A lot of people's ears perk up and their attention is drawn when a professor utters the word "debate" in class. For many like myself who enjoy discussing serious topics and arguing the hot button topics in society, debates are like a gold mine of back and forth with tons of different points of view and emerging thoughts and ideas, or at least they should be. However, this requires a certain set of rules, either spoken or unspoken, that need to be followed so that a debate is productive instead of toxic.
Watch the volume.
Lots of students first reaction when they are disagreed with in a debate, or they disagree with another, is to get loud. Obviously, your great ideas will sound even better in ear shattering surround sound as it echoes off every wall in this tiny classroom. Seriously, I promise that just because another student doesn't see something from your point of view, does not mean they have a secret hearing problem that only you and your amplified vocal chords can fix. I worry that if this habit isn't broken soon, debates are going to come with complimentary bullhorns so that everyone can be equally deafening.
Keep it classy.
It's a classroom debate. Is there really a need to get personal over material? if the subject resonates with you personally, then that's great. This isn't an excuse to blame others and attack people who don't support you. You aren't on the supreme court, so you should not be handing out judgements today. Just because you identify with a topic of debate, doesn't mean you or your beliefs are the topic of debate. When discussions start to turn toxic, many people tend to lash out or blame others as if they have personally insulted them by disagreeing with their view. The animosity that this trend creates can lead to some serious conflict that doesn't necessarily end when the bell rings, and can lead to future problems.
Take notes.
I don't understand why this isn't on the front of everyone's mind, but debates are first and foremost an alternate form of class discussion to spread ideas and learn from each other. However, in every class debate I have had since college started only a few people make sure to have a pen and paper out and ready to take notes, and most of them ended up drawing or writing profanities directed toward the other team. If you are so focused on being right and proving the other wrong, you will miss the point of the debate entirely, which is to grow and learn and see things from other perspectives. Often times, the only disagreements in a debate are on differing details of an identical issue, and not the issue itself. This often leads to entire heated debates being about wording or the individual, and ends with everyone angry or confused. So, rather than spending an entire class period trying to be "win" the debate, focus on absorbing the other points of view in relation to your own and how they may factor in to future class discussions.
If you follow these simple rules, your classroom and everyday debates will be immensely better, and you will have a set of skills that most of the 2016 presidential candidates couldn't dream of.
