Page 94 - DAIS Insignia 2021-2022

DEBATE CLUB PERSPECTIVES CLUB

The Debate Club experiences entail
a wide range of possible topics,
stretching from the echelons of
theist philosophy to ethical
conundrums of free will and even
those of political ideologies that
have shaped modern-day realities.
One of the foremost topics we
encountered read: What is more
i m p o r t a n t ? K n o w l e d g e o r
experience? This is a question that
f o r m s t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f
fundamental human constructs
like education. For example, should more priority be given to teaching future global leaders the theory of orchestrating a successful OCTOBER EDITION APRIL EDITION MAY EDITION
nation or the practical training of running a workable economy? It was a discussion that allowed us to learn not just the content-
focused paradigms of debate but even introduced us to the several skills that need to be mastered before entering the debate floor: This year, three editions of Perspectives provided a platform for students to express themselves creatively in any form–through articles,
teamwork, trust, planning, time management and so many others that are as, if not more, important than mere delivery. One of the op-eds, art, photography, poetry, movie, TV reviews, and more! Throughout the year, we explored the themes of 'Untold Perspectives',
other topics that caught the group’s attention was that of: Did God create Man? Or vice versa? Perhaps the most debated-upon and 'Growth and Reinvention' and 'Nostalgia'. These themes were vast enough that everyone could connect with them, but concise
controversial question of our times, this theist-versus-atheist debate opened our eyes as budding public speakers, to the fine art of enough that each issue of Perspectives had a distinct appeal. We did not shy away from addressing the challenges of the pandemic, but
mixing logical and emotional arguments to create a convincing blend for an opposition that vehemently rebuked any side of your refrained from centering it, to allow Perspectives to remain a comfortable space for its readers.
argument. Similar discussions followed for ‘Does war bring peace?’ and ‘Do we have free will?’, with new perspectives emerging, most In September, we decided to work with the theme 'Untold Perspectives'. The work we received was rich and varied beyond our
that we had never previously come across. One of the more philosophical and metaphysical topics that we dealt with was: ‘Does bias expectations–we received out-of-the-box ideas that have rarely been explored, new interpretations of existing concepts, niche
play a positive role in the pursuit of knowledge?’ This was a TOK-esque argument, with points primarily based on abstract thought, conspiracies, and much more. We had students displaying not only their creative and funny side but also more vulnerable aspects of
whereas other topics dealt with more real-world anecdotes. Bias and its implications, one of the final topics, posed perhaps the best their personality. The student body's refreshingly honest voice stood out through the issue, which was exactly what we hoped the
opportunity for the Debate Club to grow as a community and delve into the deepest form of debate: pure argument. We practised theme would achieve.
three forms of debate, allowing holistic exposure to a wide range of discussions. One such debate form was the cross-examination For our next two issues, we settled on an exciting dual theme– 'Growth and Re-invention' and 'Nostalgia'. Through the theme of
debate where two teams (the proposition and the opposition) would counter each other. This was a systematic debate that taught us Nostalgia, we hoped to explore a myriad of topics–food of the 2000s, what we considered the Golden Age of Pop–the 2010s, Mumbai
the cardinal principles of order and teamwork. The arguments that arose were creative, engaging and informative. Furthermore, as a city, and much more. Once again, we were blown away by the kind of submissions we received. The students' creative passion and
through the turncoat debate, we were able to gain different perspectives by combining both opposing views and integrating our own love for art, photography, poetry, was evident and very moving.
ideas. In summary, the Debate Club was a valuable learning experience that provided us with the ability to develop essential skills, with 'Growth and Re-invention' was our last issue of the year. Under this boundless topic, we received poems about personal growth,
applications that span the entirety of our future educational endeavours. - Param Davda and Sanaya Jiwrajka articles about advancements in technology, photographs depicting symbols of re-invention, and much more. This theme was
particularly gripping because students could explore both personal aspects of growth and reinvention and scientific, technical aspects.
We also introduced several new sections this year–advice blurbs, the STEM section, and the anonymous confessions page, to make the
newsletter as well-rounded and appealing as we could.
MUSIC CLUB On the whole, being a part of the Perspectives team was both challenging and exhilarating, and very creatively stimulating. We were
forced to think outside the box, work as a team and be as creative as possible, in a deeply gratifying experience that turned out to be
one of the highlights of our year.

All the members of the music club come together every Tuesday to interact
with peers across grades and journey the world of songs. To cover the different
aspects of learning, to create and enjoy music, the club has been split into four MUN CLUB
groups, each headed by two students from
the IB. First is production, where the art of
composing beats across softwares is
Model United Nations (MUN) is an extracurricular activity
explored. Then is vocals, where performers which has attracted quite the allure between all students
come together and discuss the do’s and don'ts alike. Simply MUN, is a real-life simulation of the United
of singing live, experiment with English and Nations to teach the youth about the intricacies of global
Bollywood fusions, and push each other to international politics and holistically develop critical thinking
be better vocalists. The third group is skills. The MUN club acts as an excellent tool to develop
creativity and teach students how to express their
song-writing. A big part of what helps
viewpoints. The public speaking aspect of the club allows the
people express development of confidence amongst the students as well as
t h e m s e l v e s a general overview of issues that plague the world. Insightful
through music is lyrics they write, so debates, and disagreements help accommodate the spirit of
healthy competition, due to the courteous and formal nature
through this group, students harness their of the language that needs to be used. The club is inordinate
emotions and try to understand the
preparation for conferences outside the school, as a place to
significance of good lyricism. Last is the develop skills and learn how to gain meaningful experiences
instrumentals group, where students widen their boundaries by from these conferences that will continue to assist a lifetime.
learning about the instrumental nuances of new genres. With all these The diversity in the topics relate to the cultural and
geographical diversity of these conferences such as THIMUN
groups working together, the students emerge from each session with a
Singapore, THIMUN HAGUE and other Mumbai based
symphony of knowledge.
conferences. - Rushaan Agarwal, IGCSE Grade 9B
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