There is no growth without challenge. There is no experience without mistakes. There is no progress without risk.
文 | Michael Hauge 图 | 源自网络
无信任，何来友谊？无努力，何来美好生活？无谦让牺牲，何来真爱？无批判思维，何来智慧？不积跬步，何以至千里？不积小流，何以成江海？
人生就像是一场冒险的旅行。我们尊崇内心的渴望，努力探索自己的能力边界，这些需要我们勇敢地承担风险和责任。然而反思当下，为什么大多数人都是循规蹈矩、安常习故，而少有标新立异、革故鼎新呢？这和教育息息相关。因为学生们很少在课堂上获得训练冒险精神的机会。而冒险精神对于一个人的成长、未来的人生发展起着至关重要的作用。如果课堂的学习只是为了寻找唯一正确的答案，那么学生又怎么能质疑辨惑、相机而动、学以致用呢？
幸运的是，在学校教育中，学生能够在一个不要求他们百分百正确的情况下去应用他们的所知所学。事实上，在一个活动中，如果学生能够证明他们自己在这项活动中比75%的同伴们都优秀，那他们的水平就已经堪称一流了。我所指的这项活动，就是竞争性辩论。
辩论对您而言，一定不陌生。或许您和您的孩子每天都在辩论。它可能发生在餐桌上，在驱车接送孩子往返学校的路上，当然也可能发生在进入梦乡之前。孩子们可能会抵抗父母制定的家规。这也许是因为青春期作祟！在学校，他们可能会表现乖巧，毕竟要是在学校做点出格的事情，是要付出一定代价的。这也意味着学生们在学校里需要有更多的自我约束和妥协。即使在创新学习项目或项目式学习中，“游戏规则”在很多时候都是铁板钉钉的。那么留给父母和孩子们保持批判质疑的空间又在哪里？
参加辩论和公共演讲课程现在已经成为孩子们学习有效沟通技能的一种方式。它的好处在于：
- 不影响孩子成绩；
- 不会惹恼惹怒父母；
- 不会错过和朋友们相处的时间。
对很多学生来说，辩论既可以是课外活动，又可以是在暑期参与的活动。这项活动风险低，同时又可以让学生们在一个安全的心理环境中学习和表达新想法，也可以花更多的时间与朋友一起学习进步。
就像撰写讲稿一样，很少有初稿是完美无缺的。同理，辩论也需要不断练习，需要在教练的指导下，吸收他人的观点，提炼自己的想法，吐故纳新。学生们更需要通过犯错接收反馈意见，复盘反思，迅速调整，才能够不断进步，成为舌战群儒的辩手。让孩子们在安全的空间里犯错误，这个由辩论所带来的代价并不高，因为他们可以把每一次的挑战和试错转化为人生经验和成长机遇。
操千曲而后晓声，观千剑而后识器。有挑战，方有蜕变成长；有犯错，方有经验积累；有风险，方有进步发展。
There is no friendship without trust and no good life without effort. There is no love without sacrifice and no knowledge without skepticism.
Everything that we are expected to strive for and value in this world requires taking risks. Then, I ask, “Why is it that classrooms often train students not to take those risks so necessary to grow as an individual?” If 100% is the goal at all times, where will students learn to be skeptical, take chances, and try applying their knowledge in new ways?
Luckily, students are able to apply their learning in academic subjects in a forum that does not require them to be correct 100% of the time. In fact, in this activity, if a student was proved superior to her/his peers 75% of the time, it would be a world-class performance. We are talking about an activity that is taking Shanghai youth by storm: competitive debate.
You are probably already familiar with debating. You and your child likely do it most days. It happens at the dinner table, in the car on the way to school, and certainly when bedtime is approaching. Students may push back against the rules parents make at home. Perhaps it’s actually because as a teenager, they need to push back against something! At school, they may be unable to – the standard of success is too high to push back or take many changes. Even with innovative learning programs or project-based learning, the ‘rules of the game’ are nearly set in stone. So where does that leave parents and their kids?
Competitive debate and public speaking courses have become a way for students to learn to communicate more effectively without a) risking grades in school, b) upsetting Mom and Dad, and c) sacrificing time away from their friends. For many students, debate is a perfect after school or summer activity to both try to learn and express new ideas in a low-risk and psychologically safe environment as well as spend more time learning together with their friends.
Much like writing, the first draft of a speech is rarely flawless. Students grapple with both their own ideas and the ideas of others, guided by coaches along the way. To embrace making mistakes, receiving feedback, and implementing the feedback quickly makes a great debater and a successful student! Let’s allow kids to make mistakes in a safe space – one where the stakes aren’t so high and one where they can turn challenges into growth opportunities.
There is no growth without challenge. There is no experience without mistakes. There is no progress without risk.
Michael Hauge（中文名：丘海君）
LearningLeaders创始人、合伙人、辩论教练，企业家组织加速器计划董事会主席，毕业于迪尔菲尔德学院、达特茅斯学院、复旦大学。
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菁kids 2019 3-4月刊 《给孩子的设计》更多菁彩内容:
生活处处皆设计
｜封面故事｜
玩出创造力：KITIVITY，给孩子的玩乐创意设计
父母是孩子的“产品经理”吗?
｜菁沙龙｜
｜美食｜
诸肉不如猪肉香——炸猪排
｜话题｜
为什么玩辩论？
辩论，让你有机会去认识另一群人的世界
辩论，让孩子在安全的空间里犯错
“辩论能让学生获得真正的成就感”
——访威雅公学模拟联合国指导老师Lindsay Taylor
｜父子说｜
怎样为儿童做设计？
｜在读｜
阅读力，究竟是一种什么能力？
｜看世界｜
本文原载菁kids 3-4月刊《给孩子的设计》，印刷版于2019年3月出版发行，扫描下方二维码，可进入TRM SHOP订阅。
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