This year Cróna would like to set up a debating team for our school. Debating helps children to develop many valuable skills, including public speaking, research, teamwork and cooperation, persuasion, organisation of information, questioning and analytical thinking.  These are skills that are useful in all subject areas in school, and will benefit them as they become older and move into secondary school.  Debating and public speaking also improves children’s confidence and self-esteem.

Primary Debating Ireland is a society which has been set up to allow children from different schools to debate against one another and enter into debating competitions. This would be a great opportunity to meet lots of other children and to show off our great public speaking skills!

We need a team of at least six 4^th and 5^th class students to enter the competitions. As our class timetable is already so busy, I will be running debating classes as an after-school club. It will also be great experience for 3^rd class pupils and prepare them for the debating competition next year.

Please encourage your children to join! I understand that there are lots of clubs running each day and that it is an extra expense on parents. However it is an after-school activity and unfortunately it is an added expense to the school therefore we are required we charge a minimum fee of just €2 per session. This money can be paid once a week or once a month. If parents have any queries or concerns about the cost of the club please come and speak to me and we can make an arrangement.