There was only 1 point difference in the exciting grand final debate between Lue PS and Hill End PS.
Hill End argued the affirmative that 'team sport is better than individual sport' Lue PS won the debate with a strong argument in the negative. We all look forward to next year's challenge!
7 December 2016
It started as a virtual debating round robin between a dozen far flung Central West small public schools, but the Small Talk final turned out to be a local derby between two rival heritage goldmining villages.
Hill End and Hargraves public schools fought out the ultimate argument of this year's Small Talk debating challenge.
Hill End Public School successfully argued against the proposition "that the money spent on the Olympics would be better spent elsewhere".
Adjudicator, Mumbil Public School Principal Di Farley gave the victory to Hill End Public in a very close decision over Hargraves Public School.
In its third successful year, Small Talk this year brought together more than one hundred debaters from Capertee, Geurie, Hargraves, Hill End, Lue, Mumbil, O'Connell, Sofala, Stuart Town, Trunkey Creek, Wattle Flat and Wollar who were matched virtually using the Department of Education's Connected Classrooms network.
Principal of the victorious Hill End Public School, Christopher Grossett is also the Small Talk Co-ordinator.
"The standard of skills demonstrated within the competition this year has just been incredible," Mr Grossett said.
"Coordinating the competition I have been thrilled to observe students growing in confidence, public speaking and debating skills.
"The competition is proving to be a wonderful initiative to enhance opportunities and experiences for the students and engage them in applying skills taught within class.
"It highlights the innovative ways that small school principals work to expand the learning experiences for their students."
Small Talk arguably a big idea to get far flung students talking
A successful virtual debating competition that is linking students from a dozen Central West small public schools is consolidating its achievement with its third year of competition.
The debating challenge called Small Talk uses the Department of Education's Connected Classrooms videoconferencing to pit together debaters from:
- Capertee
- Geurie
- Hargraves
- Hill End
- Lue
- Mumbil
- O'Connell
- Sofala
- Stuart Town
- Trunkey Creek
- Wattle Flat
- Wollar
Small Talk Co-ordinator and Hill End Public School Principal, Christopher Grossett said this year's quest to discover the 2016 Small Talk Champion is well advanced through the round robin phase with the grand finals chalked in for early Term Four.
Mr Grossett said Small Talk highlights the innovative ways that small school principals work to expand the learning experiences for their students and is already well entrenched on the small schools' calendar.
"The competition enhances learning experiences for students in an exciting and engaging manner," Mr Grossett said.
"It takes advantage of the very best in Connected Classroom technology to dissolve distance and isolation.
"Small Talk has enabled the students taking part to form ideas, justify arguments and present highly persuasive debates to a high level of skill and abilities.
"As the debate adjudicator I have been amazed by the public speaking skills and growth in confidence within the young debaters as Small Talk has progressed."
Mr Grossett said the Small Talk debaters have argued topics including:
- "That life was better when our grandparents were children"
- "That cats make better pets than dogs"
- "That there should be a computer on every desk"
More than 100 students have been involved in Small Talk which brings together many of the region's smallest schools as far flung as Trunkey Creek, Wollar and Geurie.
