2008-2009 Calendar

• August 18-Orientation
• August 25-First class day
• September 1-NO CLASS-Labor Day
• November 24-Make-up day for Labor Day
• December 15- Last class before Christmas
• January 5-Classes resume
• March 16-Spring Break
• May 11- Last class day
• May 18-Weather make up day

NCFCA Participation Podium Power debate students actively participate in NCFCA speech and debate tournaments.

Contact

FAQs

General

1. Where are classes taught?
2. When are classes?
3. Can parents watch their child give a speech or watch their child’s debate round?
4. May my younger children and I attend the Capitol tour and lobbying day?

Debate

1. What is team policy debate?
2. What is the difference between your debate classes and a debate club?
3. How much time is involved in debate?
4. What is the resolution?
5. What is a source book?
6. How is my partner chosen?
7. Does my child have to participate in debate tournaments?
8. What is the cost for debate?
9. When are the tournaments?
10. How long does a tournament last?
11. Where are the tournaments?
12. How much is the parent involved in debate?
13. How does a parent prepare to judge at a tournament?
14. What is NCFCA?
15. How much are NCFCA dues?
16. Can my 7th grader take debate?

Speech

1. Can my 6th grader take speech?
2. How much study time and preparation is involved in speech?

Government

1. What books are used?
2. How much study time and preparation is required for government?
3. Can my child receive American Government credit for either of these courses?
4. What is a “post”?
5. May my younger children and I attend the Capitol tour and lobbying day?

General

1. Where are classes taught?
• All classes are taught in conjunction with Christian College Preparatory Academy (CCPA; www.ccpacademy.info) CCPA is an academy that provides middle and high school supplemental classes for home school students.  BACK TO TOP
2. When are classes?
• All Podium Power speech, debate and government classes are taught on Mondays. Times are posted on the course information page. For a full schedule of all classes taught on Monday, refer to the CCPA schedule at  www.ccpacademy.info   BACK TO TOP
3. Can parents watch their child give a speech or watch their child’s debate round?
• Parents are always welcome to watch their child’s presentation.
• I suggest discussing this with your child first rather than surprise him/her.
• Many students are distracted by family or close friends.BACK TO TOP
4. May my younger children and I attend the Capitol tour and lobbying day?
• Parents are encouraged to attend our tour of the Texas Capitol and Governor’s Mansion and our day of lobbying the Texas Legislature. Well behaved younger children are welcome.BACK TO TOP

Debate

1. What is team policy debate?
• Debate is an argument to determine if change in the status quo is good or bad. Team Policy involves two teams of two each who debate a specific policy. In a standard round the Affirmative team will show harms in the status quo and present a plan to implement the resolution, thus solving the harm. The Negative team will present arguments to support the status quo, show that the Affirmative plan does not work, or that there are better ways to solve the harms than with the Affirmative plan. BACK TO TOP
2. What is the difference between Podium Power debate classes and a debate club?
• The choice for each family is a personal preference. The home school debate league is comprised of both formal debate/speech classes and debate/speech clubs. Both use the same resource books to prepare their cases. Over the course of a school year both cost about the same based on attendance at 2 tournaments.
• Debate clubs are informal and rely on parents to coach events. Most clubs I am familiar with have a wide age range from 9-18. Most in Texas require at least one parent to attend each club meeting. Meetings are once or twice per week and can last as long as 4-5 hours. Some clubs have coaches who have previous debate or public speaking experience, however, most rely on parents to learn to coach. Many clubs require members to attend at least one debate camp.
• The classes I teach meet once a week for 1 1/2 hours. Students enrolled in Podium Power debate classes automatically become members of Podium Power Forensics Club, the name under which we participate at tournaments. Although I am the only teacher, parents are encouraged to be involved in our activities. Not all parents or students have the time to devote to a debate club, therefore debate classes are a perfect alternative. Without these classes many students would not have the opportunity to experience competitive debate.
• Students in my classes range in age from (13) 14-18. Classes are relaxed but students are held accountable for assignments and receive a grade. The material I cover in both debate and speech classes meet the requirements for communications (speech) credit in Texas. I have had several student who enrolled in Austin area schools and receive speech credit for my class. BACK TO TOP
3. How much time is involved in debate?
• Most beginning students will average 2-3 hours per week the first semester. Obviously, some will work more, others will work less. The first semester teams are researching background information, learning rules and choosing and learning cases. The second semester students participate in tournaments and refine their cases and evidence.
• Team policy debate is a group activity where everyone is working with a partner and with a larger community, the class. In that respect, the research is shared with the class. BACK TO TOP
4. What is the resolution?
• The  resolution topic is a statement that the affirmative team affirms and the negative team negates. These are statements calling for government policy change.
• Resolution topics are voted on by NCFCA affiliate members from a list issued by the NCFCA.
• Resolutions are announced in June of each year.BACK TO TOP
5. What is a source book?
• After the new resolution is announced in June, several publishers research the new resolution and write background information, affirmative cases and negative briefs for the resolution.
• Debaters may use a case from the resource book or write their own.
• All debaters rely on these source books for evidence used in a debate round.BACK TO TOP
6. How is my partner chosen?
• A partner should be chosen with careful  consideration.
• Partners make a commitment to work together, share the work load, and partner for the current season.
• Partners should have
• same work ethic
• similar values
• similar goals relating to debate
• Partners and their parents should discuss and agree on how many tournaments they plan to attend and which ones. BACK TO TOP
7. Does my child have to participate in debate tournaments?
• All debaters are expected to participate in a minimum of 2 tournaments. Tournaments give students the opportunity to practice what they have learned, receive judges feedback, and improve their skills. BACK TO TOP
8. What is the cost for debate?
• The cost for debate varies according to the number of tournaments attended, distance traveled, and if the family attends each tournament or takes turn chaperoning with another family.
• Expected costs:
• Books: 2 source books and 1 class text book: $72 (subject to change)
• NCFCA dues: $30 (price goes up mid-September and again in December)
• Tournament registration fee (debate only): $25 per person
• Individual Events: (optional) $25 for 2 events
• Travel: lodging, meals & transportation varies based on distance, accommodations, number of tournaments attended.
• Debate attire:
• Men: suits or sport coat/slacks and tie
• Women: suits or dresses BACK TO TOP
9. When are the tournaments?
• There are different levels of tournaments
• Practice
• Qualifying
• Practice tournaments are held in the fall
• Qualifying tournaments begin in January
• Texas tournaments 2007-08:
1. Regional qualifiers: 1 in January , 2 in March
2. National qualifier: April BACK TO TO
10. How long does a tournament last?
• Tournaments normally begin at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday and end Saturday night.
• Thursday and Friday are preliminary rounds. There are 3 debate rounds each day.
• If a team advances to out rounds, they return Saturday morning for elimination rounds.
• Awards are announced Saturday night after the final round.
11. Where are the tournaments?
• Qualifying tournaments in Texas are usually held in Houston and the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
• Practice tournaments have been held in Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston
• Region IV (our region) tournaments are held in Texas, New Mexico and Arkansas; national open (qualifiers open to debaters through out the nation) are held across the US.  BACK TO TOP
12. How much is the parent involved in debate?
• Parents are expected to:
• Make sure their child prepares for and attends class regularly.
• Ensure that their child honors his/her commitment to his/her partner. This is a team activity. Barring some unforeseen circumstances, debaters are expected to commit for a full school year.
• Provide transportation, lodging, etc. at tournaments or take turns with another family, or reimburse a host family.
• Judge events at tournaments (tournaments rely on parents for 50% of the judge pool. It is not fair to repeatedly send your child to tournaments and expect some other parent to judge in your place. Parents never judge their child or a team mate.)
• Parents are not required to attend the debate class, however they are welcome. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child’s tournament preparation. BACK TO TOP
13. How does a parent prepare to judge at a tournament?
• Parents who attend a tournament will be asked to judge either debate and/or individual events.
• The tournament director will always give judging workshops for all events on the days of the tournament. These workshops normally last 15-30 minutes. It is best to prepare ahead of time by going to the NCFCA web site (www.ncfca.org) and review the judges manual and ballots for the various events. These can be downloaded for future reference.
• Parents can also prepare by reviewing background information and cases on the resolution in their child’s resource book. Also ask your child to go over some of the basic rules. This helps you understand debate and helps your child review. BACK TO TOP
14. What is NCFCA?
• National Christian Forensics and Communication Association (NCFCA, www.ncfca.org) is the national home school debate league. All speech and debate tournament rules and governing policy are established by the NCFCA. All participants at qualifying tournaments must belong to the NCFCA. BACK TO TOP
15. How much are NCFCA dues?
• No one may participate in a qualifying tournament without having paid the NCFCA Affiliate fee (per family per year).
• Forms are on the NCFCA web site for download
• Once the fee has been paid you will receive a family affiliate number, usually by e-mail.
• Save this number! It is required on all qualifying tournament registration forms. This will be your affiliate number for as long as you are a member of NCFCA.
• Before September 15: $30 per family
• Before December 31: $45 per family
• After December 31: $60 per family BACK TO TOP
16. Can my 7th grader take debate?
• I list debate for grades 8-12; this is only a guide and not a set rule.
• NCFCA debaters range in age from 13-19. (Some tournaments have a junior track for ages 9-12.) From my experience, and others agree with me, most younger students lack the reading and analytical skills adequate for understanding and applying debate rules and analyzing the resolution. However, there are always exceptions. The decision is left to the parents. BACK TO TOP

Speech

1. Can my 6th grader take speech?
• I list speech for grades 7-12; this is only a guide and not a set rule. However, there are always exceptions. The decision is left to the parents. BACK TO TOP
2. How much time is involved in speech?
• Students receive a syllabus with the semester’s assignments and due dates. So they have amble time to prepare for upcoming speeches.
• Preparation time varies according to students study habits and abilities.
• Each speech requires: selecting a topic, researching as necessary, writing an outline and or manuscript, and practicing the delivery. BACK TO TOP

Government

1. What books are used?
• There is no assigned book. Reading assignments will be available on the Internet. A student may purchase a high school American government text for supplemental reading.BACK TO TOP
2. How much study time and preparation is required for government?
• Study time will vary according to each student’s reading, writing, and research abilities. An estimate is 2-3 hours per week.
• Weekly reading assignments will be standard. Some assignments will require Internet research.
• Most weeks students will post to the government user site a brief commentary on an assignment.
• Several group projects and written papers will also be required.
• Approximately 4 tests are scheduled.BACK TO TOP
3. Can my child receive American Government credit for either of these courses?

To receive high school credit for American Government students will need to take both The Presidency and Politics & the US Congress and Interest Groups. BACK TO TOP

4. What is a “post”?
• Students will be given a prompt relating to an assignment and post commentary on the government user site. This is a restricted site and will be open only to Podium Power government students and their parents. BACK TO TOP
5. May my younger children and I attend the Capitol tour and lobbying day?
• Parents are encouraged to attend our tour of the Texas Capitol and Governor’s Mansion and our day of lobbying the Texas Legislature. Well behaved younger children are welcome.BACK TO TOP

Last update:

May 19, 2008