COMMUNITY
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE BALLOT? by Kristy Thomas with foreword by Dr. Paul Porter, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the NSDA
Every coach and judge, regardless of experience level, has the responsibility of fostering a safe and culturally responsive educational environment—both in competition spaces and beyond. The best example of this responsibility is on the ballot, where judges provide written feedback to offer the rationale for their ranks/ scores and give students feedback on the things they do well and potential areas to work on. Over time, many of us have mastered the art of writing substantive critiques, encouraging students to continue honing their craft and working to do their best. In contrast, mastery of critique writing is difficult and sometimes leads to comments that discourage and even hurt our students. We never want to silence voices, but we must insist on those voices being used to grow the activity and enhance the student experience positively and productively. In this piece, renowned coach, author, and judge Kristy Thomas reflects on the art of the speech and debate critique while providing tips to avoid hurtful and problematic comments on ballots.
In January of 2024, I received a text message from a speech coach in the Midwest that led to the following conversation. Them: Do you want to see something that will both anger you and make you want to cry? Me: Honestly, I can’t handle either right now. Them: No problem! That student just got one of the most disgusting ballots I’ve ever seen.
I responded with the next steps, reaching out to the tournament officials with the ballot and encouraging them not to use this judge again. But the reality was, on this particular day, I had already gotten a similar text from two
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other coaches on opposite sides of the country. I sat with this for only a matter of minutes before I took to the airwaves and posted on Facebook that we have to do better.
Let’s Unpack I pose the question, “What is the purpose of the ballot?” • Inform a student on why you have voted the way you have. • Share positive critiques. (Remember, these are positive because they will assist the student in having a better understanding of the piece, literature, debate argument and structure, etc.) • Make specific comments on points within the speech or performance that did/ did not work for the judge. • Build a student’s understanding of their purpose within the event.
• Communicate to the student ways in which they can strengthen their performance/ speech/debate. • Support the efforts of the student. While not exhaustive, this list provides some of the benchmarks for the purpose of a solid, educational ballot. Please remember, this is an educational activity, and students should be learning ways to better themselves as human beings while strengthening their ability to speak in front of an audience, accurately present and defend an argument, and perform a story. The critique is a central part of this activity for several reasons.
Provide Workable Notes Workable notes is a term that I use in my high school and college classes as well as at speech camps. A workable note is a note that, when given to a student, gives them