A New System of Debating: How We're Different
Rise & Shine is a new way to debate. We keep the traditional elements of teamwork, arguing a topic and trying to persuade others of your view, but we also use debating as a vehicle for students to gain skills that will serve them well in further education as well as their careers in today’s fast-paced and rapidly-changing world.
We take debating from being an often cut-throat activity to something that is inclusive, playful, challenging and experiential - working with each student to help them discover and hone their unique strengths and share their ideas with the world. Rise & Shine is about training the next generation of leaders, humanitarians, creators, thinkers, and people who are not afraid to stand up, speak out and let their talents shine!
Inclusive Learning
Rise & Shine debating provides a chance for all students to participate and shine, regardless of academic or language ability and learning style. Everyone is welcome in our programs.
Balancing Achievement
with Play
Debating is a challenging activity but Rise & Shine teaches it in a way that allows students to have fun, explore, play with ideas and express themselves creatively - something they love to do.
Age-appropriate Challenges
While we work mainly with Year 5, 6 and 7 students, debating can be great for talented Year 4s and older students too. We teach high-level skills in ways that suit all stages of development.
A New Take on Competing
Our unique Rise & Shine adjudication system awards Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum certification based on demonstrated achievement of skills, rather than just winning and losing.
Developing Mastery
Debate nights are a very exciting challenge, but the experiential learning gleaned in preparation is fundamental to the ultimate goal of building confidence and developing mastery.
Experiential Learning
Debating is a real-life, interactive and hands-on adventure that creates a unique enthusiasm as students have the chance to voice their thoughts on topics that are important to them.
Healthy Competition
Deeper learning through meaningful achievement
Rise & Shine takes a different approach to traditional debate scoring. Instead of a winning team and losing team, we award levels of accomplishment based on a set of criteria. In a Rise & Shine debate event, teams are awarded a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum certificate depending on the skill level they have achieved.
For beginning debaters and young students, simply announcing a winning team does little to help the students grow and improve, whereas the Rise & Shine award they achieve tells them which skills they’ve mastered and which skills they need to work on to reach the next level.
Our Rise & Shine adjudication system encourages students to challenge themselves, adding to and honing their abilities while recognising and rewarding their improvements.
“The key to holding a logical debate is to understand the
other person’s argument, no matter how divergent their
views may seem.”
- Auliq Ice -
My daughter has made it into the Year 7 Debating Team at Mercedes College. Thank you for your amazing expertise, experience, commitment, dedication, and passion!!!
Parent of a Year 6 Rise & Shine Debating student