中文
HOME
HOME / LATEST NEWS / Content

Grade 8 Chinese Debate Topic Event - "Graduation Discourse"

May 14, 2024

On the afternoon of May 9th, during the YD class, the eighth grade teachers and students welcomed a special graduation event. This event consisted of an exciting debate competition, a "Haiku poetry Video" prepared by teachers and students from the news group, and an awarding ceremony to recognize excellent poems written by students. In addition, interview videos recorded by students around the theme of “graduation” were showcased.

The prelude to today's event was a haiku poetry video edited by classmates from the news group. It began in a humorous style, which made the students burst into laughter. The second part of the video consisted of poetry carefully written by the students that reviewed the interesting events and moments that happened on campus throughout the three years of middle school.

Prior to this graduation activity, another themed event took place, titled "My Bronze Age”. During this event, classmates conducted mutual interviews, creating unique records of their wonderful experiences and memories during junior high school. The event on May 9th allowed the students to watch these carefully edited interview videos, teleporting them towards the past, recalling those forgotten feelings, and answering the perplexities of growth.

The next event was a passionate debate competition. The topic of the debate was: "Where to go and with whom is more important during the student stage?" The students' perspectives joined and sparked, exploring the meaning of friendship towards graduation. The debaters were composed of outstanding students selected from various Chinese classes and members of the Chinese debate club. The teacher and student judges were also invited to make summaries and comments on site.

After introducing the competitors, the competition started! The first debaters from both sides made logically clear arguments, “In the Student Stage” “Where to Go” Represents Direction, and 'Who to Go With' Represents Companions."

The second and third debaters from both sides began the arguing and questioning process. By detecting the other side’s logical loopholes, the audience members were given a deeper understanding of both sides of the argument. The spectators collectively held their breath and listened attentively to the sharp questions and precise answers of the debaters.

After the exciting questioning stage, both sides spoke in sequence, discussing each other's weaknesses, attempting to persuade the audience and judges with logic. This was a test for the students’ critical thinking abilities and speaking skills. After the summary from the fourth debater, their viewpoints became clearer, and the competition has come to an end.

The teacher and student judges praised the contestants for their performance on the spot, and also pointed out the systematic fallacies in their logic. During the event, student judge 8-10 Judy sincerely pointed out both the strengths and weaknesses of her classmates. Other judges also shared their understanding of the debate topic, expressing their gratification and hopes for the growth of the junior high school students. In the thrilling awarding segment, Ms. Chen Fan, Head of SHSID Middle School Chinese Department, presented the award to the outstanding debater Rachael. Ms. Wu Wenyi, Grade 8 Supervisor, awarded the second-place opposing team; and Mr. Shen Tianyuan, vice principal of SHSID Middle and Primary School, presented the award to the winning affirmative team.

Through the collision and contemplation of debates, the students learned to respect different viewpoints, understand diverse ideologies, and attempt to critically analyze issues. In the process of debating under the theme of "Graduation Discourse," the students not only looked back on the past but also embarked on envisioning and aspiring toward their own futures.

Written by 8-4 Julia

Supervised by Zhang Xinyi

Pictures by Teachers of Middle School Section

Edited by Cong Luo,Bianca Noguera