Parent Resources
Welcome! Being a parent of a young debater can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience. Your son or daughter is becoming caught up in a world of political philosophy, evidentiary analysis and intricate argumentation that may make you worry that he or she will soon be able to talk you out of their curfew. It is only natural that you want to learn more about the activity your student is involved in and there are many ways for you to be an active participant and support for your student in their debate career. Students with supportive parents are able to excel in debate because they have such meaningful support, which can come at a variety of levels. For instance, you can:
- Help your student brainstorm arguments
- Listen to him or her give speeches and provide feedback
- Judge at local tournaments
- Act as chaperon for the team at tournaments
This page is dedicated to parents of students who are interested in learning more about how to an active and effective debate parent and what resources Perspectives has to offer for you as a parent.
If you're new to debate or still trying to get the grasp of it, Perspectives' Introduction to LD Debate handbooks are valuable resources to learn more about what debate is, check out our introduction to debate.
If you're looking for a more formal program to teach you about debate and your role in it as a parent, Perspectives also offers training sessions on how to judge or coach LD debate during our summer and winter institutes.