Workshop for New Law Teachers

June 21–23, 2001
Alexandria, Virginia

Back to Workshop Program

Karen M. Gebbia-Pinetti*

EIGHT TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS

1. Make Sure Your Books Are In. Be sure handouts have been copied, the syllabus is available, and designated materials are on reserve.

2. Think About When You Will Teach. Decide whether you prefer to teach one class a day or more than one class a day (which will allow you to arrange non-teaching days). If you teach more than one class a day, allow at least two hours between classes. The transition time is critical regardless of how well you have prepared. If you teach early in the morning, allow an absolute minimum of one hour to review your notes.

3. Check Out Your Classroom(s) (And Switch Rooms If Necessary). Be sure there is adequate space for students who are juggling a casebook, statute book, notebook and handouts. Be sure the room is not so large that the students are scattered around or the four front rows are empty. You can ask students to move, but students have “lucky” seats. They do not like moving. For seminars, look for a small room with desks or tables that can be moved into a circle so everyone sees each other. Be sure your rooms have the equipment you need (and that it is operable). Find out what rooms are notorious for being too hot or cold, or having terrible acoustics.

4. Learn Something About Learning Theory And Teaching Theory. Read a selection from the AALS bibliography and the attached Teaching Tips Book List. If you read only one book, make it THE ART AND CRAFT OF TEACHING, Margaret Morganroth Gullette, ed., Harvard Univ. Press. Read at least one additional book or several articles about teaching and learning theory every semester. Eventually (but not necessarily in your first semester!), learn to use techniques that will facilitate learning by all students. Incorporate visuals and graphics (which is easy and can be extraordinarily effective, if done well.)

5. Learn Something About Your Students. Read their biographical profiles. Ask your colleagues whether any special cultural or other considerations are common among your students. Think about the different objectives in teaching 1L, 2L, and 3L students.

6. Order The (Free) Looseleaf Version Of Your Casebook. Incorporate its pages into your notes in a looseleaf binder.

7. Read The Hornbooks And Legal Outlines. Know what the students are reading about the subject you are teaching.

8. Prepare Detailed Notes. Script your questions, possible student answers, and follow-on questions, but be flexible and open to comments that are not in your script. Include a board plan in your notes, or use transparencies or computer-generated projections.

FOURTEEN TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR CLASSROOM A PROFESSIONAL, RESPECTFUL, POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

1. Start Your Classes With “Good Morning (Afternoon).” End Your Classes With “Thank You.”

2. In Large Classes, Create A Seating Chart. Cut pictures from the student directory to create a face chart. Learn the students’ names as soon as possible.

3. Be Accessible And Project An Image Of Accessibility. Arrive 10 minutes early (15 if you need to rearrange furniture or set up technology). Stay after class until most students leave. If another class needs the room, linger by the door. Make and keep office hours. Do not schedule office hours during students’ other classes. (Check the class schedule for 1Ls. Consider staggered days or times to reduce conflicts for upper class students.) Never schedule office hours during your class preparation time; you will be too distracted. Hold special office hours before your exam. Consider posting students’ questions (anonymously) and your responses on an electronic list.

4. Start And End Class On Time. If you inadvertently run late, pay the students back during the next class.

5. Tell Students Your Expectations And Stick To Them. During the first class, highlight important information in your syllabus, particularly standards concerning attendance, participation, evaluation, and grading.

6. Give Students The “Big Picture.” Tell the students how the subject fits into the legal theory and practice; i.e., why it matters. Give them a brief overview of the subject and a very general roadmap of the course. Regularly note where you are on that roadmap.

7. Have A Vision: Know Your Objectives. You should have objectives concerning the substantive law you wish students to learn, the skills you wish students to develop, and the attitudes you hope students will understand about the role of law and the legal profession in society. These objectives should drive every aspect of your teaching, including course coverage, methodology, and evaluation format and coverage. Keep your objectives always in mind. Tell students what you expect them to learn from the course and from each class session.

8. Do Not Hide The Ball - - Know When To Challenge The Students, When To Guide Them. My general, oversimplified, rule of thumb is challenge the students to discover and apply the law, but guide them in learning how to do this. (Teach them how to fish, but do not give them the fish.) You are not unfairly hiding the ball when you challenge students to find rules, extract rationale, consider policy, think about issues, resolve apparent conflicts in the law, identify deficiencies in the law, or recommend law reform. You are unfairly hiding the ball if you expect them to do this without any guidance. Give them tips on how to study the materials, how to prepare for class, what questions to ask themselves, where to look for guidance. Tell the students what you are doing (and why) as you push them to internalize skills and processes such as analytic thinking, statutory interpretation, problem solving, persuasive reasoning, and critical analysis.

9. Ask For (Informal) Feedback And Respond To It. Four to six weeks into the semester, ask the students to tell you (by filling out an index card or simple questionnaire): “What enhances my learning in this class?” and “What impairs my learning in this class?” Thank the students for their comments, and respond by your actions (not your words, which may seem defensive). Nothing can better enhance your credibility and your understanding of your students’ concerns.

10. Be The Consummate Professional. Students will notice and react to the way you dress, speak, relate to your colleagues, relate to your students, and address students, both in and out of class. Decide in advance how you want them to address you. Avoid stereotypes in your perceptions of students, your in-class hypotheticals, and your exam questions. Be cautious about socializing with individual students. There will be plenty of time to become friends after they graduate.

11. Let The Students Know You Enjoy Being There. Be enthusiastic; it will help students manage even the driest of topics. Smile. Use humor, but never at student expense.

12. If You Cannot Be Heard, Use A Microphone. If students cannot hear each other, repeat their comments or ask them to speak loudly.

13. Be Consistent. Do not drastically alter your methods or coverage without warning.

14. Learn From Every Class. When you return to your office after class (especially the first time you teach a class), make notes of what worked well, what you would do differently.

EIGHT TIPS FOR ASKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS, AND ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO PREPARE AND PARTICIPATE

1. Identify The Student Before Asking The Question. It is remarkable how this simple approach can obviate myriad problems (such as “Would you repeat the question?”).

2. Devise Positive Ways Of Encouraging Students To Prepare. Use many carrots and a few mild sticks. (You will catch more flies with honey than vinegar.) Carrots: If the students like the class and respect you, they will prepare. Mild Sticks: Peer pressure and the threat of embarrassment will provide the stick for most students. Ensure at least some element of randomness to your system of student participation. Prohibit passes or allow limited passes, but only if the student notifies you before class. Structure your course to make preparation and attendance essential. Have high standards.

3. Devise Positive Ways Of Encouraging Students To Participate. Help Students Find A Correct Answer. Praise thoughtful comments. Consider using participation upgrades and downgrades. Terrorizing students will reduce volunteers to zero.

Compare: “No. Can someone else answer this correctly?”
To: “Yes, I see how that conclusion might seem to make sense, however, please consider the following . . . . Does that alter your analysis? Why?”

Compare: “No. Section 2-719 is not relevant. Can someone else can find the correct rule?”
To: “Section 2-719 probably will not yield the governing principle. Can you see why? Turn to Article 2’s part and section analysis. In which part of Article 2 would you look for the applicable rule? Do any section titles look helpful? Which ones apply? Why?”

Consider The Pros And Cons Of Various Participation Methods, Choose The Ones That Work Best For You, For The Students, For The Class Size, And For The Materials. Experiment until you find the ideal. Some very general pros and cons:

Random (including randomly choosing a row): pros include a generally high level of student preparation; cons include a generally high level of student terror, a high risk of an appearance of unfairness, and a high risk of passing and other indications of unpreparedness among some percentage of students. If you use this method, keep careful notes and be as equitable as possible.

Alphabetical, “experts,” and other methods of pre-assignment or forewarning: pros include an extremely high level of preparation by those who expect to be targeted; cons include a risk of minimal preparation by those who are sure they will not be targeted.

Volunteers: pros include reduced terror among students, generally good responses, generally high level of preparedness by those who volunteer; cons are almost too numerous to mention, but include the risk of minimal preparation by non-volunteers, domination of the class by a few students, and difficulty in determining how the class is doing. Always get around to calling on those who do volunteer, however, even if you make them wait until a slower student answers.

A hybrid that works well for me in large classes: discussion leaders who facilitate the discussion (and who are forewarned), supplemented by check marks crediting volunteers and students upon whom I call randomly (based upon who has the fewest check marks).

5. Listen Hard To Students’ Questions And Answers. Ask students to elaborate on questions or answers that you did not expect. You may be surprised to find wonderful kernels of knowledge in unexpected comments.

6. Plan In Advance How You Will Deal With Challenging Situations. Do not simply react. Plan a response that fosters your objectives and suits your persona. Some common situations:

Obviously unprepared student: I ask: “Would you prefer that I call on you next time?” (A mild, but sufficiently embarrassing comment that lets the student know he is not off the hook.) Other professors, from the terror-results-in-preparation school, prefer to make an example of the student.

The quiet student: This student may be chronically under-prepared, may have a cultural or personal bias against calling attention to herself / himself, or may be hoarding his / her knowledge. In any case, it probably will help to praise and encourage these students (by a brief note or comment out of class) when they do contribute.

The challenging question: The question may be an attempt to discredit or fluster you. Do not be defensive. Instead, respond as if every comment is intended in good faith. Answer briefly, directly, politely. If you react neutrally, rather than passively or aggressively, the aggressor will usually stop.

The hard question: Do not fake it. Acknowledge that you have not thought about the issue or do not know the answer.

The endless hypothetical: Ask the student how she would analyze the problem she poses.

7. Devise Ways To Increase Interaction In Large Classes. Use dyads, triads, and buzz groups. Assign students to “represent” different groups for the semester (or some portion thereof). Have students play the role of typical clients, Supreme Court justices, or different players in the legal system. Assign large group and small group out-of-class projects, with in-class report, analysis, and negotiation among the groups.

8. Devise Ways To Stimulate Creative Thinking In Small Classes. Read EDUCATION FOR JUDGMENT, C. Roland Christensen, et al., eds, Harvard Bus. School Press.

THREE TIPS FOR DOING IT ALL

1. Love Your Job; It Will Show.

2. Do Not Try To Do Everything At Once. The first time you teach a class, concentrate on the basic substance and method. Next time, layer on more creative teaching methods and alternative legal theories. In your first year as a professor, concentrate on your teaching, develop and research an idea for an article. Year two, move ahead on your scholarship, refine your teaching, add community service selectively. Year three, emphasize scholarship, fine-tune your teaching.

3. Honor Your Students And They Will Honor You. To teach is to honor a sacred trust to your students, to the future, and to the world your students will influence through the skills, knowledge, and attitude they have learned. Be humble that the honor has been bestowed upon you.

* Associate Professor of Law, University of Hawai`i. 1999 UH Manoa Regents Medal For Excellence in Teaching; 1998 UH Law Outstanding Professor of Law, 1997 UH Law Outstanding Professor.

THOMAS A. ANGELO & K. PATRICIA CROSS, CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES: A Handbook for College Teachers, Jossey-Bass 2d ed. 1993, 1-55542-500-3

CHARLES BONWELL & JAMES EISON, ACTIVE LEARNING: Creating Excitement in the Classroom, 1991 ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Reports, Report One, George Washington University, 1-878380-08-7

*C. ROLAND CHRISTENSEN, et al. eds., EDUCATION FOR JUDGMENT: The Artistry of Discussion Leadership, Harvard Business School 1991, 0-87584-365-4

CORINNE COOPER, GETTING GRAPHIC 2: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning Law, C. Cooper 1994 (available from Professor Cooper)

BARBARA GROSS DAVIS, TOOLS FOR TEACHING, Jossey-Bass 1993, 1-55542-568-2

GERLAD F. HESS & STEVEN FRIEDLAND, TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHING LAW, Caroline Academic Press 1999, 0-89089-785-9

*MARGARET MORGANROTH GULLETTE, ed., THE ART AND CRAFT OF TEACHING, Harvard-Danforth Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University Press, 1989, 0-674-04680-3

SUSAN RICKEY HATFIELD, ed., THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES IN ACTION: Improving Undergraduate Education, Anker 1995, 1-882982-05-3

*OLIVER P. KOLSTOE, COLLEGE PROFESSORING: Or, Through Academia With Gun and Camera, Southern Illinois University Press 1975, 0-8093-0712-x (very amusing)

*JOSEPH LOWMAN, MASTERING THE TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING, Jossey-Bass1984, 1-55542-221-7

*WILBERT J. McKEACHIE, TEACHING TIPS: A Guidebook for the Beginning College Teacher, Heath, 8th Ed. 1986, 0-669-06752-0 (a true classic)

DAVID NEWBLE & ROBERT CANNON, A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS IN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: A Guide to Improving Teaching Methods, St. Martins 1989, 0-312-03196-3

MARYELLEN WEIMER, IMPROVING YOUR CLASSROOM TEACHING, Sage Publications, Survival Skills for Scholars Series Volume 1; 1996, 0-8039-4976-6

Note: ISBN #s are for the paperback editions. * Indicates a favorite of mine.