To thinking about ten million rights or wrongs, or to discuss black versus white, is to debate.
To think of thousands of creative ideas and to agree on the same idea, is to discuss.
To welcome white-clothed ministers and to gathering youngsters for a debate, is to recruit.
To proceed with a passionate heart and thousands of elegances, is to renew.
To defend what is right, is to argue for justice in the world.
In this debate activity, Grade 8 students conducted a debate activity with the theme of “Unity of Knowledge and Action”.
In fact, during our recent field trip to Shaoxing, we visited the hometown of Wang Yangming to learn more about his life and deeds. We learned about Wang Yangming’s theories such as “The Three Immortals”, “The Unity of Knowledge and Action”, and “The Heart is Reason”. The topic for this debate was derived from these theories.
In preparation, the debaters keenly discovered the ingenuity contained within the topic and actively participated in the preparation for the debate, utilizing their spare time to storm the discipline to explore the knowledge and think about the potential arguments. However, a debate is not one person’s business – a flower alone is not spring. It is inevitable that differences will be questioned. After the ‘cold war’, teams realize that success is achieved through harmony and strength born in unity. In a team, only when everyone fulfills their own duties and responsibilities, draws on their own talent and gives mutual support and cooperation, can they play an important part in the team.
In the process of pursuing a goal, we may believe that we can reach our goal quickly if we walk alone, but we can go farther if we walk together with others. This is because cooperation allows us to share resources, help each other, reduce difficulties, and achieve common goals.
Lovely silent partners
You may not have noticed that certain individuals were everywhere on stage, handing out microphones, managing props behind the scenes, and keeping time on the stage. The success of this event was not only due to Ms. Wang Xiaoran, who planned and promoted the event, but also to all the staff members who dedicated themselves to the event – we thank them for their diligence, responsibility, meticulous arrangements, and dedication. It was their conscientiousness, meticulous arrangements and close cooperation that ensured the flow of the event.
How did they rationalize their time and make sure that they could study at the same time?
After an initial investigation, students listed out the things to be accomplished and did some urgent things in advance, so as to reasonably arrange their time. It is important to have your own rhythm in life, as we are not a perpetual motion machine but a spring, giving ourselves scalable pressure and the time to study well after work or school. You can use school activities to carry out appropriate relaxation, and to also develop one’s own personal ability. By combining work and rest, you will be more efficient in accomplishing things.
Intense Debate Scene
During the debate, the debaters were very vocal and impassioned, infecting the audience and making people fully feel the urgency of the debate.
The audience was silent and focused on the debate occurring on the stage. Scripts were flipping, rustling; the countdown to start proceeded with a rapid ticking sound. On the opposite side of the debaters, the signal was given for the question. The atmosphere of the debate was pushed to a climax.
“Is your side confusing the topic of the debate and replacing concepts?”
“Action is the only standard for testing truth!”
“Our side questions the logic of your arguments!”
……
The stagnant air was filled with the aura of a battlefield, and words were the weapons with which the debaters fought back. The debaters stood on the stage of the debate, calmly and clearly stating their point of view.
With the ringing of the bell for the end of the debate, the victory bell was rung!
When the result of the match was about to be announced, the collective audience held its breath, waiting with eager anticipation for the result. With thunderous applause from the audience, the winning debaters were decided! The winning team cheered for the honour bestowed to them!
Review interview
We also interviewed the student audience, who had many unique and wonderful insights into the debate. “I think that the whole process from the preparation to the debate fully embodies the unity of knowledge and action. When we went to the hometown of Yangming to learn about Wang Yangming, we were knowing in action; and when we organized the debate, we showed the ideas we had already used through the form of this competition. We were acting in knowledge. As Principal Zhang said, “knowledge and action are inseparable, and knowledge and action are united! When I watched the debaters debating, it was as if I was also on the stage, and I would try to figure out whether the viewpoints stated by each side were valid and whether the logic was reasonable. The debates drove my thinking to become active! The whole process of the competition was very exciting, and I would like to show my skills in the next debate activity!”
This was a meaningful debate activity – we not only thought of knowledge and debating, but also contributed to something through teamwork. We were able to realize the importance of teamwork and rational planning in both studies and life.
This was the official end of our Middle School’s Grade 8 “Unity of Knowledge and Action” Debate Competition. Big thanks go to all the volunteers for their enthusiastic help. Lastly, we wish you all the best in the second half of this semester!