Group B

Subject: We must make school uniform.


Moderator: Allie

Agree side: Carol
                   Hanna
                   Kofy

Disagree side: Finnian
                       Lucus


Note: This topic is about elementary school, junior high school, and high school. Now, students go to school in plain clothes. If they make a law, students must buy school uniform by themselves. The money will not come from citizen's tax.


Opinions of agree side:


・Carol
     She cited three things as a merit of school uniform: we can recognize which school the student attend, and students can wear school uniform in formal occasion.
     About cost, she thinks it is not hard for them to buy because they have to buy only when they enter school.

・Hanna
     She said it was a merit of school uniform that students don't have to decide what they wear in the morning.
     She thinks if students wear school uniform, they can be closer with their friends and teachers.

・Kofy
     She said it was a merit of school uniform that students don't have to decide what they wear in the morning, too.


Opinions of disagree side:


・Finnian
     She said that she wants not to wear skirt at school and some students want not to do so.
     She said it was a demerit of school uniform that they can't wash it every day.

・Lucus
     He worried about that students must buy it by themselves.
     At last of this discussion, suggested school badge.


Conclusion: We make the school badge and don't make school uniform.


I think this discussion was so good because they could reach conclusion that both of sides agree with. I know it is so difficult. But sometimes I couldn't hear what they said.

Group C

Subject: We must introduce rental system of textbooks instead of free of charge.


Moderator: Ashley

Agree side: Sophie
                   Sara

Disagree side: Lucy
                       Emily
                       Isabela


Note: This topic is about elementary schools and junior high schools. And now, textbooks are free and covered by tax.


Opinions of agree side:


・Sophie
     She is agree because of money. If we introduce the system, the tax that our should pay will be decreased.
     She argued that if we introduce the system, we can use the money, we pay for textbooks now, for other things.

・Sara
     She is agree because of money. According to her opinion, the cost for textbooks is huge for school. If we introduce the system, students can get higher quality textbooks, and they will not leave textbooks at home.
     She thinks students should take notes on their notebooks in detail. So they shouldn't be note in their textbooks because of the space.
     She answered to audience's question: when the textbooks are revised, teacher should put a paper wrote what is changed in textbook.
     The main purpose of the system is to make students concentrate on studying.

・Two of them
     They decided how to borrow textbooks. Teachers distribute textbooks to students when a class begin. Elementary school students can't take it home, but 5 and 6 graders can take it home during the test period. Junior high school students can take it home.


Opinions of disagree side:


・Lucy
     She wondered that students can't underline important words in textbooks, and they can't study at home because they can't take textbooks home.

・Emily
     She wondered that students can't take notes in textbooks.
     She thinks the high cost of textbooks is important for students.

・Isabela
     She thinks new textbook makes students want to study hard.


Conclusion: We give elementary school students trial period. If rental system is good for them, we change the law.


I want to know opinions of disagree side more. I think if they have decided how to borrow before the discussion, three members of disagree side could say more opinion. But I could understand the merit of the system, and the conclusion was so good.

Group D

Subject: Teachers shouldn't give any homework to students.


Moderator: Rie

Agree side: Anna
                    Rachel

Disagree side: Alex
                        Kate


Opinions of agree side:


・Anna
     If students don't have to do homework, they can spend time more effectively. For example, they can study what they couldn't understand in class. And, they can go to bed earlier, so they will not fall asleep in class. 
     Studying by themselves at home is better than doing homework because they can concentrate on what they couldn't understand in class.

・Rachel
     They can have more free time. She thinks it is important for them. They can play sports, and play with their friends.
     Their academic ability is different, so homework is not good for them.


Opinions of disagree side:


・Kate
     She worries about that they will not do study at home.
     She thinks studying is most important thing for them.

・Alex
     She has a son. She thinks parents can know what their children study at school by homework.
     She worries about that they will play a game if they aren't given any homework.


Opinions and questions of audiences:


・What grade is the students in?
・Is the topic a recommendation or a rule?
     → The topic is about high school students and it is a rule.
         Our topic is "Teachers mustn't give any homework to high school students."

・High school students will be able to study by themselves, so homework is not needed for them.
     → Alex and I agreed with the opinion.


Conclusion: High school students mustn't have any assignment because they can study by own.


I think our discussion is not good because we couldn't know each panelists' opinion well and we didn't confirm that each panelists agree with the conclusion. I couldn't say my opinion concisely, so I ate up time that other panelists said their opinion.