Idea of the Month: Good Teaching is Quantifiable
In the legal academy we often dismiss efforts to be a good teacher because we consider it an unquantifiable and therefore unattainable goal. However good teaching is identifiable and has some universal characteristics. The System for Adult Basic Education Support ("SABES") recently described what makes a good teacher. SABES stated good teachers:
1. have a sense of purpose;
2. have expectations of success for all students;
3. tolerate ambiguity;
4. demonstrate a willingness to adapt and change to meet student needs;
5. are comfortable with not knowing;
6. reflect on their work;
7. learn from a variety of models; and
8. enjoy their work and their students.
To read more of this idea, please go to: http://lawteaching.org/ideas/
Article of the Month: Using the Client-File Method to Teach Transactional Law
Faced with a systemic identity crisis, a pedagogical reality-theory disconnect, and calls from all quarters to graduate "practice-ready" lawyers, the legal academy has been desperately seeking ways to incorporate lawyering skills into the curriculum. In his forthcoming article, Brad Borden adds his voice to the chorus singing the praises of a business school approach to teaching transactional law. Borden's approach, dubbed the "Client-File Method," aims to mimic the training junior transactional associates once received in law firms - back when they were willing to devote time and resources to bringing new attorneys up to speed.
To read more of this review and for access to the full text of this article, please go to http://lawteaching.org/articles/.