Georgetown Club Rhetorai
We believe the world needs deeper thinkers who listen more and provide more clarity, founded in the Upside Down patterns shown by Jesus: it’s better to be weak than strong, give than receive, serve than take, and maybe… listen than speak.
Our members practice critical thinking, classical rhetoric, logic, style, and delivery skills that help them navigate the human communication challenges of this broken world. We’re committed to moving no one other than that we move them towards good, which is something we do with excellence and panache called for in the moment.
How it Works
Weekly meetings focus on three main phases:
- Skill Lesson
- Dojo (practice the skill)
- Forum (work on a real life challenge that someone in club brings, giving us all a chance to participate in the skills needed for their story)
We also host semi-regular events to give an extra compressed learning experience: miniature debate tournaments (think half a Saturday, adults participate too), VC pitches, and other events sponsored by local corporations.
What Members Gain: Skills
Members will map their own critical thinking and communication skills against the master Rhetorai skilltree, earning recognition of mastery towards the various disciplines: Rhetor, Sage, Arbiter, Mentor.
Read more at https://www.ethosdebate.com/what-skills-do-you-learn-from-debate-here_s-a-huge-list/
Who is this For?
Those whose brains have entered rhetoric stage learning, which is the step after logic stage and usually happens around age 14 give or take two years. You know when a student starts integrating across subjects, colliding history with math with logic. That’s application. They’re ready for what Aristotle calls the “great subjectless subject,” rhetoric. So anyone 14-99 is welcome to learn these life skills.
We’re committed to ethical practice. Just like a martial artist wouldn’t train someone who intends to be a murderer, we train those who intend to use their critical thinking and communication skills to move others towards good rather than their own selfish ends.
Okay so yeah, this is for everyone pretty much.
Who is Coaching?
Isaiah McPeak. He’s coached debate for 15 years (including 10 national 1st place champions in competitive speech and debate), was a 5x top 5 national debater himself in highschool and college, built 7 companies, started multiple clubs and bands, and used these exact skills in interpersonal relationships, high stakes negotiations, multi-million dollar sales deals, leading venture-backed companies, pitches, and building every department of a business. In short, he knows how needed these skills are and what they’re really capable of changing in the professional world.
Isaiah has also hired 40+ debaters to full-time jobs in tech, startups, and consulting at young ages. He’s a great channel for transfererence.
Today Isaiah coaches pro athletes, CEOs, and communicators at all levels in executive presence, intentionality, critical thinking, depth, and clarity.
THE DETAILS
- We meet on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm in Georgetown, TX
- It costs $100/year, which includes the book Upside Down Debate: A Deeper Why to Persuasion. Scholarships available.
- By joining you agree to be videoed because Isaiah is creating course content that others pay for. That’s part of why it’s affordable!
- You must commit to be there at 3 of every 4 meetings throughout the year.
- There will be other assignments from time to time. Examples include we may read the Federalist Papers, or the Constitution, or dive deeply into one topic area with primary research (journals and books).
Competition Note
Note: This is not focused on NCFCA, Stoa, NPDA, NFL, or any other particular league. Isaiah has coached them all and will help you with those if that’s your wish, but this club is focused in skill development rather than competitive development. The current leagues sometimes compromise on that front and that’s not okay. These skills are only valuable as they’re valuable for the rest of life, which is why adults are involved as participants in the club (including the coach!!).
With that said, Isaiah has developed a relationship with an international debate association that hosts 2-3 tournaments per year and we may aim to send the eligible students in year two (2022-23) if there is sufficient interest.
How to Join
Email isaiah@isaiahmcpeak.com to declare your interest and intent to join!
