Rani Spindle
 | |
| Department | Fine and Performing Arts |
|---|---|
| House | Fine Arts |
| Contact | rspindle@tsas.org |
| Joined | 2022 |
| Education | BA in Professional Media with specialization in Philosophy from the University of Central Oklahoma |
| Why I teach | I yearn to be where I’m most needed and to make positive impacts. Communication is our greatest asset. Speech and Debate empowers young people with tools of self expression so that they can advocate for themselves and each other. It empowers them by exposing them to real world issues in political, economic, and philosophical terms and requiring them to see such issues in shades of gray rather than black and white. And it empowers them through the transformative power of performance, which inspires self confidence, mindfulness, and empathy. |
| About me | I love politics, philosophy, poetry, and my cats (Dionysus and Descartes). I have had the privilege of mentoring young debaters and actors for 10 years. I’ve been professionally associated with the Harvard National Invitational Forensics Tournament and OSSAA Speech and Debate. I’m a theatre nerd who has worked in stage production and costuming since 2017. I’m a writer with a special interest in journalism and research; I’ve been published by three newspapers, showcased in two symposiums, and awarded for my radio and social media work. |
Academic Bowl
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites:
This course will support the development of TSAS's Division Champion Academic Bowl team by providing students with structured study and practice time. Students in this course will build their academic knowledge and sportsmanship by competing in mock matches. Students may be invited to compete in matches against other Tulsa area schools. Instructor approval is required.
Debating Ethics
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites:
Students will engage with classic and contemporary moral dilemmas through the applications of philosophy and debate. This course offers an overview of fundamental ethical theories, allowing students to explore diverse interpretations and perspectives on current, real-world issues of right and wrong as well as use their knowledge of ethical theories to respectfully navigate a structured exchange of ideas. Writing and speaking persuasively, critical thinking, argumentation, rhetoric, and other mechanics of debate are key focuses of this course. Tournament participation is required.
Intro to Speech & Debate
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites:
Students will develop the skills of public speaking, acting, and debating through in-class performance, peer feedback, and competition. Speaking and writing persuasively, research, and artistic storytelling are some of the main focuses of this course. Students will often engage academically with current events, politics, economics, and philosophy. This course prepares Novices to join the Varsity Speech and Debate Team. Tournament participation is required.
Script Analysis
Tris: 1 | Open to: Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites: Varsity Speech and Debate
This course is designed for advanced actors to refine their ability to interpret scripts for performance. Students will practice identifying themes, characterization, and other dramatic elements in order to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning communicated by scripts written for a variety of mediums, focusing primarily on stage and film. Students will learn the skills necessary to break down a script into its parts, to analyze each part's contribution to the overall message, and to make use of a selection of acting techniques to achieve a purposeful portrayal. Prerequisite: Varsity Speech & Debate and/or instructor approval
Student Newspaper & Media Studies
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites:
Students will learn theories and practices associated with gathering, writing, and evaluating the news. This course will allow students to generate content for publication while applying the skills and techniques of responsible journalists. Students also will exercise their media literacy by thinking critically about the relationships between mass media and society, culture, identity, politics, and economics. Students will produce the TSAS student newspaper.
Varsity Speech and Debate
Tris: 3 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites: Intro to Speech & Debate
Speakers develop the skills of acting and public speaking. Daily activities may include creating original speeches or portions of speeches, engaging critically with literature, annotation, memorization, and other tasks associated with artistic speaking and storytelling. Debaters develop skills such as writing and speaking persuasively, conducting quality research, time management, critical listening, and rapid note-taking. Debaters will often engage with current events, politics, economics, and philosophy. Assignments in this class incorporate performance, peer-feedback, and preparation for competition. This class serves as the regular meeting time of TSAS's competitive Speech and Debate Team. Prerequisites include Intro to Speech and Debate and/or instructor approval. Students will be expected to enroll in all three trimesters. Tournament participation is required.
Debate
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites: Intro to Debate
This class serves as the regular meeting time of TSAS's competitive Debate Team. Debaters develop skills such as writing and speaking persuasively, conducting quality research, time management, critical listening, and rapid note-taking. Debaters will often engage with real-world issues, current events, politics, economics, and philosophy. Participation in tournaments is required.
Intro to Debate
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites:
Students will learn the basics of various debate formats, conduct research, write cases, and perform in-class debates. Students will often engage with real-world issues, current events, politics, economics, and philosophy. This course prepares Novice debaters to join the Varsity Speech and Debate Team! Participation in tournaments is required.
Speech
Tris: 1 | Open to: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors | Prerequisites:
This class serves as the regular meeting time of TSAS's competitive Speech Team. Students will develop the skills of acting and public speaking by preparing performances for competition. Daily activities may include creating original speeches or portions of speeches, engaging critically with literature, annotation, memorization, and other tasks associated with artistic speaking and storytelling. Participation in tournaments is required; no previous experience is necessary!