HYPERLOCAL NEWS HUB BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM
Peabody Elementary Debate Teaches Civic Duties
By Dustin Azlin/MicroMemphis Reporter
November 20, 2012
Peabody Elementary students learned firsthand about political discourse and the election process through a program designed to engage children from kindergarten to fifth grade.
Students participated in a mock debate in the school cafeteria and were allowed to vote for a candidate after the debate concluded. Different aspects of the election process, from voter registration to casting a ballot, were covered by the new program.
Tony de Velasco, the parent of a Peabody student and associate professor at The University of Memphis, helped organize and set up the event. He said it was designed to engage young children in politics and teach them about factors that influence an election.
“With the presidential election coming up,” he said, “the students needed a space to think through the issues.”
Jennifer Eoff, resident assistant principal and instructional facilitator at Peabody, said she wants students to think critically about the ideas that are important to the electorate.
“I hope this will spark an interest in issues that affect us all,” she said.
The debaters covered a range of issues including Afghanistan, unemployment, education and healthcare. The students also discussed the auto-industry bailouts and the Keystone XL pipeline.
Velasco said he enjoyed watching the audience react to the debaters on-stage.
“I was impressed that the students were really interested in what the other students had to say,” he said. “The students actually paid attention and followed what was going on.”
Velasco said that children most often form political viewpoints in conformity with their parents, but don’t often ponder the issues behind them. The debate, which took place on Oct. 31, was designed to get students thinking about how democracy works.
“Being involved as a citizen in democracy is thinking about facts,” he said.
The participating students were divided into two teams, one for Barack Obama and the other for Mitt Romney. Others were tasked with asking questions of each team. Children in the audience participated as well by holding signs supporting either candidate.
Velasco said mock debates like this one would help engage the students in democracy once they reach voting age.
“(Students) get to practice something that in just a few years they will be doing for real,” he said. “That will benefit our community and our country.”
All grades participated in the event. Kindergarteners created campaign buttons, first graders conducted historical research, second graders dealt with statistics and third graders dealt with the rhetoric. Rebutters were chosen from fourth graders and lead debaters from fifth grade.
Making the process enjoyable was the main goal for Velasco.
“Politics can be exciting and it can be fun,” he said. “It’s more transformative if it’s fun and they enjoy it.”
After the debate ended, students went to the voting booths. But just like in a real election, each student had to report to a specific precinct in order to cast a vote. Around 360 votes were cast. President Obama won by a landslide with 300 plus votes. Governor Romney walked away with 30 to 40 votes. Vote error accounted for the remaining difference.
Kongsouly Jones, principal of Peabody, said voting was an important part of the program because it showed students that voting gives you a voice in democracy.
“Today you get to have a vote,” she said. “You get to choose our next president too.”
Students participated in a mock debate in the school cafeteria and were allowed to vote for a candidate after the debate concluded. Different aspects of the election process, from voter registration to casting a ballot, were covered by the new program.
Tony de Velasco, the parent of a Peabody student and associate professor at The University of Memphis, helped organize and set up the event. He said it was designed to engage young children in politics and teach them about factors that influence an election.
“With the presidential election coming up,” he said, “the students needed a space to think through the issues.”
Jennifer Eoff, resident assistant principal and instructional facilitator at Peabody, said she wants students to think critically about the ideas that are important to the electorate.
“I hope this will spark an interest in issues that affect us all,” she said.
The debaters covered a range of issues including Afghanistan, unemployment, education and healthcare. The students also discussed the auto-industry bailouts and the Keystone XL pipeline.
Velasco said he enjoyed watching the audience react to the debaters on-stage.
“I was impressed that the students were really interested in what the other students had to say,” he said. “The students actually paid attention and followed what was going on.”
Velasco said that children most often form political viewpoints in conformity with their parents, but don’t often ponder the issues behind them. The debate, which took place on Oct. 31, was designed to get students thinking about how democracy works.
“Being involved as a citizen in democracy is thinking about facts,” he said.
The participating students were divided into two teams, one for Barack Obama and the other for Mitt Romney. Others were tasked with asking questions of each team. Children in the audience participated as well by holding signs supporting either candidate.
Velasco said mock debates like this one would help engage the students in democracy once they reach voting age.
“(Students) get to practice something that in just a few years they will be doing for real,” he said. “That will benefit our community and our country.”
All grades participated in the event. Kindergarteners created campaign buttons, first graders conducted historical research, second graders dealt with statistics and third graders dealt with the rhetoric. Rebutters were chosen from fourth graders and lead debaters from fifth grade.
Making the process enjoyable was the main goal for Velasco.
“Politics can be exciting and it can be fun,” he said. “It’s more transformative if it’s fun and they enjoy it.”
After the debate ended, students went to the voting booths. But just like in a real election, each student had to report to a specific precinct in order to cast a vote. Around 360 votes were cast. President Obama won by a landslide with 300 plus votes. Governor Romney walked away with 30 to 40 votes. Vote error accounted for the remaining difference.
Kongsouly Jones, principal of Peabody, said voting was an important part of the program because it showed students that voting gives you a voice in democracy.
“Today you get to have a vote,” she said. “You get to choose our next president too.”
Dustin Azlin
Dustin Azlin covers public safety for MicroMemphis.
You can send him story ideas here.
You can follow him on Twitter @DustinAzlin.
See more of his work at dustinazlin.com/
You can send him story ideas here.
You can follow him on Twitter @DustinAzlin.
See more of his work at dustinazlin.com/