A dissapointing end to 2010

Well....as a matter of record I am obliged to write something about our losses too.2010 ended with a two big losses for the team.First we were dispatched at the Nixon's (one of the only tournaments we still haven't won) by team CIS at the quarter finals.

The next crushing blow came when we lost our final debate at this years league to STC on a split decision.This tied STC and us in terms of the number of wins.....but we were placed third based on 1 point.We congratulate CIS and STC for making it thus far and wish them the best of luck at the finals.Read more at http://thedebaterscouncil.blogspot.com/2010/11/dc-schools-league-final-points-table.html.I must also mention that we were truly disappointed with the standard of judging at this debate.

We have cited various reasons for this disappointing performance and have learn't a lot from them.Having said that.... I shall leave with a positive note: As we retire to do our AL's await the debut of the new team that will be representing Wesley!!

_M_

ASDC 2010

It’s been ages since we’ve come back but I thought I should write something about the experience we had at the Asian Schools Debating Championships held in Manila Philippines (organized by the De La Salle University : Manila) in September 2010….before I go into the details…I think it’s really important that I thank a couple of people who helped make this happen. On top of the list is our Principal Dr.Shanti McLelland who gave us the go ahead and most of the financial support that was necessary for this trip. A very special thank you goes out to Mrs. Niroza.Gazzali without whom I’m sure none of us would have gotten far…and of course our vice principal and a whole load of old boys including our unofficial but defacto coach Dilshan Boange. Also I must thank Mrs.Uyangoda the teacher in-charge of the Ladies College debating team for all the help she gave us.Also a special thankyou to Shamalie Jaytunge coach of the LC team ..and all the members from the LC debating teams who made this trip so much fun.

Wesley broke 4th out of around 60 odd teams that participated from all over Asia. We were unbeaten through the preliminary rounds but unfortunately had to depart the tournament at the Octo final round loosing with an extremely close 0.5 margin to the opposition. I am personally very proud of our team. Sithira Gunesekara and Chrisjit Xavier did exceptionally well throughout the tournament all gaining high speaker scores at every debate.

What we all realized after participating at this tournament is how much our horizons had broadened in all aspects specially in terms of debating. Although our team has been debating for almost 4 years we learnt a lot in the past 7 days, the reason being in my opinion the exposure to a lot of different cultures of debating and discourse. Precisely because of this reason, instead of the same recycled comments and criticisms that we always hear from adjudicators back in Sri Lanka....we were exposed to new ideas, new styles, new techniques, new philosophies and different methods of judging, all of from which we have gained something to add to our team. In addition to this we made many friends and contacts in the true spirit of cultural exchange. Therefore although we had very high expectations and feel very very disappointed about not being able to win the championship...we also feel that we have gained a lot as a team (as the saying goes....what cant kill you can only make you stronger!).

_M_

Thank you APIIT!

The Debating team of Wesley College would like to thank the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) Sri Lanka for the immense support they've given us to make our dreams of participating and winning the Asian Schools Debating Championships a success.We take this opportunity to thank the CEO of APIIT Dr. Athula Pitigala-Arachchi and Mr.Gihan Silva (Head of marketing for APIIT) for believing in us and supporting us in this venture.

APIIT - Sri Lanka is part of an international collaboration with links to a wide range of reputable universities in the UK and Australia. APIIT-Sri Lanka's principal purpose is to provide higher education of international standard with a view to producing globally competitive graduates who will meet the demands of the modern society and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. To achieve these objectives, APIIT-Sri Lanka provides excellent opportunities for classroom learning, independent and group studies and research.Please take a minute to visit their website here

Maleen!

How to adjudicate a debate

The WCDS has always tried their best to give something back to debating in Sri Lanka, atleast to try and match what it has given all of us here at the WCDS.So for the second time, we decided to host a workshop on debating for members of interested institutions.This years workshop was titled "How To Adjudicate A Debate" and was held on the 7^th of July 2010.As the title suggests this workshop was on how to effectively judge a debate held in the World Schools format and was conducted by the Debaters' Council of Sri Lanka.The aim of this program was to educate both students and teachers on the finer points of how to judge a debate so as to improve the standard of debating in Sri Lanka, specially in the intra school level.The workshop itself was an immense success and had many positive reviews from the teachers and students of invited schools, fellow debaters from Wesley and the DC.The institutions that were invited included:

• Royal College
• Visakha Vidyalaya
• Colombo International School
• Ananda College
• St. Bridgets College
• Bishop's College
• St.Thomas’s College
• Methodist College
• Ladies' College
• Royal institute
• Museaus College,
• DSS College
• Trinity College
• Hejaaz International
• Alethea
• Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya
• Anula Vidyalaya
• Arts Faculty (Colombo University)
• Law Faculty (Colombo University)
• Moratuwa University

Although not all institutions invited participated, the workshop itself was quite a success bringing together a captive audience of over 100 delegates.We wish to thank Ladies College for accepting our request and invitation to debate against us at the mock debate held at the workshop.The topic debated was "THBT the payment of dowry should be criminalized".A very Special thanks goes out to the Debaters Council who accepted our invitation to conduct the workshop.Particularity Mr.Anisha Yasaratne (President of the DC) for extending his fullest support for this venture and Miss.Shamalie Jayatunge and Mr.Shan Danthanarayana for the
excellent lectures they provided at the workshop.(see photographs below)















Also great big thankyou to the interact club of Wesley college for the assistance they provided to make this even a success.
We hope both teachers and students who participated found this workshop as helpful as we in the debating team did.

Maleen.