Press Release
18/10/2018
Melbourne, Australia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH THE WENTWORTH BY-ELECTION AND VICTORIAN STATE ELECTION LOOMING, ONE TEACHER IS CALLING TO END EXAMPLES OF ‘UGLY BULLYING’ IN POLITICS BY CHANGING THE WAY WE DEBATE.
Margaret Hepworth, creator of Collaborative Debating, is teaching non-adversarial debating in schools across Melbourne. She says it is time our politicians learnt it too.
The fresh faces of keen Collaborative Debaters
“With Primary school students being removed from Parliamentary question time due to the poor behavior of our politicians; with the ‘dirty tactics’ used in the Wentworth by-election; regarding name calling and deriding of an opposing party as acceptable, it is more than high time we changed debating methodology in our schools because this is how politicians were taught to do what they do”, says Hepworth, a teacher of 30 year
Hepworth’s new debating methodology has been lauded in Melbourne schools:
“She is a fabulous presenter with vast knowledge and skills. It was very successful.” Louise Willis, Carey Grammar
“I learnt through Collaborative Debating how much more respectful and beneficial it is to work collaboratively.” 15 year old student
“The idea of Collaborative Debating is much better since it isn’t about fighting the opposition but more about coming to an agreement.”
Hepworth is available for interviews, and you can hear from the secondary students themselves, sharing their Collaborative Debating experience, and discussing their desire to see change with current political debate.
“Our young people learn respectful ways to listen and engage with opposing viewpoints. To evolve to be a more inclusive and informed society, we need to change some of the structures by which we learn. Our politicians plan how to tear their opposition down. Why aren’t they planning together how to solve the country’s problems?” Hepworth poignantly asks.
“Collaborative Debating is a useful tool for our community to learn how to tackle the big issues in a way that promotes solutions over winning. This could help our leaders of tomorrow to become more active citizens and thoughtful decision makers.” Hannah, teacher at Templestowe College
Links:
http://www.margarethepworth.com/blog/2018/8/17/collaborative-debating-hear-it-from-the-kids
Margaret Hepworth, creator of Collaborative Debating and founder of The Gandhi Experiment
Margaret Hepworth
0422 154 875
Hepworth is the 2016 recipient of the Sir John Monash award for Inspirational Women’s Leadership
Imagining a more respectful Parliament
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