Free Debate worked with a group of about sixty students who received interactive training in ways they can teach confident, clear, reasoned public speaking to their students. We challenged the eager cohort of future teachers with the sorts of activities they might use in turn with their own students, including small group Oxford-style debates. Workshop participants argued passionately for and against the concept of performance pay for teachers and the introduction of a new demand-driven market-based system for school funding whereby government funding would be allocated to students in the form of vouchers which are used to pay any school.
We also provided participants with the first edition of Free Debate's Teachers' Guide. Our guide contains lesson plans, extra activities and games to use, and contact details for ongoing support which Free Debate is excited to provide these new teachers for their future endeavours in the classroom.
Free Debate would like to thank Teach For Australia for the opportunity to work with them and we wish all the future teachers well in their future classrooms!
