William & Mary Model Congress

So we had our second full day of the James Blair Middle School Model Congress today. There were four people in attendance due to a bout of sickness that had spread throughout the school. However, lucky for the four people, they now have a step up on parliamentary procedure and bill writing.

We first broke into committee session as we introduced for the first time the duties of the chairman, basic points and motions, and the process that a bill takes to get passed in committee. Isshin was the presiding chair for this particular committee session.

It was most definitely a lot of information to take in at one time, but as we went on and started actually doing a committee session, I think it became a little more clearer how exactly the process worked.

It took us the greater part of the hour-hour and a half we had to go over basic parliamentary procedure, things, such as the points and motions section in particular was a bunch of text on a piece of paper, which I think kind of intimidated the students. However, in the end, as we debated a bill on tobacco usage, I think they got a better feel for how points and motions are used in the process.

Next meeting, we will go more in-depth on parliamentary procedure, and start to actively use points and motions in active debate. Also, we will definitely start to have students produce their bills for presentation into the committee.

Hopefully, the sickness currently infecting a good majority of the school won't last for too much longer.


Isshin Teshima
Vice President
William & Mary Model Congress

Labels: James Blair Middle School