Debate Outline Teachers’ salaries need to be increased. Teachers work many hours to plan instruction and grade papers It takes many hours to plan organized lessons, to prepare materials for those lessons, and to plan assessment for the lessons. Grading essays takes many hours as well; the average essay takes four minutes to grade. An average of 130 students x 4 minutes equals 8.6 hours. That is just one assignment. Teachers need to take time to prepare quality tests; a good teacher puts a lot of time into preparing tests to make sure they are fair and comprehensive. If you were to include all of these additional hours for planning and grading, teachers work many hours in addition to 7:30 to 3:00 every day, and should be compensated for all of this effort.

III. Teachers provide a valuable service to society. Teachers build young minds and give students the skills they need to prepare for the future. Teachers build character and show students how to contribute to a community. Teachers often provide emotional support for troubled students when no one else does. Athletes and actors are paid quite a bit for their work, but do they make the contribution to society that a teacher does?

IV. My opponent might say that teachers have off all summer, work shorter hours than most other professionals, and earn a wage appropriate to their level of education and expertise. While teachers are officially off all summer, many teachers do a lot of planning and preparation during this time. Although teachers officially work from 7:30 to 3:00, the unofficial time spent on grading, planning, and mentoring students is much greater. Teachers do not earn a wage appropriate for their education and expertise. Most teachers have a Masters, so they went to school for at least six years. Many people in business with much less education can make double what a teacher earns.

I. They make all children equal no matter what. a I. They make all children equal no matter what. a. Some kids get bullied for their fashion choices. b. Some kids can’t afford what the rich kids can. c. Uniforms are cheap. d. Some kids aren’t allowed to wear the latest fashions, so it makes them feel bad when others can.

Don’t overuse pronouns! Don’t repeat details I. Uniforms make all children equal no matter what. a. Some kids get bullied for their fashion choices. b. Some kids can’t afford what the rich kids can. c. Economic differences are not so easy to spot. d. Some kids aren’t allowed to wear the latest fashions, so it makes them feel bad when others can.

Uniforms increase discipline at school. a. Students behave more appropriately when they are dressed more appropriately. b. With uniforms, gang colors and symbols are avoided and gang violence is reduced. c. Students are not distracted by the clothes of others and can better pay attention in class. d. Uniforms make shopping much easier for parents.

Make sure detail supports reason. Uniforms increase discipline at school. a. Students behave more appropriately when they are dressed more appropriately. b. With uniforms, gang colors and symbols are avoided and gang violence is reduced. c. Students are not distracted by the clothes of others and can better pay attention in class. d. When everyone is dressed the same, students recognize that they are part of a community and learn to respect the school community more.

IV. Uniforms can take away our right to express who we are and what we stand for. a. Students do not have the creative outlet of clothes to tell how they are. b. Kids who like sports want to wear sports jerseys to support their teams. c. Kids who like music want to wear band t-shirts to support their bands.

Mention AND discredit the opposing view IV. My opponent may say uniforms can take away our right to express who we are and what we stand for. a. While students do not have the creative outlet of clothes in school, they can still dress however they want at home. b. Although kids who like sports want to wear sports jerseys, wearing rival teams shirts can cause conflict. c. Kids who like music want to wear band t-shirts to support their bands often get bullied for their musical tastes.