Why partner with us?
The Debate Mate USA program provides an effective platform for students to increase their confidence and improve their critical thinking skills. We combine a highly interactive teaching style, using speaking and listening activities, and competitive parliamentary debate, facilitated by a college student mentor. Our program culminates in a full-day, region-wide competition at Harvard University, where students are judged by some of the best college debaters in the United States. Our teaching method increases participants’ academic achievement and desire to move on to higher education as well as establishes an enhanced sense of pride in schools.
Results
Debate Mate USA's programs have been evaluated by current and former teachers, alumni of Teach for America and students at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Our evaluations show a clear link between student participation in our programs and increases in confidence, class participation, critical thinking, literacy, and writing ability. Furthermore, 91% of all Debate Mate USA partner schools rated our programs as effective or very effective according to the 2015-16 year-end teacher evaluation of Debate Mate USA.
Requirements
Each school chooses the day and time they would like their club per week, and each session is run by a trained college student mentor, who is CORI checked by Debate Mate USA. Participating schools are required to initially recruit students, organize the logistics for school trips, and assign a teacher contact to communicate with the Debate Mate USA office. We do the rest from there. We coordinate the competitions, assign your school a mentor/mentors and provide you with promotional materials and permission slips.
And best of all, it's FREE!