Law School Academic Support Blog

Assistant Director of Academic Support and Bar Prep at Hofstra

Assistant Director of Academic Support

The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University invites applicants for the position of Assistant Director of Academic Support.  The Academic Support Program assists J.D. and LL.M. students in the development of the critical skills necessary to succeed in law school, on the Bar Exam, and in practice.  The successful candidate will report to the Director of Academic Support and will assist in designing and implementing all aspects of Hofstra’s established Academic Support Program including:

• Teaching first-year and upper-level classes and workshops;
• Assisting in planning and implementing first-year and upper-level programs;
• Providing individual writing, study and test-taking skills assistance and counseling;
• Identifying and assisting students who need additional academic support;
• Assisting in the development and implementation of bar exam preparation classes, programs and events;
• Assisting in the development and implementation of new services to enhance our students’ academic performance;
• Assisting in the compilation, maintenance and presentation of bar exam data and departmental database;
• Special projects as requested by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Academic Support and Bar Preparation.

Minimum requirements are:  a J.D.; a strong academic record; a background demonstrating a potential for excellence in academic support and/or bar exam preparation; an understanding of developments in legal pedagogy; strong organizational and interpersonal skills; the ability to work collaboratively with all members of the law school community; proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; and excellent writing and speaking skills.  The following are not required but would substantially enhance an application: experience in law school academic support programs or other relevant teaching experience (including experience as a teaching assistant during law school); and/or an advanced degree in education, psychology, counseling, or a related field.  Law practice experience is helpful, but without teaching experience will generally not be sufficient.  Salary will be commensurate with experience. Some evening hours are part of this position.

Application Instructions:  Qualified and interested candidates may send a cover letter and resume via email to:  Nicole R. Lefton, Esq., Director of Academic Support and Bar Preparation & Assistant Professor of Academic Support and Bar Preparation, email: [email protected].  Please include “Assistant Director of Academic Support” in the subject line.

Hofstra University is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering diversity in its faculty, administrative staff and student body, and encourages applications from the entire spectrum of a diverse community. 

U Mass Dartmouth Director of Academic Success Position

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH 

POSITION DESCRIPTION 

OFFICIAL JOB TITLE: Director of Academic Success DIVISION: Academic & Student Affairs 

DEPARTMENT: Student Services Law School 

BARGAINING UNIT STATUS: ESU, Cat. 15 

FLSA STATUS: Exempt EEO STATUS: 3.1 JOB CODE: 023 

REPORTS TO: Director of Teaching and Learning Methods 

SUPERVISES: Student employees and peer tutors 

SUMMARY PURPOSE OF POSITION: Collaborates in the design, direction, and implementation of all aspects of the Law School’s Academic Support program. The Director promotes law student retention with remedial programming and academic counseling and collaborates with Deans and Faculty to ensure students' successful completion of law school and bar exam passage. 

Follows the University’s best practices to build and/or support student academic success and retention, and assist in meeting strategic objectives for persistence and timely graduation of all the student population. 

EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Collaborates on the design and implementation of programming for law students to facilitate their analytical development, examination skills, and early integration into the Law School’s curriculum. 
• Presents MPRE resources and workshops to secure student success on the required Professional Ethics exam. 
• Provides and oversees programmatic assistance and counseling for all students in academic difficulty. 
• Collaborates with Associate Dean as requested in evaluating and resolving student petitions. 
• Functions as staff member to all faculty Academic Standards Committee meetings. 
• Liaises with Students Services personnel and Law Enrollment Center personnel for comprehensive student support services. 
• Works with individual faculty members to provide final exam reviews for students. 
• Writes Academic Plans for students who are out of satisfactory academic performance. 
• Works with the Faculty and Deans to monitor, analyze, and promote student retention. 
• Oversees and manages the Instructional Assistants program for faculty members, and designs and manages peer tutoring program as directed by the Director of Teaching and Learning Methods. 
• In collaboration with the Director of Teaching and Learning Methods and Law School leadership, administers the Law Learning Center, remedial workshops, summer instructional programming, and MPRE preparation, and participates in staff meetings. 
• Gathers and analyzes data regarding student use of academic support resources. 
• In collaboration with faculty, is available to teach academic success courses. 
• Performs other related duties as assigned. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

EDUCATION: Juris Doctor, strong educational background. 

EXPERIENCE: Previous (over one year) of experience providing academic support to law students. 

OTHER: 
Must be available to work nights and weekends; occasional travel is required to local, regional and national conferences as well as travel to support students and graduates taking the bar exam. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED: 

• Strong interpersonal, organizational, analytical, and public speaking skills. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). 
• Ability to collect, interpret, and analyze data. 
• Ability to develop and manage higher educational programs. 
• Knowledge of academic programs pertaining to law students. 
• Knowledge of educational theories, learning styles, and disabilities. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Three years of experience providing academic support to law students. 
• Demonstrated ability to provide support for bar exam preparation.

Bar Tips to Check Out

Allie Robbins, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at CUNY School of Law, started a blog last summer for graduates studying for the bar exam. Many helpful tips are included in the posts. Allie will be adding new posts specifically for February bar studiers, so keep this blog in mind.  The link to The Activist Guide to Passing the Bar is found here. (Amy Jarmon)

Illustrating the Law Thru "Picture Books": An Ancient Practice that Might Help in Learning Today!

Perhaps surprisingly, there might be some ancient history right under your nose illustrating the value of creating "picture-books" to teach, guide, synthesis, and communicate legal principles at work.  At least, that's the case at one law school's library (and it might be the same at your law library).  

As related by the Wall Street Journal, the use of illustrations to depict the law is nothing new.  And, it's not really old either because a brief internet search provides lots of exemplars, even in legal educational settings, of the value of "seeing" the law through pictures and illustrations.  So, as you approach midterms or just want to help catch the "big picture" overview of your notes and outlines, feel free to doodle.  Let yourself go wild with your legal imagination.  Create something in a picture, as they say, that is worth a thousand words.  That will be a great way to remember all of those words without having to try to even remember them!  

For your reference, here's the article:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/laws-picture-books-the-yale-law-library-collection-illustrating-the-letter-of-the-law-1506460653 (Scott Johns)

Post-Graduation Interaction with Academic Support

Does academic support extend beyond the law school environment and the time students are at an institution?  Does it take on a different form?  Is it even academic support anymore?  We have a general idea of what academic support offices do and the nature and purpose of our interactions with students.  Most of our interactions revolve around helping students develop skills to be academically successful and successful on the bar exam.  Certain interactions permit us to get to know some of our students as more than just an individual who has difficulty outlining or organizing answers to essay questions.  We get to know about where the student hails from, their interests, their life’s challenges, their journey to law school, and sometimes, rare information about their families.  Do those relationships stop there?

My answer is no.  Post-graduation interactions initially begin as pure focus on taking and passing the bar exam.  Later, conversations shift to career opportunities, careers, people management, and life management.  In sum, the interactions are less academic support related and more “human” focused.  This indicates that academic support is an institutional community building tool that may not be visible to many.  Once conversations shift to career development, they typically relate to job search successes and wows, strategic job searching, and career challenges.  I am by no means a career services expert; therefore, I direct my students to that office for support and assistance.  Most of my conversations pertain to what I know about alums, their interests, the truth about their strategies and approaches, and considering worse case scenarios and options.  We have “real talk sessions” that culminate into unique holistic conversations. 

When I am not speaking with first career or first “real job” alums, I speak with former students who have worked for one to five years and have decided to make a career change or are sorting through how to navigate office politics.  Included in our discussions are debates about what it means to be a woman and/or a person of color in legal and non-legal environments and the nature of their interactions with men, other people of color, and people not of color.  Alums often share personal stories and all of sudden, we have created an impromptu professional development session for all of us.  While interactions with alums might not be specifically “ASP” related, they often provide me with information that I can then use to encourage and help current students.  I have also built a network of alums that I can call on and know will be responsive if I need help with bar preparation advice or individuals I can connect with a current student from a similar background in need of support and direction that I know I am unable to provide them with.  Alums are also a good source of assessment of various programs offered by my office because they will tell me the truth.  They know that I will not take offense as I am simply trying to improve what I do to help students like them (Goldie Pritchard).

Study Group Matchmaking Service

Last year a self-confessed shy student came to my office in search of a study partner.  She wanted to form a study group, but was uncomfortable soliciting classmates to join her group.  She asked me if anyone else had inquired about the same thing, and if so, would I please put them in contact with her.  Her request sparked an idea: an ASP-coordinated study group matchmaking service.  Now in its second year, the Study Group Matchmaking Service has been a hit with first-year students.  The service aids students in identifying other classmates who share their same learning preferences and study schedules.  The service also provides a proposed structure for the study groups, with recommended meeting times, a pre-identified  group leader, and suggested activities tied to the group's expressed learning preferences.  For anyone who is interested in trying out the service at their school, here is a "How To."  

Step One: Create a Survey Form

I start by creating a short, online questionnaire (using Qualtrics, which is similar to Survey Monkey).  The 7-question survey asks:

1. What's your name?
2. Which professors do you have this semester? (check all the boxes that apply)
3. Rank your VARK learning styles from most preferred (1) to least preferred (5).
4. Would you describe yourself as an extrovert or introvert?
5. Do you prefer to lead a group meeting or simply attend the meeting?
6. When do you prefer to study: early morning, right before class (7-9am); midday, between classes and on the lunch break; afternoon, right after classes (4-6pm); evening (6-9pm); or late night (after 9pm)?
7. Is there anything else you think Professor Trychta should know?

The online form allows me to download the responses into an Excel spreadsheet and then electronically sort answers to select questions, which helps in the matchmaking process.  If your school uses the StrengthsQuest program or a Myers-Briggs personality inventory during Orientation, you may want to incorporate that information into your intake survey as well.

Step Two: Announce the Service

In mid-September, I send out an email describing the Study Group Matchmaking Service.  I also post the same information to Facebook and TWEN.  The email reads:

Are you interested in joining a (new) study group?   The Academic Excellence Center seeks to group interested first-year students together into highly effective study groups.  The benefits of an AEP study group—as opposed to your “friends group”—are many:

1. Membership to the group will be based on your individual learning preferences (visual, aural, read/write, or kinesthetic), introvert/extrovert status, and other academic variables.  If you don’t know your learning preference, click here to find out.
2. Members will agree to a set of rules and standards to ensure that the group functions optimally.
3. Each group will be limited to 2-4 individuals.
4. Prof. Trychta and the Dean’s Fellows will be available to assist the AEP study groups with room reservations, locating practice problems, identifying ideal study strategies, and resolving disputes. 

The other benefits of any study group include sharing case briefs, reviewing class notes, preparing group outlines, and, most importantly: group problem solving.  If interested in being matched with a few like-minded classmates, complete this 7-question intake questionnaire (hyperlinked in original) by [next Thursday].  I’ll send out group announcements on [Friday morning], and you can plan to meet your new study group for a quick “hello” at 1:00 p.m. after Torts.

Step Three: Form the Groups

After the students complete the survey, I use the Excel document to look for patterns in their responses.  I start by sorting the students based on their professors.  Next I look for self-confessed group leaders and try to assign one leader to each potential group.  Along those same lines, I try not to put two leaders in the same group, to minimize the opportunity for conflict.  Then I break these groups into smaller subgroups based on learning preferences and desired study schedules.  I am also mindful not to stick an introvert in a group with three extroverts, or vice versa.  This process goes relatively smoothly for most of the students.  However, the last few students can prove hard to place, especially if no one else shares a particular student's same preferences.  For the handful of hard-to-place students, I reach out to them individually.  I tell them honestly that I'm having difficulty placing them in a group because of X reason, and ask them how important that particular preference is to them.  I also tell them about the next-best-fit group and ask if they would be interested in that group instead.  For example: "Dear Lynn, I think the group mentioned below would be a good fit for you, except that they want to meet in the morning.  Otherwise, everything else checks out.  Would you be interested in joining an AM study group?--Prof."  After everyone is assigned, I schedule a speed date.

Step Four: Schedule a Speed Date

The next step in the process is to introduce the group members to each other.  I begin the process with an email, detailing the results and next steps: 

Thank you for signing up for an AEP study group.  This year, we had 25 people request a partner.  Each partnership or group should be between 2-4 members.  Less than 2 is not a group, and more than 4 is unwieldy.  The members of your proposed partnership or group are: H.R. and A.A.

I tried to group students together based on their expressed learning preferences, class schedules, and personalities.  You each have Professors Trychta, Cady, & Rhee, are available to study in the early mornings, prefer read/write and kinesthetic techniques, while disfavoring aural learning techniques.  On paper, you’re a great fit.  (FYI – There are two other Trychta-Cady-Rhee groups: (1) M.D. & T.G. and (2) A.L., B.D. & M.H.  You may find it helpful to collaborate with them periodically.)

Signing-up for the matchmaking service does not mean that you must join the group.  Instead, you should plan to meet briefly in the lobby [on Friday] after Torts class to introduce yourselves and discuss the goals of the group.  Treat this initial meeting much like a first date.  If you opt to join the group, then you should promise to commit to the group for the rest of the semester.  If the members of your group can’t reach a consensus about some aspect of the study group’s objectives or rules, let me know.  Perhaps I can reassign some of the members or suggest a compromise.

The most effective study groups are those that have clearly defined objectives and rules.  For example, the purpose of your group may be to (a) outline or (b) discuss hypotheticals.  The group should discuss the options, and then make a conscious decision based on what the members hope to get out of the group study experience.  To aid you in determining the group’s rules, I’ve attached a sample “contract.”  Feel free to use, modify, or ignore the sample contract, as your group sees fit. 

Obviously, you may choose to run your group however you decide.  But I note that group problem solving works most effectively when the members of the group (1) ask someone to introduce a specific problem or issue, (2) appoint a scrivener and a leader, (3) identify all the potential issues, but not the solutions (4) then discuss all the possible answers, (5) consult resources for additional help, and finally (6) organize and summarize what you learned.

Moving forward, your group may reserve law school classrooms and conference rooms for study sessions by making a request at the Student Services front desk.  Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. 

As mentioned above, I attach a sample study group contract to the email.  You can Download Study Group Contract using the interactive link.  I'm quite confident that I stole this contract idea from someone on a blog or listserv several years ago, but I cannot remember who drafted it.  If you're the original author, please feel free to reach out to me and I will happily give you a proper attribution credit. 

Step Five: Stay Out of The Way

Lastly, I make myself available in my office during the meet-n-greet hour, but I do not affirmatively attend the event.  Once I have identified and disclosed a potential group match, I stay out of the way unless specifically asked by students to intervene.  While I actively oversee the Dean's Fellows study groups, I assert no ownership or responsibility over these Matchmaking Groups.  Rather my job is to simply facilitate an introduction.  With little oversight, admittedly, not every group will work out, but a few do.  In fact, I still see one group from Fall 2016 meeting regularly in the lobby as second-year students.  And, that alone is enough motivation for me to continue the service.  (Kirsha Trychta)

We Are Not in College Anymore

We are several weeks into the Fall semester. 1L students are starting to get a little better handle on what law school is all about. If they didn’t know this already, they are starting to realize that law school is much different than college.

There are no boldface words and glossaries in the law school casebooks. The Socratic class is not filled with a professor lecturing at passive students for the duration of class. And there are few, if any, written “chapter tests” during the semester so that students can assess their understanding of the material.

But, there are many opportunities throughout the semester where students can assess whether they are picking up what they should pick up in the course. These opportunities happen every day in class as a result of the often-dreaded Socratic method (and I dreaded it when I was a 1L--but, that story is for another blog post).

The professors’ many “what ifs” and “how abouts” give students opportunities to test their understanding of the relevant law; they are given chances to apply this law to many factual scenarios—which, in turn, help the students become better issue-spotters and legal analysts. And, as we all know in the ASP world, the more issues a student is able to spot and analyze on a law school final exam, the more likely that student will gain more points on the professor’s final exam rubric.

So, students: Try to engage with the professors’ hypotheticals in class—even when you have not been cold called in class to verbally answer the questions. Try to answer the questions to yourself in your own head. If you can’t come up with an answer to a hypothetical, write the question down on your notes and revisit that question after class or on the weekend when you review what you have covered in class for the week. You may not have come up with the answer in class. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with the answer on the final exam--when it really counts!

One of the many differences from college and law school is that you don’t have several formal written tests throughout the semester; you often only have one exam at the end of the semester per course that often dictates your entire semester course grade. Try to prepare for that final exam every day in class when you engage with the professors’ hypotheticals, and practice the legal analysis skills that will help make you a better law school test-taker and, eventually, lawyer. (OJ Salinas)

Lots of Top 10 Awards from the Summer

Our Contributing Editors were recognized by Texas Bar Today for a number of Top 10 Awards this summer. You may have missed these posts while you were on vacation, so I want to list them here so you can read any that you did not see. Take a few minutes to catch up on some excellent posts from the editorial staff:

Goldie Pritchard received Top 10 recognition for the following posts: 

A Game Plan: Last Minute Bar Preparation (7/12/17)

Survivor Advice: Words from Successful Bar Takers  (7/19/17)

We Made the Right Decision (8/23/17)

What the “Support” in Academic Support Program Could Stand For (8/30/17)

Scott Johns received Top 10 recognition for the following posts:

Turning Bad News Into Great Opportunities: Helping Repeaters Become “Fresh Start” Bar Passers
(5/18/17)

Winning Bar Exam Answers: Writing for Points or Writing to Impress?
(6/15/17)

O.J. Salinas received Top 10 recognition for the following post:

Being Different Doesn’t Mean Being Irrelevant

(8/7/17)

Congratulations to our Contributing Editors for their recognition from Texas Bar Today! (Amy Jarmon)

 

Director Position at Brooklyn Law School

Brooklyn Law School seeks candidates for the Director of its Academic Success Program. The Director will:

• Enhance learning habits and strategies of entering and returning students, both through classroom and one-on-one instruction;
• Coordinate efforts to increase students’ success in tests, bar exams and other requirements for admission to practice;
• Serve a student population composed of accelerated 2-year, traditional 3-year, and extended 4-year JD students and internationally-trained LLM students;
• Conduct ongoing monitoring of student needs and periodically inform the faculty of those needs;
• Mentor students in a range of activities, including the annual journal competition.

Applicants must articulate a clear vision for the future of the Brooklyn Law School’s Academic Success Program and demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for working with students who seek or require academic enhancement.  They must have both a deep theoretical knowledge of and significant experience in enhancing student learning and also possess the ability to build rapport with all students.  The status of the Director of Academic Success Program will commensurate with experience and credentials, as well as with a possibility of tenure for candidates holding a JD and producing a substantial body of relevant scholarship. We are committed to hiring a proven, innovative leader, and we are especially interested in candidates who will enhance the diversity of our faculty.

Applicants should email their materials to Prof. Alex Stein, Chair of the Lateral Appointments Subcommittee, Brooklyn Law School: [email protected]. 

Assistant Director of Academic Support and Bar Success Position at UA Little Rock

The UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law is currently looking for our new Assistant Director of Academic Support and Bar Success Services. You can find the job posting here. 

The Director of Academic Support and Bar Success Services is responsible for managing the Law School’s academic support program and the Law School’s bar passage program. This includes supervising student mentors, assisting in academic support programming development and instructing the law school bar preparation skills courses during the academic year. 

This is a great position for anyone who may new to academic support or is looking for an opportunity to innovate in the classroom.

Assistant Director of Academic Success Position at UNT Dallas

The UNT Dallas College of Law is a new public law school whose inaugural class started in Fall 2014. The College of Law currently has, and plans to continue having, one full-time section of approximately 80-90 students, and one part-time evening division of between 40-60 students. For the near-term, each entering class will include a day section and an evening section of approximately these sizes.

The College of Law’s goals are: (1) widening access to legal education for those who could be superb legal professionals but who cannot realistically access a legal education given factors including location, cost, and the current role of the LSAT in admission to and financing of law school; (2) providing an educational program focused on excellence in developing practice-related competencies, through a curriculum mapped to those competencies and using best instructional practices, including multiple formative and summative assessment throughout, engaged class design, and a spectrum of experiential education; (3) creating opportunity for our students by keeping tuition and debt low and producing graduates with high value and ability in multiple segments of the market for legal services; (4) becoming a national leader in advancing understanding of best legal education practices, of professional formation, and of the relationship between legal education and the evolving practice and business of law; (5) improving access to justice for underserved legal needs; and (6) serving as a valuable partner in civic engagement with the City of Dallas and the North Texas region.

The University – the first four-year public institution of higher education in the city – seeks an individual who will help shape the character of a 21st century, teaching-focused university. Candidates should possess enthusiastic support for the mission of the university to transform the lives of students, families and communities by providing high-quality, student-focused education in preparation for tomorrow’s careers, and its vision to create the place of choice where students are inspired to learn, faculty are inspired to teach and the community is inspired to support. For more information about the university, go to: http://untdallas.edu/

Responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

 

• Teach and assist in the development of academic support related courses to enhance law school performance.
• Teach and assist in the development of bar readiness related work product courses and workshops.
• Assist in the design and teaching of workshops to improve the academic skills of students.
• Assist in the design and implementation of student-led programs, including training.
• Evaluate and provide written and individual feedback on student work product and bar readiness related work product.
• Provide individual academic support counseling to students in all stages of their studies, including those struggling academically and those preparing for the bar exam.
• Serve as an individual support to students, monitor the progress of students, and provide the encouragement necessary to contribute to successful academic completion.
• By utilizing various outreach mechanisms, encourage students and bar takers throughout major events such as finals and the bar exam.
• Assist in providing academic advising to all students.
• Assist in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of student data.
• Assist in the coordination of efforts and work with other student services departments to address the needs of students.
• Respond to student concerns in a timely manner, and
• Otherwise support the Director of Academic Success and Bar Readiness, as needed.

The University of North Texas System is firmly committed to equal opportunity and does not permit – and takes actions to prevent – discrimination, harassment (including sexual violence), and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, family status, genetic information, citizenship or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, facilities, and employment practices. The University of North Texas System immediately investigates and takes remedial action when appropriate.

The University of North Texas System also takes actions to prevent retaliation against individuals who oppose a discriminatory practice, file a charge, or testify, assist or participate in an investigative proceeding or hearing.

Link to the job posting: https://unt-dallas.peopleadmin.com/postings/2967

Assistant Director of Academic Success Position at Vermont

Vermont Law School has an opening for its Assistant Director, Academic Success Program position.  This is a 12 month faculty position.  A full description of the position and required qualifications are posted on the Vermont Law School website at:  https://vermontlaw.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=89462  All applications should be submitted through the link on the website. 

I Understand Everything…

“I understand everything we have covered thus far and I am able to follow along in class!” This statement summarizes what I have heard thus far this academic year from several first year law students and I have to say that I am a little concerned. In the past, very few first year students verbalized such sentiments. Some students have an acumen for law school learning and do in fact understand and know what they need to do. Others think they “understand everything” but when pressed, realize there might be a little more that they could work on. I am always apprehensive when students display such confidence so early in the semester. What further concerns me is that several of my upper level students have also heard the same from first year students and expressed their concern to me. Could this be a new phenomenon? Is this a rare group of first year students? Do more students have an acumen for law school learning or am I simply hyperaware of first year law students I interact with?

There is often a very thin line between confidence and overconfidence.  It is my opinion that some confidence about law school ability is good, particularly with courses that employ the Socratic Method.  The faster a student understands why the course is lead using the Socratic Method and overcomes the fear and embarrassment of providing an incorrect answer or simply being on the spot, the more meaningful the learning experience becomes.   Students who recognize that the Socratic Method is not an affront on their intelligence, ability, knowledge, and/or understanding are apt to have a very positive learning experience.  However, the danger of getting too comfortable with the in-class dynamics and forgetting that their exams require written responses demanding them to tap into their ability to communicate their understanding in writing.  Some students bypass arriving at this point because early on, they were significantly disarmed by the teaching technique that they never regained their confidence and sense of self as they were distracted by the emotions generated by the Socratic exchange.

Belief in one’s ability is always good as it allows students to reach heights of academic performance but overconfidence, an excessive sense of assurance in one’s ability, can be counterproductive. Overconfidence often prevents students from taking advantage of opportunities and programs destined to develop and challenge them to the next level of excellence. Often, overly confident students do not take advantage of Teaching Assistant lead directed study groups, skills workshops, review sessions, and other programming intended to help students excel. They may also have a group of a few upper level students they listen to and hang on to each word they utter. However, some of the advice might be misleading because often time upper level students forget their journey and process. They focus on end techniques they deem effective, forgetting that trial and error allowed the development of such effective processes. Overconfident students are individuals who may or may not stop by my office in the spring semester to solicit assistance only to realize that several of their requests and concerns were addressed in programming in the fall semester. They missed an opportunity and have to visit these skills for the first time in the spring.

I sincerely hope that my concerns about my first year law students are misplaced; nevertheless, I anticipate a busy spring semester. (Goldie Pritchard)

Assistant Director of Academic Support Position at Texas A&M

Texas A&M is looking for an Assistant Director to complete our team.  The person hired will assist in developing and managing of all aspects of the first-year, peer mentoring and upper-level academic support program, in conjunction with the Associate Dean of Academic Support and the other Assistant Director of Academic Support, DeShun Harris. In addition, the incoming Assistant Director contributes to developing and managing the “Preparing for Bar” Course, our Bar Mentoring Program, and other Bar Exam preparation materials and services.

Candidates must have a JD, and preferably have some experience in legal education.  Texas A&M University School of Law is located in vibrant downtown Fort Worth.  The Fort Worth/Dallas area, with a total population in excess of six million people, offers a low cost of living and a strong economy.

 As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Texas A&M University welcomes applications from a broad spectrum of qualified individuals who will enhance the rich diversity of the law school’s academic community. Applicants can apply directly online at: https://jobpath.tamu.edu/postings/113980. Please also send your résumé or cv directly to Professor James McGrath, Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Academic Support - [email protected].  Alternatively, résumés can be mailed to Professor McGrath at Texas A&M University School of Law, 1515 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-6509.  Please respond by October 15, 2017.

Giant Pumpkin Growing Lesson #3: Daily Maintenance is Essential

As I explained in part one and part two of this multi-part series, earlier this year I decided to undertake a new and difficult task (specifically, to grow a giant pumpkin) in hopes of gaining more insight and perhaps empathy for what it is like to be a first year law student. Here’s my third takeaway:

Daily maintenance is essential for success in giant pumpkin growing and law school studying.  The key is getting the novice learner to appreciate that If she steps away in either situation for too long, she will find herself unable to catch up.

Once the temperamental seedling is planted outside, you must care for it – daily. The plant will grow from a few inches to a few hundred square feet in less than two months. Here’s my plant on July 22, 2017, just seven weeks after I planted it outside.    

A pumpkin’s rapid growth invites a plethora of problems unique to giant vegetable growers. Unsurprisingly, a small problem early in the process can quickly blossom into a huge issue. Consequently, my expert-coach was insistent that I check on my plant every day. This novice was convinced that he was being overly attentive, hyperbolic, or just plain crazy. So, I ignored his advice and traveled to the Institute for Law Teaching and Learning’s summer conference in mid-July, leaving my plant to fend for itself for a few days. When I returned, I found that the stem had begun to rot due to a moisture issue.  Ugh, turns out he might have been right!

(That brown guck on the top of the stem is rot.)

I took my foot off the gas for one week and the plant began to get the better of me. Thankfully, I noticed the soft spot early enough to salvage the stem. But, my neglect left my plant struggling for several anxiety-ridden weeks.  Seeing the rot, I quickly came to realize that my coach was correct.  Unfortunately, it took me seven weeks and almost losing my pumpkin to finally accept that daily maintenance is essential.

Just like daily patch inspections are imperative for pumpkin success, regular and frequent outlining is essential for law school success because we cover a lot of ground, very quickly.  In light of my own laissez faire attitude in July, I began to suspect that my law students likely viewed my repeated reminders to regularly convert class notes to studyable outlining material the same way I viewed my coach’s recommendation to check on my pumpkin daily.  Over the last few years, I've discussed the importance of outlining as early as orientation and as late midterms exams.  Regardless of the timing, students remained suspicious of the virtues of a daily outlining regiment.  Much like the saying "you can lead a horse to water..." I struggled to make the students "drink in" my advice.  Then it hit me: I needed to manufacture a "stem rot awakening" for my students. 

This semester I scheduled a full-fledged practice exam, closed book and given under exam like conditions, during week five of a sixteen week criminal law course.  Even though the exam was only graded pass/fail based on a good faith effort, students took the exercise seriously.  I mentioned the practice exam on the first day of class, but only spent about 15 minutes suggesting how to assemble their class notes to study.  Instead of lecturing on outlining, I simply recommended that the students implement whatever studying approach they thought would be beneficial.  In other words, I left the students to their own devices.  As soon as the students completed the practice exam, they received a sample answer and then were asked to reflect on their study habits.  Many of the students saw "rot" in their Bluebooks, and were immediately interested in whatever study strategies I could recommend.  

Post-exam I gave a more lengthy lecture about how best to study for law school exams, and invited students to make individual appointments with myself or a Dean's Fellow for additional feedback on their current note taking and outlining strategies.  It's been less than two weeks since the mock exam, and more than half of the class has voluntarily come to see me or a Dean's Fellow.  Lastly, hoping to capitalize on their newfound willingness to engage, I also launched a study group matchmaking service a few days after the mock exam.  (More about that soon!)  Although the students were a bit shocked by the mock exam experience, they are also happy to have the opportunity to remedy any soft spots before the midterm exam.

Caveat: I teach one section of our first-semester criminal law course.  If you don't teach a substantive course, you could partner with another professor for this exercise.  (Kirsha Trychta)

1L Enrichment Groups

I am having an Enrichment Group Leaders training meeting today at noon. So, I have enrichment groups on my mind (hence, the blog post!). Perhaps, many of you are also working with enrichment groups or are thinking about developing enrichment groups. I am sure many of us would love to chat and learn more about our various programs and how we can continue to best serve our students. We can continue the conversation via email or on Twitter (tweet me @ojsalinas, and use #lawschoolASP).

Like many law school academic success programs throughout the country, we provide an opportunity for our 1L students to get additional training and support from upper level students. One way that we provide this opportunity to our 1Ls is through participation in Enrichment Groups.

Every 1L student at Carolina Law is invited to participate in our Academic Excellence Program Enrichment Groups. These groups are run by upper level law students who have done well in school and have shown the ability to do well in mentoring and meeting with students. 1Ls are assigned to their groups based on their 1L professors, and the groups are “tied” to two of the 1L casebook classes—with one upper level student “Enrichment Group Leader” often taking the lead on one of the two casebook classes.

The groups typically meet once a week for about 50 minutes starting late September. The groups alternate discussing ASP topics related to one of their two casebook classes during the group meetings. These topics change as the 1Ls advance during the semester. So, the initial group meeting may simply focus on developing rapport within the group and identifying group member goals for choosing to participate in the group. The next groups may focus on taking notes and case reading for the particular casebook classes. Later group meetings may introduce outlining and the use of study aids to help review practice questions related to the casebook classes. And, finally, we try to end our semester with a practice exam for each of the two casebook classes.

We generally have strong positive feedback from our 1Ls on our Enrichment Groups. Students typically feel that the groups are great ways to provide additional support and guidance in their classes. They also like the idea that these study groups are voluntary and that the groups are already formed for them—the students don’t have to worry about not getting “chosen” or “asked” to join a particular study group.

As I mentioned, I am having a training session for our Enrichment Group Leaders this afternoon. One thing that we try to emphasize with our leaders and their group participants is that the leaders are not “tutors.” They are not there to teach the 1Ls the substantive law, and they certainly don’t replace their law school professors. While the leaders have done well in the casebook class that they are “leading” (and, many of them actually had the same professor for that particular casebook class during their 1L year), our Enrichment Group Leaders are there to help facilitate learning. They are there to provide further support for our students. They are there to “enrich” the students’ 1L academic experience. And we believe a more enriched 1L experience is a better 1L experience. (OJ Salinas)

Sleep Procrastination

Many law students (as well as the rest of us) are sleep-deprived. Research shows that our digital age is interfering with our sleep patterns. A BBC News article discusses the problem and how our smartphones and tablets are causing us to delay good sleep habits as well as interfering with our sleep cycles. The link is  Are you a sleep procrastinator?. (Amy Jarmon)

Director of Bar Success and Academic Support Position at Loyola University Chicago

We are happy to announce that Loyola University Chicago School of Law is hiring for a newly created position in support of our students:  Director of Bar Success and Academic Support.  The job posting, which includes a detailed position description, qualifications for the position, and information about the application process, can be found at:  http://www.careers.luc.edu/postings/5768. 

The Director of Bar Success and Academic Support will be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive programming to support our students’ success throughout law school and the bar exam.  This position includes teaching classes and workshops, meeting individually with students, administering academic support programming, and tracking student performance and bar exam data to continually reassess the program and our students’ needs. 

Loyola University Chicago School of Law is a student-focused law center inspired by the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, intellectual openness, and service to others.  The Director of Bar Success and Academic Support will be a vital part of the School of Law's curriculum and mission.

Loyola University Chicago is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer with a strong commitment to hiring for our mission and diversifying our faculty and staff.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion (except where religion is a bona fide occupational qualification for the job), national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by law.

Activist Learning Practice Hypos: Yours for the Taking!

Attention First-Year (and Upper-Level Law Students)!

Here's a handy link for super-short & super-helpful hypothetical essay prompts (complete with discussion guides and point sheets)...yours for the taking (no pun intended!): 

http://www.law.du.edu/pastbarexamessays

And, the best news is that it is totally free!

Oh, and there's more great news. The essays are organized into the following subjects:

• Administrative Law
• Agency Law
• Civil Procedure
• Constitutional Law
• Contracts
• Corporations
• Criminal Law
• Criminal Procedure
• Evidence
• Family Law
• Partnership
• Property Law
• Torts
• Sales (UCC Article 2)
• Commercial Paper (UCC Article 3)
• Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9)
• Wills & Trusts

So, as you're working your way through the casebooks, feel free to dabble in a handful of practice problems to put you in the pilot's seat of your learning, i.e., taking control of your "learning travels" this semester through "learning by doing")!   (Scott Johns)

P.S. This is THE LINK that I wish I had as a law student...BECAUSE...the best way to prepare for midterms is to see and work through examples of midterms!

 

 

 

 

 

Getting into a Routine

We are in the third week of classes, a time when many first-year law students start to feel overwhelmed and upper-level students recognize it is time for them to follow a routine. This is, therefore, an ideal time for me to discuss time management with both groups of students. The upper-level students have experience in the law school environment so they are more likely to know exactly what they need to do to get on task, stay on task, and complete tasks. First-year law students are still adjusting to the environment and sorting through what will be most effective for them to do, often unlearning some habits such as procrastination that previously made them successful.

A routine is very helpful to first-year law students for a few primary reasons. First, it limits the agony of lacking time; second, it takes the decision making out of the process of accomplishing tasks; third, it saves time. A routine removes concern and internal conversation about what to do and when to do it because the decision is already made and the plan is established; thus, only implementation is required. Having no plan can be quite overwhelming for first-year law students, leaving them lost and confused. They usually simply complete tasks that have immediate deadlines, spend an exorbitant amount of time on minute inconsequential details and tasks, and take longer than necessary on other tasks. Even students who are accustom to planning and organizing their lives struggle with this.

Of course, classic organizational tools, processes, and workshops are available through academic support programs at various law schools to assist students. Some of the typical time management steps include:

(1) Brain dumping - gathering information one needs to complete a task in a day or on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis

(2) Ranking or compartmentalizing tasks – distinguishing between tasks that take ample time and those that take less; those that you dread or would avoid at all costs and those that you prefer, assessing the time factor of each task

(3) Creating a time table for completion of each task - morning, afternoon, or evening, but also remembering to include buffer times for tasks that might consume more time than projected and for emergencies. Most importantly, pretest the pan and be open to making adjustments

Issues to consider are whether or not students attend such programming, heed the advice, and/or are open to testing new strategies.  For a few consecutive years, we held an in-person time management workshop but it was very poorly attended even though students consistently complained about struggling with time management.  So we spent a lot of time working with students on an individual basis.  Nowadays, we post a video of the time management workshop and direct students to it at various points during the semester as well as work with students individually.  Most first-year law students wonder why things they did in other academic environments are not effective nor efficient for them in law school.  Their concern is typically a cue to change habits but are they simply resistant to giving up the familiar?

Develop a plan, get into a routine, and implement it. You can manage all you have to do but you need to first understand your goals, available time, and how to put it all together. Many before you have successfully sorted through this; therefore, you too can do the same but it might take a few different tries so be patient. (Goldie Pritchard)