Oratory Article
Cranbrook’s recent Model United Nations Day
On Thursday 28th March, Cranbrook hosted its first inter-school Model United Nations event for 2024. St Catherine’s, Shore, Rose Bay Secondary, and Sydney Boys High School joined our students for a day of mock Security Council debates on the questions of whistleblowing and violence in Papua New Guinea. The first resolution focused on general protections for whistleblowing in the public interest and encouraging nations to review their laws and regulations to address instances of corruption. The second resolution was more region-specific, with students delving into current internal tensions and socio-economic challenges faced by one of our closest neighbours.
Students worked in mixed-school teams, which provided them opportunity to catch up with friends from other Model UN events and to meet new peers. By the end of the day, every Cranbrookian had been introduced to at least one or two students they’d never encountered through other school activities.
The day’s debates were separated by a special guest speaker visit from Hollie Johnston from Red Cross International. Having had the pleasure of her experience and expertise at a senior talk last year, she returned to facilitate a dialogue and small workshop on humanitarian law and how Red Cross supports countries to determine appropriate and inappropriate targets during conflicts, striving to protect civilian lives and livelihoods as much as possible. It is terrific to have such opportunities to engage with individuals working in government and non-government careers in international affairs, and we look forward to continuing providing our students with guest speaker visits in the coming terms.
Competition Debating
Last Friday night was our final preliminary round of the ISDA Competition. We had wins for our 8s, 10s and Senior As – all of whom are now guaranteed a place in the out-rounds next term! With the 9s out on CITF and some make-up debates for us and other schools, we will be able to confirm whether other Cranbrook teams will also proceed to finals. Exciting times ahead!
See below the ISDA topics, for which Cranbrook was affirmative in all debates:
| Division | Topic Area Round 7 ISDA |
| 7 | That we should ban fast fashion. |
| 8 | That we should ban fast fashion. |
| 9 | On CITF |
| 10 | That environmental movements should take more radical action in the fight against climate change. |
| Senior B | That environmental movements should take more radical action in the fight against climate change. |
| Senior A | That environmental movements should take more radical action in the fight against climate change. |
See below the updated tally:
| ISDA Division | Round 1 vs SACS | Round 2 vs St Caths | Round 3 vs Kincoppal | Round 4 vs Kambala | Round 5 vs Shore | Round 6 vs Scots | Round 7 vs Ascham |
| 7 | WIN | Loss | WIN | Loss | Loss | WIN | Loss |
| 8 | WIN | TBC | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN |
| 9 | WIN | WIN | WIN | Loss | Loss | WIN | TBC |
| 10 | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | Loss | WIN | WIN |
| Senior B | WIN | WIN | WIN | Loss | Loss | WIN | Loss |
| Senior A | WIN | WIN | Loss | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN |
Eastside debaters went up against SCEGGS Darlinghurst, taking us over the halfway mark of this competition’s preliminaries. We had wins for our 7s, 10s, and 11s. Many teams now sit on 3 wins from 5 rounds, which is looking promising for finals contention next term.
See below the Eastside round topics:
| Division | Topic Area Round 5 Eastside: Politics |
| 7 | That Australia should implement the ‘X Party’ model of direct voting.* |
| 8 | That Australia should implement the ‘X Party’ model of direct voting.* |
| 9 | On CITF |
| 10 | That we should not restrict government employees’ ability to comment on political issues when outside work. |
| 11 | That we should not restrict government employees’ ability to comment on political issues when outside work. |
| 12 | That we should not restrict government employees’ ability to comment on political issues when outside work. |
*Information slide: The X Party ran for government in Spain, in 2014. The party had no policies, but instead promised to act in parliament entirely based on the citizen’s wishes as indicated through a direct voting mechanism. Citizens would vote on policies via an app and the party would have raised bills based on popular citizen suggestions on the app.
See below the results for Cranbrook:
| Eastside Division | Round 1 vs Sydney Grammar | Round 2 vs Scots | Round 3 vs Reddam | Round 4 vs Sydney Boys | Round 5 vs SCEGGS |
| 7 | Loss | Loss | WIN | WIN | WIN |
| 8 | Loss | WIN | Loss | WIN | Loss |
| 9 | WIN | WIN | Loss | Loss | TBC |
| 10 | Loss | Loss | WIN | WIN | WIN |
| 11 | Loss | WIN | WIN | Loss | WIN |
| 12 | WIN | WIN | WIN | Loss | Loss |
AMEB Voice and Communication commences
Last Friday also saw the commencement of the AMEB Voice and Communication syllabus for Years 7-8 students who had recently signed up. This trailblazing group met with Voice coach Ms Caroline Usasz after school, where she introduced the syllabus and spoke more about what it entails. Students gained deeper insight into the formal external exams involved and the sorts of activities they will need to prepare for. Friday was also an opportunity to get to know students, to talk and to explore their own voices. This was facilitated through practical activities and games as individuals and small groups. By the end of the session everyone had spoken at length.
Voice and Communication students will spend Terms 2 and 3 preparing for their first formal exams in September of this year, with students able to progress up a series of ‘grades’ that can culminate in achieving a Certificate of Voice and Communication – a useful qualification to have on a CV and which demonstrates capability in speaking confidently and with clarity in a range of contexts.
Public Speaking
This term’s Public Speaking on Mondays has seen record numbers of students in attendance and healthy interest in the external competitions on offer. Our new coach, Luisa, has been instrumental in encouraging students to acquire knowledge and skills in a supportive environment, from the nature of good storytelling, to the art of rhetoric, to successfully engaging in impromptu dialogue. She has also worked closely with competition students, who we recently reported found great success at this year’s Rostrum heats. Next term we also look forward to cheering on students entering the annual Lawrence Campbell, Junior Speaking, and Plain English Speaking competitions.
On Monday, students rounded off the term with an entertaining internal competition based around the Gruen Transfer ‘Sell the Unsellable’ concept. Teams of two or three students applied what they have learnt this term to persuading specific target audiences to accept something. Topics ranged from selling a Donal Trump 2024-28 presidency to Democrats, to popularising mosquitoes as household pets, to holidaying in the most boring town in the world. Teams were evaluated on their creativity and uniqueness, structure and flow, consideration of target audience, and persuasiveness and clarity of expression. Ultimately, two students – Louis Mak and Thomas Nguyen – won the event with their nuanced and humorous selling of the idea that the Earth is shaped as a pear.
Upcoming oratory events
So ends what has been an incredibly full and fulfilling first term to 2024! Our programmes return after the holidays:
- Australia vs USA Policy Debates online on Monday 29th April
- AMEB Voice and Communication on lunchtime Tuesday 30th April and after school on Friday 3rd May
- Model UN on lunchtimes Wednesday 1st, Thursday 2nd, and Friday 3rd May
- Mock Trial, Mooting, and Social Debating on Thursday 2nd May
- ISDA make up debates and Eastside R6 vs SGHS (both at Cranbrook) on Friday 3rd May
- Lawrence Campbell Oratory Competition (at Scots College) on Friday 3rd May
- Public Speaking on Monday 6th May
Oratory programmes above are fully subscribed for Semester 1
There has been a lot of recent interest in participating in one or more of our oratory programmes listed above. However, close date for sign-ups have long passed and we are presently fully subscribed across all debating, public speaking, and Model UN. We are therefore unable to accept new enrolments. However, students keen to gain access to our resources and prepare themselves for Semester 2 sign-up are welcome to reach out to me (note, we only accept expressions of interest from students directly). Sign-up for Semester 2 offerings will circulate via student email in mid-June.
Contact
Should you or your son have any further questions about any of Cranbrook’s oratory programmes, you are welcome to reach out to the Head of Oratory and Student Journalism, Mr Benjamin Smith, at bsmith@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au. In the first instance, students should be making contact about getting involved.
Essential information and highlights for parents will be posted here on Cranbrook Connect as part of the Thursday Link. Students involved in oratory programmes will receive updates via their respective Canvas or TEAMS channels.
Benjamin Smith
Head of Oratory and Student Journalism