Listed below are some of the key features and goals of the Christian Communicators Northwest team policy debate program.
Highly
Structured Debate
The central feature of CCNW team policy debate is the implementation of standards (rules) designed to focus the debate activity on the substance of the topic at hand and the quality of argumentation used. The restrictions employed by CCNW include limitations on the case structures allowed for the affirmative team and prohibitions on certain strategies employed by the negative team. The four stock issues of Topicality, Significance, Inherency, and Solvency serve as the basis for decision in all CCNW debates. The goal is to limit the debate students to the fundamentals essential to all good debate. By concentrating their efforts on these fundamentals the students will have a greater opportunity to increase their proficiency in them.
The resolution is the heart of team policy debate. Consistent with the structured debate style practiced by CCNW, the goal of CCNW is to work from a resolution that has been carefully crafted to be clear with regard to its intent, and restricted in its breadth, or range of issues that are legitimately encompassed. In addition to facilitating the structured debate style, a narrow resolution encourages a more in depth exploration of the subject matter being debated.
A Shorter
Debate Year
CCNW families love debate. We believe it is one of the best possible educational tools available to older homeschooled students. However, we also recognize that debate can become an all-consuming passion for those involved. To help CCNW families maintain a balance between participation in debate and other responsibilities and activities, the CCNW debate year will be specifically restricted to the period from November through May. The season will begin in early November with the announcement of the resolution. No competitive events will be scheduled until mid-January at the earliest and no events will be scheduled after the end of May.
Greater Local
Control
Any large organization must of necessity develop a certain amount of bureaucracy to manage its activities. Such bureaucracy frequently is incapable of working with the special needs and interests of specific segments of the organization. By keeping control of the organization in the hands of Oregon and Washington families, CCNW is well positioned to tailor its activities and events in a manner that best serves the homeschooling families in our area.
Lower Costs
By limiting CCNW events to Oregon and Washington, travel to any event is available by a one day drive by car. Furthermore, CCNW events are limited to a maximum of two days, and all two day events must be held on Friday-Saturday. This arrangement reduces the concerns for lost work time, and makes participation by fathers more realistic. Finally, all CCNW event hosts are strongly encouraged to keep event costs as reasonable as possible by using care in facility selection and keeping extras such as awards within moderate bounds.
What About
Speech?
CCNW is currently working on the development of a Speech program. While CCNW intends to retain team policy debate as its primary focus, it believes that Speech training can also be a valuable tool for homeschooling families in the raising up of their children to be better equipped servants of Jesus Christ. Consistent with its overall philosophy, CCNW intends its Speech program to be limited and low-key.
The Fall semester of 2010 will initiate the first formal CCNW Speech season. Starting in the 2010-2011 academic year, CCNW intends Speech to be a fall semester activity, while Team Policy Debate will continue to be a spring semester activity. The selected events for the Fall 2010 season are: Apologetics, Persuasive, Impromptu, Expository, and Humorous Interpretation. Please see the "Latest" news link on the home page for more information on CCNW Speech and additional links to CCNW Speech documents.
What
About Other Team Policy Debate Leagues?
CCNW does not view itself as being in competition with any other team policy debate league. It is organized with a central goal of providing a highly structured debate environment, and a secondary goal of retaining control of the activities at a more local level. Families looking for debate environment that is less restrictive on types and styles of argumentation, and/or association with a national organization can find those features elsewhere. Thus, CCNW views itself as complementing the overall situation by providing an alternative for Christian homeschooling families in Oregon and Washington. The essay "For More Structured Debate" provides a perspective on the philosophical differences between the more structured debate environment provided by CCNW and the more open debate environment available elsewhere.