Meet our Speech & Debate faculty!
Joe Walberg
Director of Speech & Debate, Social Studies Teacher
Joe Walberg
Director of Speech & Debate, Social Studies Teacher | Mother Teresa
Joe Walberg is a Parent, Teacher, Coach, Mentor, Nerd, Believer, Ultracrepidarian, Cartophile, and head coach of the Speech and Debate team of St. James Academy. He was the 2017 recipient of the SJA Teacher of Excellence award, a 2020 Fellow of the Duc in Altum Catholic Schools Collaborative, and the 2022 District New Coach of the Year for the National Speech and Debate Association. He and his wife Erin are raising two lucky-but-unimpressed children, Leah and Jack.
What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? - 1 Corinthians 4:7
Certifications
History Government and Social Studies 6-12, Speech/Theatre 6-12, Business 6-12, Technology Education 6-12
Education
University of Kansas: B.G.S. Political Science
Avila University: Master of Arts in Education: Teaching and Learning
SPEECH & Debate Classes
Intro to Rhetoric
Prerequisite: None
This course is an introduction to the study and practice of persuasion, including the history and theory of rhetoric, the structures and strategies of arguments, and the analysis of texts and artifacts. Students analyze, prepare, and participate in a variety of types of rhetorical discourse.
NOVICE DEBATE
Prerequisite: None
Novice Debate is a co-curricular, introductory course where students develop a formal argument for and against a given proposition. This course offers students opportunities to learn argumentation, research, and speaking skills on a particular topic in public policy. This class requires students to compete in inter-scholastic tournaments on at least three Fridays and Saturdays from mid-September through mid-January and to assist with all tournaments hosted by St. James Academy.
ADVANCE DEBATE
Prerequisite: Novice Debate and Instructor Recommendation
Advanced Debate is a co-curricular, advanced course where students study advanced debate theory and technique and apply that learning in competition. This class requires students to compete in inter-scholastic tournaments on at least four Fridays and Saturdays from mid-September through mid-January and to assist with all tournaments hosted by St. James Academy.
FORENSICS SPEECH – INCLUSIVE
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation and either Drama I or Novice Debate or Introduction to Rhetoric
Forensics is an advanced, co-curricular course where students study, rehearse, and perform selections of speech, debate, literature, and/or drama. This class requires students to perform in inter-scholastic tournaments on at least three Fridays and Saturdays from January through early May, and to assist with all tournaments hosted by St. James Academy.
Classes offered
Intro to Rhetoric
Prerequisite: None
This course is an introduction to the study and practice of persuasion, including the history and theory of rhetoric, the structures and strategies of arguments, and the analysis of texts and artifacts. Students analyze, prepare, and participate in a variety of types of rhetorical discourse.
NOVICE DEBATE
Prerequisite: None
Novice Debate is a co-curricular, introductory course where students develop a formal argument for and against a given proposition. This course offers students opportunities to learn argumentation, research, and speaking skills on a particular topic in public policy. This class requires students to compete in inter-scholastic tournaments on at least three Fridays and Saturdays from mid-September through mid-January and to assist with all tournaments hosted by St. James Academy.
ADVANCE DEBATE
Prerequisite: Novice Debate and Instructor Recommendation
Advanced Debate is a co-curricular, advanced course where students study advanced debate theory and technique and apply that learning in competition. This class requires students to compete in inter-scholastic tournaments on at least four Fridays and Saturdays from mid-September through mid-January and to assist with all tournaments hosted by St. James Academy.
FORENSICS SPEECH – INCLUSIVE
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation and either Drama I or Novice Debate or Introduction to Rhetoric
Forensics is an advanced, co-curricular course where students study, rehearse, and perform selections of speech, debate, literature, and/or drama. This class requires students to perform in inter-scholastic tournaments on at least three Fridays and Saturdays from January through early May, and to assist with all tournaments hosted by St. James Academy.
