Summary: Homeschool Speech and Debate Curriculum and high school activities can add a lot to high school at home. Here are 4 of our favorite frugal resources for that. Colleges love to see #homeschoolspeechanddebate on their applicants college applications #leadership #homeschoolhighschoolelectives #homeschooltocollege #homeschoolhighschool Note - This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our own homeschool. Please see my disclosure policy.
My daughter wanted to learn how to debate. We looked around for opportunities to learn that, and found a program in our area for just that, called Youth and Government.
Below you will find information on that program plus 3 other ways to help your teen learn these skills.
I have to tell you a story first, though. When my teen joined her speech and debate program, she was scared to speak for the first time in a debate. We happened to be planting bulbs at the time. As we put one in the ground, I said to her, "When these bloom, you will have the confidence to speak in your debate."
And later, in spring when they bloomed, she ran to me and said, "It worked!" And she did well in her debate, and is now working in a field where she does speeches all the time.
I thank God for giving me those words to help encourage my daughter to learn to speak up for herself in this way!
Is your teen interested in leadership or speech and debate?
Below are 4 frugal ways to teach that important skill to your teen. And the colleges love seeing this on their applicants's transcripts.
1. Youth and Government is a YMCA sponsored activity that teaches teens about state government, hands on. And it does this through teen activities.
They meet together each week in local small groups to learn about speech and debate. Then later they meet up statewide, where the students act as if they are youth legislators, and learn to write and debate their own mock bills.
How creative! Our teen loved this high school activity. And we made it into a homemade course, in speech and debate. She earned 1/2 credit in speech and debate.
Youth Mock Legislature:
The local groups meet together for the Youth Mock Legislature every year, in their state's capital.
There participants gather together from around the state, with their adult volunteer supervisors. My daughter's local delegation was full of homeschoolers, and most groups meet in their local YMCA's, who sponsor it. This program is funded by many companies including Microsoft.
State Wide Youth Legislature Events:
In our state of Washington, 400 teens converged on our state capital, for Youth and Government's model government program. The teens met in our state's legislative building,.... such a privilege.
First they met in committees to debate their mock bills, following the requirements for state bills.....
Everyone got a chance to present, and debate their own bills in the large sessions, if they got through committee.
We have enjoyed watching our
daughter grow from a young teen who avoided public speaking, to someone who
loves to speech and debate, and holding youth offices.
There was a formal ball, the
last evening ...Everything is well supervised by the adult volunteers who lead each group or delegation.
The next day, all the teens
from our local delegation gathered, with family, for an end of the session
luncheon...And the best thing is that my
teen gets to go back next year, as a College Ambassador.
This program offered
leadership experiences, and training in speech and debate, that can be listed
on a college applications.
Youth and Government is offered in 34 states around the country. Click the link below to see if it is available in your state.
Many of the state's support Youth and Government and they even make time for their Governor to meet with the teens.
Would you prefer to teach speech and debate at home?
Below is a favorite resource of ours from 7 Sisters:
4. Volunteering
Would you prefer to teach speech and debate at home?
Below is a favorite resource of ours from 7 Sisters:
 | |
|
Speech 1 is a frugal course written by the 7 Sisters veteran homeschool moms which comes as an ebook.
It includes everything you need to help your teen
develop the confidence to speak publicly, including 15 lessons which can easily
be expanded to make it a full English credit.
No need to join a group activity like Youth and Government, as this is a complete speech and debate course.
Colleges look for speech
in their applicant's transcripts. Here's a frugal way to get that done
for your teen.
There is another organization that offers speech and debate.
3. Stoa – Christian
Homeschool Speech and Debate
This national organization offers Speech Events, Debate
Events, and Tournaments here http://www.stoausa.org/ State Organizations
are here. http://www.stoausa.org/about/stoa-state-links
Volunteering is another great way to build up lots of important skills, not the least of which is character development. But that can also lead to good speaking skill development, too.
Volunteering is another great way to build up lots of important skills, not the least of which is character development. But that can also lead to good speaking skill development, too.
4. Volunteering
Other leadership related activities are not hard to find. There are many opportunities for these in our communities, such as:
- National Speech and Debate Association -
They are generously offering middle and high school competitions & tournaments and much more! They are also on Facebook
They are generously offering middle and high school competitions & tournaments and much more! They are also on Facebook
AND here are some other ways to help your teen learn leaderships skills:
-Joining a Parks Department Teen Board
-Volunteering as a Teen Leader in Scouts, 4H, Parks, or YMCA ----Volunteering at Church, in youth programs, day camps, etc.
-Paging at the State Legislature
-Volunteering at an animal shelter
-Participating in a Play/Drama
-Helping in a class at Co-op
- My own homeschoolers guide to the Common Application
Would you like some guidance to help your teen get into college?
With my book beside you as your guide, you can continue homeschooling high school your way, and also help get your teen into college, too.
With my book beside you as your guide, you can continue homeschooling high school your way, and also help get your teen into college, too.
 |
| Amazon |
Free to read on Amazon Prime
This book is an easy-to-read guide to college for homeschoolers, recently updated including:
- My own homeschoolers guide to the Common Application
- How to write the Counselor Recommendation Letter
- Where to find college scholarships
- SAT/ACT Prep
- How to make your own homemade courses
- Included are also 12 homeschool high school planning printables to make your record-keeping easier.
And don't worry about forgetting things!
Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,
Betsy
Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled through high school. She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool,
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition, She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting, and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition, She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting, and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.
Want to stay in touch?
No comments:
Post a Comment