Is it necessary for young people to be

involved in many extra-curricular

activities along with academics to do

well in the future?

 

Is it ever acceptable to not tell the

truth?

 

When (in what situations) might it be

best to live in a Senior Citizens' home?

 

***

 

 

Two different organisations that do Solid

Waste Management are:

1) An organisation that is responsible for

removing trash from large metal bins,

and taking that trash away.

2) An organisation that is responsible for

taking away large pieces of construction

waste that may be placed next to the large

bins.

 

The workers who remove trash from the

large bins come every day. If these workers

see large pieces of construction waste next

to a large bin, should they be required to

report this to the organisation that is

responsible for taking away the large

pieces of construction waste?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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