Digital Pass Parent & Coach Class Descriptions
Parent & Coach: Club Focus
Becoming a Prayerful Club by Allisha Speed
Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” Join me as we see what the Lord will do with Stoa families and students as we prioritize prayer inside and outside of club.
Building a Legacy Club by Ellen Alcazar
This lecture and discussion style session will cover both the practical and the philosophical underpinnings of a healthy club—a club that will stand firm through the yearly transitions of families graduating, coaching changes, shifts in club dynamics, and the normal but stressful strains of internal conflict.
Conflict Resolution for Club Leaders by Lynda Sloneker
Let’s talk about the art of effective communication as you learn to diffuse tense situations and foster understanding among conflicting parties. Through engaging discussions, practical exercises, and real-world case studies, you'll develop a comprehensive toolkit to mediate conflicts and build bridges between divergent perspectives in your club.
Creating a Club Syllabus for Your Year by Angela Childress
Do you find yourself scrabbling and emailing parents the night before club day? Would you like to get a good night’s sleep knowing what to teach and what activities will complement? Join in as we explore the world of using a club syllabus. We hope you will choose to give it a try this season!
Cultivating Character in Your Club by Colleen Enos
Are you wondering how to change the focus in your club to Godly character? How can discipling your club produce strong young Christians? You will receive practical tips and methods to implement in your club this year to turn the tide toward godliness.
Fundraising for Your Club by Maggie Carabelos
This workshop is designed to give you the tools necessary to raise money successfully for your club in your community. Fundraising is key in helping your families compete and travel across the country without breaking the bank!
Getting Dads Involved by Wayne Johnson
God designed men and women for sacred service and ministry in marriage, raising children, homeschooling, work, church, and other roles in the Kingdom of God. We have been created and designed by God with purpose. During this session, we will consider the essential role of fathers in homeschool speech and debate.
Getting Your Club Started by Kimberly Farley & Michelle Hawkinson
This workshop will cover the aspects of starting a Stoa club including setting a mission/vision statement, club administration, and practical considerations such as finances, facility, and expectations. As Stoa values local control, the discussion will center on pros and cons of various approaches so that local clubs may make informed decisions on their own policies.
Running a Juniors Program by Tracy Mauldin & Emily Wurpts
Come learn about juniors as a competitive club, whether you have ten kids or 44! We will be sharing tips and tricks for junior clubs and tournaments. Juniors club is such a great launching place for speech and debate! Join us for a conversation and get direction for your junior program.
Running an Online Club by Janice Tham
Tired of online classes? How can you build relationships or effectively coach an online club? We will answer these questions and many others in this class. Please note that this is not really a “how-to” class; it’s more of a “How it happened and still very much a work-in-progress” class. It will give you a glimpse into how and why an online club was formed, some insights into what worked and didn’t work, and a roundtable session to discuss issues surrounding online clubs.
Parent & Coach: Debate Focus
Coaching Cross-Ex by Ty Harding
This session is a high-level overview of strategic cross-examination, drawing on legal practice, classical rhetoric, and forensic experience to equip coaches to take students' cross-examination skills to the next level.
Coaching LD With Multiple Resolutions by Larry Sparks
In this session, we will train coaches and parents to prepare students for multiple resolutions. With the introduction of a perennial and topical reading list, your students will be well on the way to preparing for any of the five resolutions. Additionally, we will introduce a plan to enlist students within topical groups to train the rest of your squad. Whether you are a large or small club, we will give you a method to make the most of the material. Finally, there will be a general overview of the fall resolution.
Coaching This Year's TP Rez by Maggie Carabelos & Ty Harding
This class will include a survey of major topics in US energy policy, complete with aff case recommendations and negative strategies grounded in the literature, including generics, counterplans, and kritiks.
Dabbling With Debate by Colleen Enos
How do you decide which debate style your student should compete in? How do you start a debate club? This class will cover how to get some debate up and running in your club and getting your own student started in debate!
Handling Evidence: Why It Matters & How to Do It by Larry Sparks
This session will better prepare you for handling evidence. In addition to the Judicial Review, we will discuss listening and flowing skills. What is the role of evidence in formal arguments? Do debaters handle the information with care? Do judges play an important, critical role in the round? When should a source be indicted or a procedural executed? You may learn new terminology during this class. It's not a session for abstract theory but rather a discussion on the fundamental question, “How do you know?”
Propagating Parli by Colleen Enos
Have you ever wondered how to lead and coach Parli? Or you can’t figure out how to add Parli to a club you already coach? This is the class for you! We’ll talk about Parli time structure, different methods to approach it in your club, and what exactly those Parli students should be doing! Here, here! (Knocks on table)
Refining Rebuttals by Kimberly Farley
This workshop will discuss the purpose of rebuttals, effective refutation, weighing the arguments of the round, and how to summarize the round persuasively. Participants will also learn some drills to use with students. We will include a discussion of how to move students from straight refutation of arguments to more advanced skills of analysis.
Structuring Your Debate Time & Drills by Danny Lyda
We have limited time each week to teach and practice debate. In this class, we will discuss ideas to use that time effectively. We will talk about how to use lectures, discussions, and drills to maximize our time working with our students.
Why Debate? Train Club Parents to Coach Debate by Mary Winther
In this session, we will look at the reasons why your club should be teaching debate, as well as the most effective means of making this happen. Using the gifts and talents of club parents in specific ways can help facilitate a healthy experience while avoiding pitfalls and conflicts.
Parent & Coach: Speech Focus
Club Prep for Limited Prep by Sue Danielson & Ty Harding
Overview of the Limited Prep events and the basics of coaching them. This class will help you manage the events, along with tips and resources for them.
Coaching Interps: Perfect Pieces by Anna Plummer
As a coach, students are looking for your guidance to help them find an interp piece. This class will give coaches the resources, tools, and ideas to inspire their students to choose pieces that will stay with them beyond their Stoa years.
Developing Platform Speeches With Impact by Lynda Sloneker
This class will go into the many aspects of delivering an effective platform speech, from topic selection, writing, and delivery. We will also discuss facilitating practice, giving feedback, and refining based on judge comments. The goal is to help you help your students deliver speeches that matter.
Getting Started in Speech by Tasha Aschmutat
This class will provide a detailed overview of each speech event, including the specific speech goals. It will also cover what is expected from the students and what we hope they can learn from competing in each event.
How to Help Your Speech Student at Home by Allisha Speed
At-home practice is essential to train impactful speakers. Learn how to incorporate speech into your daily homeschool in ways that will elevate their character, understanding, and performance.
"Making Mars Hill Impactful in the Life of Your Student" by Sue Danielson
Go beyond the basics by learning the importance of good research, understanding the specific issues within the topic, and finding common ground from the piece to build a bridge to biblical truth. This class will work-shop several new Mars Hill topics.
Pro Tips for Interps by Anna Plummer
Interps aren’t just for speech kids. Find out why your debater should delve into the world of Interps! Coach your club with renewed enthusiasm for Interps—where to find selections, cutting a piece of literature, dynamic characterization, blocking ideas, and more.
Structuring Your Speech Time & Drills by Tasha Aschmutat
What do you do during speech club time? This class will show you different ways students can practice their speeches, drills that will help them with specific speaking skills, and fun games that they won’t even know are educational.
The Heart of Apologetics by Danny Hinton
During this session, we will consider the "why," the "what," and the "how" of Apologetics training by surveying modern research and exploring a few pedagogical approaches together.
Up Your Feedback Game: Training Parent Coaches by Allisha Speed
Have you wondered how to give feedback to your students at club? This class will provide you with practical help and resources to develop your coaching feedback.
Parent & Coach: Tournament Focus
Ballot Push by Tammy Flood
Ballot Push is much more than just handing out ballots! With careful planning and adaptable strategies, you can create a welcoming Ballot Push table that keeps judges coming back again and again. Learn how to integrate well with other tournament teams, stay on time, and maintain a fun, peaceful, and trustworthy area that operates smoothly throughout the tournament.
Ballot Return by Wendy Eltiste
All areas of the tournament are critical to the success of a tournament, and Ballot Return is no exception! Come learn how to send error-free ballots to Tab, keep the tournament running on time, and why Ballot Return should be viewed as a form of hospitality to our wonderful judges!
Directing a Tournament & Tournament Admin by Angela Childress
Whether new to tournament directing or seasoned but open to new
ideas, we will open the door to key aspects of tournament directing and your motivation behind it. Seasoned with laughter and interaction, we encourage you to consider stepping into (or continuing!) your role as a Stoa tournament director.
Parli Proctoring by Ellen Alcazar
This session will outline the basics of serving as a Parliamentary Debate proctor with some extra tips that will make the job easier, the tournament smoother, and the kids happier.
Facilities & Logistics by Michelle Hawkinson
Logistics volunteers set the tone in the hallways and help tournaments run smoothly! Come learn about this vital (and super fun) tournament role! We will also discuss facility tips and tricks to set your tournament up for success!
Hospitality by Maggie Carabelos
This workshop will inspire you to share the gift of hospitality with your judges, parents, and staff. Menus, shopping lists, budgets, food preparations, and staging are on the agenda for this fun and tasty time together!
Issues, Investigations, and Adjudications by Colleen Enos
What are common issues at tournaments and how do we handle them? This class will cover the ins and outs of speech and debate issues, investigations and adjudications, and give you advice on how to handle them.
Judge Greeting by Tammy Flood
Judge Orientation by Angela Childress
Is Judge Orientation just about repeating the same slides multiple times throughout a tournament? Ask any seasoned JO leader, and they will definitely have a
resounding ‘no!’. Learn what JO is all about and how you can develop your skills as a team player or leader in the fun and caring world of Judge Orientation.
Judge Recruitment by Michelle Hawkinson
Judge recruitment is key to a timely and successful tournament. This class will recommend WHO you should invite to judge at your local tournament and give ideas of HOW you can ask them for the best results! Learn how to communicate throughout the tournament process to create a welcoming environment and develop a long-term relationship.
Extemp Proctoring by Theresa Ellington
The session focuses on Extemp proctoring. What is needed, and why is it necessary? How do I find people to work this tournament job? What about odd situations that might happen? Learn all these things and more in this session taught by the Extemp Proctor Extraordinaire.
Principles of Tab by Janice Tham & Wayne Johnson
Stoa tournaments provide essential opportunities for our sons and daughters to grow and mature during their homeschool speech and debate journeys. The work of faithful servants in tab rooms permeates nearly all aspects of Stoa tournaments. During this session, we will explore the concepts and principles of tab operations (both large and small) that guide and lead tournaments, including Stoa’s core tabulation values, balancing open tab policies and tournament confidentiality, preliminary and outround ranking methods, power matching, power protecting, NITOC double-elimination outrounds, addressing unexpected or unusual tournament problems, and other tab concepts. This session focuses on tab principles and not any particular tab software.