An apple a day keeps debate students engaged
Awarding achievement, debate teacher Michelle Porter uses apples as a reward system for debate students. Once a month, students have the chance to be added to the apple wall.
Senior Denys Slater is in advanced debate, and was awarded an apple earlier this year. For many students, such as Denys, the apple rewards helps students feel appreciated for their hard work.
Porter’s criteria is not limited to debate skills. To make it onto the wall, students not only need good grades, but they also need to be a good person.
Every month, Porter selects one student from each of her classes who meets her criteria and places an apple with their name on the apple wall. Now, her students are well aware of what Porter is looking for.
“At first, I was like, oh, wow! I made it,” freshman Isha Bang said. “Then I was pretty happy because, like, I did a pretty good job, I guess.”
Apple.
A delicious, shiny, red fruit.
One of the most famous technology conglomerates in today’s world.
But to debate teacher Michelle Porter, apples are something more than fruit or the logo of a tech company.
“In terms of apples and education, that is, to me, symbolic of children being in school and having an education,” Porter said. “It goes all the way back to the start of learning, when kids really would bring real apples to their teachers, as a form of thanking them.”
In terms of apples and education, that is, to me, symbolic of children being in school and having an education,
— teacher Michelle Porter
Porter’s appreciation of how apples and education are intertwined led her to create an entire reward system around the apples of her eye.
“I have a reward system. It’s a student of the month system,” Porter said. “I have an apple wall, and then, their names go on an apple on the apple wall, so, it kind of goes hand-in-hand with my theory of apple showing appreciation for education.”
Every month, Porter selects one student from each of her classes who meets her criteria and places an apple with their name on the apple wall. Nine weeks into the school year, and her students are well aware of what Porter is looking for.
“They typically get onto the wall for participating in class, doing their assignments properly, and just being engaged in the classroom,” freshman Isha Bang said.
Well aware of Porter’s criteria, Bang, who won the honor in her 2nd period Debate I class for September, getting on Porter’s apple wall still came as a surprise.
“At first, I was like, oh, wow! I made it,” Bang said. “Then I was pretty happy because, like, I did a pretty good job, I guess.”
Getting onto Porter’s apple wall, however, is not as easy as apple pie. In fact, to make it onto the wall, students not only need good grades, but they also need to be a good person.
At first, I was like, oh, wow! I made it,
— freshman Isha Bang
“So, essentially, you have to be able to pass all your classes, you have to get, or you have to show, like, that you are good in debates,” debate student, junior Abhinav Jagadeesan said. “And, you just have to be generally nice to everyone and compassionate.”
In addition, making it onto the wall is a way for students to congratulate their peers and also plant a seed for something to aspire towards.
“It’s pretty cool,” Bang said. “Because the students who make it onto her wall get recognized for doing a good job in the classroom and other students recognize them, too.”
Sankeertana Malakapalli is a sophomore starting her first year in Wingspan. She is involved in orchestra and debate and plays the violin both in and outside...
