Law School Academic Support Blog

Voice Matters

There are some weeks when I'm pretty sure that no one else at my law school talks more than I do.  Given that law schools are full of lawyers, this is a pretty audacious claim.  But two or three times each semester, I encounter a perfect storm of ASP responsibilities -- I have classes to teach, I meet with the students from those classes for one-on-one discussions, I participate in administrative meetings, and I have drop-in visits from or appointments with other students seeking individual counseling -- and my entire work week, from morning to night, is chockablock with lectures and chats and debates and advising.  Usually, by Tuesday afternoon, I can feel my vocal cords growing fatigued and irritated.  I have discovered that if I just try to soldier on, then before the week is out, those little laryngeal muscles will seize up like an old pick-up truck engine, and suddenly I will be flapping my jaw uselessly, with nothing but a breathy wheeze coming out.

It is very hard to explain to a student how to think like a lawyer when you sound like a strangled serpent.

The fact is that teachers of all kinds are among those most at risk for developing voice problems.  This might in part be because they work in schools, which are really just giant Petri dishes for the cultivation of upper respiratory infections.  But the biggest threat to our voices could merely be overuse.  Vocal cords are really just small, thin muscles, and we make them work to produce sound by forcing air between them until they vibrate audibly.  Every syllable we utter arises from a bit of violence we do to our selves.  Too much violence can damage the vocal cords, sometimes even permanently.

So it makes sense to try to find ways to treat our vocal cords more kindly.  There are many things you can do to ease the strain you impose on your voice box.  Some might become permanent habits; others you can use when you start to feel a little raspy, or maybe even just before a garrulously busy week starts:

• Keep your vocal cords moist. When vocal cords become dehydrated, they are more easily irritated.  So drink plenty of water -- keep a cup or bottle on hand in the office or wherever you might expect to have to speak at any length.  Also, certain chemicals, like alcohol, caffeine, and some cold medicines, can dry out your vocal cords.  All things in moderation, generally, of course, but when you know you've got a talk-heavy week coming up, you might want to take a pass on coffee in the morning and wine in the evening.  (Or vice versa, for that matter.)
• Avoid irritants. The effects of too much talking can be intensified by agents that make the vocal cords more sensitive. Cigarette smoke, both first- and second-hand, is an obvious example.  But in addition to thinking about what you breathe, you should also consider what you eat.  Aromatic and spicy foods carry the risks not only of irritating the throat on the way down, but also causing stomach upset and reflux that might also irritate the throat on the way out.  Of course, food is not supposed to go down the windpipe, so direct irritation of the vocal cords is less common (though possible). A bigger issue is irritation of the throat above the larynx, which can lead to coughing, which directly assaults the vocal cords.  Similarly, it is a good idea to avoid milk and dairy products, not because they are directly harmful, but because they can coat the throat, prompting you to try to clear it, which can also irritate the vocal cords.  (If you ever feel the urge to clear your throat with a rumbling bark, hold off, and instead see if you can clear the irritation by opening your mouth wide and alternately breathing deeply through your nose and then exhaling, steadily and forcefully but not explosively, through your mouth, making the "h" sound as you do.)  Of course, try not to get sick, too, because illness can be an irritant.
• Rest your vocal cords. It is often right to remain silent, but during busy times, it may not always be possible. Still, what you do outside the office can help rest your voice as well. When work is vocally busy, try to avoid scheduling other responsibilities that might require extensive speaking. Get rest at home -- minimize conversation and get good sleep.  In the long term, regular exercise can help develop stamina, even in the vocal cords, so that you can talk longer before your throat starts to feel irritated.
• Soothe your throat. Along with having water at hand, keep some cough drops, mints, or even certain fruits at hand.  Eating or sucking on these will stimulate the production of saliva, which keeps the vocal cords moist. Also, consider drinking herbal teas with soothing ingredients like chamomile or slippery elm bark.  Traditional Medicinals "Throat Coat" is a pleasant choice.
• Use healthy speaking techniques. Since in many cases we are not going to be able to avoid frequent speaking, it's a good idea to learn how to speak in the least irritating way for your vocal cords.  Sit up straight and don't slouch; good posture opens up the airway and relieves pressure on the larynx.  Avoid yelling, and avoid whispering -- both put unnecessary stress on your vocal cords.  Instead, try always to speak in a conversational tone of voice, but try to take deep breaths and to exhale using your diaphragm and your chest to produce sound, not just your throat.  This takes some of the strain off your vocal cords. Finally, if you do lecture, don't eschew the use of a microphone, when available. Yes, your stentorian voice can reach the back of the lecture hall, but you may pay for it later when you are trying to reach to person seated across the desk.  

[Bill MacDonald]

Practicing the Art of Rebuttal

It is the time in the semester when I give many, many pep talks. The time when I urge students to stay positive. The time when I suggest students need to rebut their negative self-talk.

We all have experienced a litany of negative statements that we say, often silently, to ourselves at one time or another. As the pressure of upcoming exams increases, I am hearing more and more negative comments verbalizing negative thoughts from students. The statements might be self-critical ("Oh, that was a stupid mistake!") or negative comparisons ("You just aren't as smart as they are.") or pessimistic ("No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to do this.). Whatever the form of the negativity, it deflates self-esteem, discourages further hard work, and waves the white flag of defeat.

I often point out to my students that one of the skills that every attorney needs is being able to plausibly rebut arguments presented by the opposing side. The skilled attorney can listen to the negative statement about their client's case, and then adroitly respond with the positive argument for the client's case. In fact, in preparation of the case, an attorney should consider the opponent's arguments and be ready to rebut those points. Whether by distinguishing facts, interpreting statutory language differently, mentioning an authority with the opposite outcome, or showing flawed logic, attorneys present their advocacy for the client's position.

Law students need to practice the same rebuttal skill when the negative self-talk in their heads starts to undermine their confidence and cause them to doubt their abilities. Here is an exercise that I suggest to my students to help them rebut the negative self-talk that stalks them:

1. Take a sheet of paper and divide it into two columns.
2. Head the left-hand column "Negative Self-Talk" and the right-hand column "Positive Self-Talk"
3. In the negative column, list the negative statements that the little voice in your head says to discourage you.
4. In the positive column, write out a positive rebuttal that tells the negative voice it is wrong and why.
5. For example: negative side - "You will never learn Property in time for the exam!" positive side - "I can learn this. I just need to learn one subtopic at a time and then move on to the next subtopic."
6. Add any new negative self-talk and the rebuttals to the list whenever you catch yourself stating something negative that you have not dealt with already.

How do you use the list? Practice your rebuttals and use them every time you state the corresponding negative self-talk. Some students tell me that after a few times, they start laughing at the negative voice. Other students tell me that after a few times, the negative voice has no power over them because they now believe the rebuttal. There are students who post the paper on the bathroom mirror and read the positive self-talk every time they brush their teeth or comb their hair. Other students tell me they carry it around in a notebook to reread the positive statements regularly.

We can be our own harshest critics. But we can also be our own greatest cheerleaders! Aim for the skill of rebuttal and stay positive. (Amy Jarmon)

 

This Time Will Be Different

I love playing golf, and any time I can play, I make an effort.  However, I am an average golfer at best.  I tend to make the same mistakes time after time.  I say to myself before starting the round, I will (insert new swing thought or strategy).  Once the round starts, I revert back to my old routine and play about the same that I always play.  Not a recipe for improvement, and many students fall into the same trap.

Law school is busy.  I know most of you are screaming at the screen “tell me something I didn’t know Captain Obvious.”  Being busy can lead to repetitive conduct, which is sometimes bad habits.  Busy can be from too many student organizations, family obligations, work, or fun activities, but the effect is similar.  Busy can lead to buying someone else’s outline, not completing practice questions, not seeking feedback, or any combination of bad study skills.  Outlines that aren’t complete until finals week won’t be useful for exams.  Practice questions the night before an exam don’t allow an opportunity to seek feedback.  Try to make this exam period different.

Most people understand the need to improve studying.  Some of you may have read this blog earlier in the semester and decided to have better study skills.  The semester started and the best intentions faded.  Similar to when I revert to my old routine, some students will as well.  While the semester is almost over, there is still time to change finals preparation.  Here are my suggestions for preparing better for finals:

1. Write down what you plan to complete. Be specific with days and tasks.  Make sure to add in practice questions and meetings with professors.
2. Monitor and check your plan every day at lunch. Prioritize the remaining tasks for the day.  Enjoy lunch without thinking about studying, but then focus again on the remaining tasks.  Make sure practice questions and meetings are priorities.
3. Check progress at the end of the day. Determine if unfinished tasks should be moved to the next day or not completed at all.
4. Finish by looking over or creating a plan for the next day.
5. Be flexible and adjust as needed.

Self-monitoring and adjusting is critical when time is limited during finals weeks.  Efficiency is paramount.  Continually assess and plan to accomplish more over the next few weeks.  Good luck on finals.

(Steven Foster)

Congrats to New Deans with ASP Experience

Congrats to James McGrath and Mike Barry for being appointed Deans at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and South Texas College of Law Houston!!

I am both excited for James and Mike and sad they are leaving their current positions.  Both of them participated in and hosted SWCASP workshops in the last five years.  James and the Texas A&M ASPers introduced me to the greatness of Texas de Brazil (which now has an OKC location).  Mike, Zoe, and the St. Mary's ASPers provided awesome breakfast tacos that are so much better than a Sonic breakfast burrito.  Both of them provided numerous great presentations at AASE and regional conferences, but of course, I will always remember the food.  Future SWCASP hosts have big shoes to fill.

In all seriousness, James and Mike will be great additions to their schools, and Academic Support as a community will benefit from their appointments.  The selection demonstrates the importance of ASP and the recognition ASP departments are receiving.  Under their leadership, innovative ideas will flourish.  Continued innovation and emphasis on student success can impact us all.  

I wish James and Mike the best in their new endeavor.  I just hope we still get to see them at a few events throughout the year.  Congrats!

(Steven Foster)

NY ASP Workshop Review

Myra Orlen was kind enough to put together a recap of the NY ASP workshop.  Her report is below.

 

Kudos to Kris Franklin of the NYLS and Rebecca Flanagan of UMass Law School for organizing a wonderful workshop at NYLS on April 12, 2019.

The morning offered excellent presentations – most centering on providing ASP and Bar programs to part-time students. 

The New York Workshop offers a unique opportunity for ASP’ers to select a topic that they want to learn more about and offer to lead a discussion on that topic.  The afternoon sessions offered a mix of  focused discussions and more traditional presentations.  All were excellent!

The morning sessions focused on assisting part-time law students: 

ASP’ers from Pace Law School – Danielle Kocal, Stephanie Desiato, Stephen Iannacone, and Kerriann Stout shared ideas about helping part-time students maximize their time by thinking about life in terms of buckets: work; family; and school.  Part-time students can benefit by using a planner and filling each bucket at the beginning of the week.

ASP’ers from the CUNY School of Law addressed Time Management – inside and outside the Academic and Bar Support Classroom. Most striking in the CUNY presentation was the ratio of ASP staff to students – in both the full-time and part-time programs. CUNY has a very well-resourced program.  Ninety percent of students participate in CUNY’s voluntary program that stands as a model for those ASP’ers attending the workshop.  CUNY staffers provide in-person and on-line programming.  ASP staff sit in on one-L doctrinal courses and run ASP sessions that cover skills such as doctrinal review, case reading/briefing, note taking, practice exams, and answering hypos.  The CUNY presenters included Haley Meade, Laura Mott, Asima Chaudhary, Nate Broughty, and Allie Robbins.

Reichi Lee of Golden Gate University School of Law spoke on using online/hybrid programs to support part-time students.  GGU has a 60-student part-time program.  Students are on campus three nights a week.  GGU maintains an e-learning on-line website.  The e-learning website contains workshops that are accessible to students.

Kandace Kukas of Northeastern University School of Law discussed coaching part-time students through the bar, including having frank conversations about whether students are ready for the challenge.  Factors to consider are work and life schedules, commitments, and whether they will be able to devote the necessary time to prepare for the bar exam.  Kandace suggested meeting with part-time students early, by their second-to-last year, and at the beginning of their final year.  The key is to establish the trust necessary for honest dialogue with part-time students.  Topics to be discussed include planning, time to devote to bar preparation, work time – can students take time off from work – or will students quit work.  It is important to check in with students during their final semester and as bar applications are due.  Kandace also stressed that it is important to coach students that taking the bar exam unprepared hurts students and their school.  Students who get raw scores of 80/90 on full-length practice exams should strongly consider delaying taking the bar exam.  Attendees at the workshop agreed that failing the bar exam is a devastating blow.

Shane Dizon of Brooklyn Law School lead attendees in an exercise to consider whether law schools should require or recommend upper-division bar course mandates for evening students.

Rebecca Flanagan of the University of Massachusetts School of Law presented on “Them Digital Natives! Gen Z and Technology Usage.”  Rebecca has continued her research on who our law students are – generationally.  Current students can be viewed as Digital Natives – information has always been available to these digital natives.  For Digital Natives, information has always been available and readily consumable.  But these Digital Natives do not know everything about technology.  They know the social aspects, but do not know how to use digital tools. They are not skilled at interacting with each other without a technology as a mediating force and can struggle with interpersonal communications. 

 

The Afternoon Sessions:

As the afternoon sessions began, Kris Franklin sent around a pad and asked those attending the workshop to contribute a “what I wish I knew when I began my work in ASP.”  That list has been shared on the ASP list serve and this blog.

Eileen Pizzurro of Rutgers Law School lead a discussion on Orientation and ASP.

Chris Payne-Tsoupros of the UDC/David A. Clarke School of Law lead a discussion on Enhancing Student Engagement in Summer Programming. 

Nicole Lefton, C. Benji Louis, and Cara Caporale of Hofstra, Maurice A. Deane School of Law, lead a discussion on Reinforcing Executive Function Skills.  In this session, we learned that our executive function is plastic and improvable and learned about techniques to incorporate executive functioning and metacognition into academic success and bar programming.

Stephen Horowitz, of St. John’s University School of Law, presented on “1.5 Gen. Students and “Sound Right” vs. Read-Right Grammar Strategies.”   In this presentation, we learned techniques to use with students who came to the U.S.  in their teens or earlier or for undergrad.  They seem fluent in English, but “quirks” arise in written English.  They learned English by ear and know what sounds right.  One technique addressed was the use of iweb corpus as to word choice.

Kris Franklin of New York Law School, presented on “Framing Legal Rules Helpfully.”  In her presentation, Kris Franklin used an IRAC exercise to show that framing legal rules helps to accurately spot issues. If a student has not accurately framed the rule, the student will have difficulty successfully addressing the whole problem contained in an IRAC hypothetical.

Susan Landrum, of St. John’s University School of Law, lead the final discussion on “Self-care: Reducing Burnout When Working with Stressed-Out Students.”  The last session was a discussion of self-care for ASP’ers.  “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”  This discussion was a great way to end the workshop.  Whether it’s setting a time each day for a walk or for meditating, ASP’ers experience high burnout; we cannot give everyone all of our time.  The workshop ended with what all of us do for ourselves.  This writer takes lessons in landscape painting.

 

As usual, after the workshop ended, we went to a local establishment and continued to socialize.  Also as usual, the New York Academic Success workshop did not disappoint.  I end where I began, kudos to Kris Franklin and Rebecca Flanagan!

Invite a Friend or Two - Won't You?

Sometimes, okay, oftentimes, I feel like a turtle.  Yes, I have feet (and arms?) and a nice study neck.  But, mostly, as an academic support educator, I often feel like a gigantic "paper weight," living under a big shell, lumbering along without seemingly making much of a difference.  Of course, that's not true at all, because, in the world of academic support, the big differences are not in our programs or our pizzazz but in the individual lives that we so often touch, inspire, motivate, and uplift (and the students that touch, inspire, motivate, and uplift us too).

Nevertheless, I've decided to take a very little tiny step - in sticking my neck out beyond my shell - to proactively involve my colleagues in our work (and myself in their work too).  I'm going to invite my friends to join me at next month's Academic Support Conference, hosted by Seattle University, from May 21 to May 23, 2019. Association of Academic Support Educators Conference   In fact, I'm going to talk it up - big time - with my staff and faculty colleagues.  Frankly, it's time for me to live adventurously, to stretch myself, to live boldly in community with my colleagues  Consequently, I'm inviting all of my law school faculty and staff colleagues to join with me at the upcoming national academic support conference.  And, as a preview, I'm going to send them the conference schedule along with a few tantalizing morsels about what's on the agenda, such as:

• Can Law Schools Have It All: ASP as a Checkbox or Mechanism for Change 

DeShun Harris, Camesha Little &Yolonda Sewell

• Using Data to Encourage Student Engagement

Kevin Sherrill & Kate Bolus

• How Dreamers Dream of Becoming A Lawyer: Where DACA and Bar Pass Meet

Micah J. Yarbrough

• Best Practices for Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Case Study Veterans and Non-Traditional Students

Jane Bloom Grise

• Building Teams for Student Success

Kent D. Lollis, Russell McClain & Laurie Zimet

• Planting Seeds: Using Academic Support Skill Building and Language across the Curriculum

Marcia Goldsmith & Antonia Miceli

• The Elephant in the Room: Removing the Stigma Associated With Mandatory Academic Support Advising and Course

 

Joni Wiredu and Kertisha Dixon

• An Introduction to Expert Learning (and teaching) for Law Students)

Paula Manning

• What does it mean to teach legal reasoning

Kris Franklin

• Introduction to the Science of Learning

Louis Schulze & Jamie Kleppetsch

• Evolution of an Academic Support Program

Stephanie Thompson

• Next Generation Data Analytics and Individualized Intervention for Bar Takers

Mike Barry, Zoe Niesel & Isabel F. Peres

So, please join me in inviting your law school colleagues too!  The more the merrier, as they say!  And, I look forward to seeing you at next month's conference in Seattle (and I hope to introduce you to some of my many legal writing, career counseling, student affairs, clinical, and doctrinal colleagues)! (Scott Johns).

 

 

"The Dog Ate My Homework" and Other Emergencies

The dog really did eat my homework. To be more precise, when I left my desk to fix a cup of tea, my four-month old puppy tore into my outline with joyous, tail-wagging abandon. Those pages that didn't turn into blobs of slobbery mush were ripped to shreds. I panicked, of course. Based on the nonchalant manner in which the professor had conducted the class, I had assumed the exam would be a policy-discussion cakewalk. Too late I realized that while classes were casual, the professor's exams were rigorous. My case briefs were chicken-scratch; my class notes, almost worthless. And the outline the dog destroyed? Well, it wasn't exactly "my" outline; it was a photocopy of a friend's outline because I'd been "too busy" to create my own. And since I had borrowed it only three days before the exam, in those days before e-mail attachments made routine information-sharing easy, I didn't feel like I could count on my friend's good graces to give up her original for the several hours it would take me to copy it again. I had an emergency on my hands.

To be sure, life has its share of genuine emergencies, the gut-wrenching, out-of-the-blue occurrences that shake our world to its foundations. And when these happen the best thing is to let someone at the law school know as soon as you can. But many, perhaps most, of the emergencies we encounter in the law school context, whether as students or instructors, stem from the combination of unexpected circumstances plus our own lack of foresight. We can mitigate the effect of these circumstances by prudent practices. Perhaps you've heard the acronym PPPPPP -- Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Proper prior planning can indeed help weather most law school exigencies.

Computer mishaps are nowadays probably the most common law school emergencies. The hard drive crashes, the computer is dropped, the wifi network goes down, printers jam, and suddenly we lose precious work product or can't access needed materials. Consistently creating backups and having alternatives are the keys to mitigating any computer problem.

Using a cloud storage and file synchronization service like Dropbox is the easiest way to provide consistent backups, but because even the best systems fail occasionally, it's wise to periodically check that backups are actually being made. Those reluctant to trust documents to the cloud can effectively back up with encrypted thumb drives or external hard drives. In time-crunch situations like putting the finishing touches on a brief, even e-mailing critical documents to yourself works. When using physical backups, it's prudent to use multiple devices in different locations and to rotate them: for example, you can keep one encrypted thumb drive in your backpack, one in your vehicle, and one at home.

Just as important as backing up current documents is saving versions of your documents through time. Most of us have had the experience of either accidentally deleting a large chunk of material from a document or deliberately cutting out a sections of what seems like extraneous material, only to realize later we wanted the section back. So it's a good practice to save documents under a new name at least daily by adding the date or a sequential number so you can retrieve mistakenly deleted material from an earlier version of the document. At this time in the semester, for example, many students are filtering their outlines down to the essentials. When you use your capsule outline in tackling practice problems, you may find that you were over-enthusiastic in pruning rule statements or even left an important concept entirely out of your capsule outline. Having your earlier, more expansive outline to draw from can save you hours of work.

A good way to mitigate emergencies is to have alternatives in mind given the certain knowledge that things don't always work as they should. Are old exams easily accessible on the web? Figure that the school's internet may go down, and download them to your own computer so they are available when you need them. Does everyone in the law school use the same two printers when legal writing assignments are due? Chances are that your legal writing faculty does not accept "the printer jammed" as an excuse for late papers. Scope out alternatives across campus, or print out your near-perfect brief at home so you can have something to turn in on time even your last minute perfect brief gets stuck in the law school printer queue. Is arriving on time critical for a meeting, exam, or interview? Leave home early enough so you can cadge a ride if your car breaks down or stay calm in the midst of a traffic jam. 

Prevention, of course, is the best cure. Learning and reviewing day by day, week by week, practicing problems, diligently doing interim assignments, building and refining your own outlines over time -- keeping a steady schedule of good habits can put you in a place where a total computer melt-down has limited effect because you already have have learned and practiced the material throughout the semester.  Otherwise, you just have to hope the dog doesn't sneak into your study.

(Nancy Luebbert)

Finding Time for Exam Review and Projects

Many students are trying to decide where they will find the time to get everything done. Here are some tips on finding more time:

• Block distractors while you study to avoid wasting time or getting side-tracked:
  • put your phone into airplane mode
  • turn off your message signal for email
  • study where others will not stop to chat
  • use one of the many apps available to block URLs
• Evaluate your class preparation time. You want to be well-prepared for class because the newer material will be tested. However, are you able to be more efficient and effective in your class preparation?
  • Ask questions as you read to get more understanding during your reading which helps you to avoid re-reading sections.
  • Make margin notes summarizing important points as you read so that you do not have to re-read the case to make your notes/brief.
  • Read for understanding and for the case essentials, not minutia; for exams, you need to apply the law from cases, not recite the cases in detail.
  • Use the weekend to prepare for Monday and Tuesday classes and then review your briefs/margin notes before classes. You then free up time during the week to study for exams.
• Evaluate your outlining time. You want to focus on the tools that will help you solve new fact scenarios on the exams.
  • Avoid minutia in your outlines; focus on the important items.
  • Ask yourself how an item of information will help you on the exam. If it will not be useful, then it does not need to be in the outline.
  • Avoid perfectionism. Make the best outline you can in the time you have left. Next semester you can work on outlines earlier, but for now focus on utility.
• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of study group/partner time.
  • Are you spending mega time on study group and not spending enough time on your own learning?
  • Is your group staying on task or becoming a social outlet?
  • Does your study group have a set agenda for each meeting, so everyone can come prepared to discuss those topics/practice questions?
  • If your group is having problems, visit with the academic support professional at your law school for help in resolving any conflicts.
• Evaluate your exercise routine. Are you spending more time worrying about your abs than exercising your brain?
  • Experts recommend that you get 150 minutes (30 minutes X 5 days) of exercise a week.
  • Consider exercising for shorter periods of time or fewer days a week if your routine is way over the 150-minutes recommendation.
  • Consider changing your exercise routine for the remaining weeks: walking some days instead of gym time that would take longer; treadmill some days rather than an elaborate multi-machine routine.
  • Would exercising and a meal as one longer block for a break be more efficient than several different blocks of time during the day?
  • Would exercising at your apartment complex fitness center or at the rec center for a few weeks be less time-consuming than driving to and from your usual commercial gym in town?
• Evaluate your daily life chores for more efficient and effective ways to get things done. We often waste a lot of time on chores and errands that could be avoided.
  • Set aside one block of time to run all of your errands for the week rather than make multiple trips; then plan the most efficient driving route to get them done without wasted miles (and fuel).
  • Do a major shopping now for non-perishable items so your grocery trips in future weeks will take less time.
  • Do your shopping for school-related items now so you have everything on hand when you need it later: pens, printer paper, colored tabs, highlighters, etc.
  • Do shopping and errands at off-times when the stores are less crowded and lines are shorter.
  • Prepare meals on the weekends that can then be portioned out for the week rather than cooking every day. Freeze some extra portions for future weeks as well.
  • Consider packing your lunches/dinners to take to school rather than wasting time commuting back and forth for meals.

Avoid getting discouraged by "larger than life" tasks such as learning Constitutional Law or writing an appellate brief. Break big tasks into sections or topics. Then break those tasks down even more. Each small task can be completed in a smaller amount of time. Focus on subtopics instead of topics. Focus on editing citations rather than all editing tasks. Take control of that small task and slip it into your schedule. Baby steps over time still lead to mastery of walking. (Amy Jarmon)

 

What I Wish I'd Known in ASP

The NY Regional ASP Workshop is a leader for many reasons.  If my history is correct (which it may not be), NY was the first of the regional ASP workshops.  I remember asking Kris how it started and for any advice in starting one in the southwest, and she said to just do it (which we did).  This year, they had another great idea to collect thoughts on what ASPers wish they had known when they started.  With Kris' permission, I combined her emails and posted the responses below so we can forward the information to new people in the community each year.  Here is the list they created:

• There is a big and supportive academic support community. Use it!
• You are valuable. You bring knowledge and expertise that students—especially contemporary students—need to not only succeed in law school, but in the practice of law. Don’t underestimate the impact you have on students, whether or not you see an immediate outcome.
• No two students are the same. It’s fun to try to figure out each one, and to create an individualized solution and plan with him/her.
• Don’t try to do everything at once when building new programming—choose one thing at a time; focus and develop it, and then add more. Meet 1-on-1 with faculty to learn more about students and about faculty concerns about your students.
• Don’t shy away from hard conversations with both students and Sometimes you are the one who can see the realities of a situation, and your opinion is important. And one they need to hear.
• Realize exactly how time-consuming ASP is and how hard it is to get to the point of having individual trust and a personal relationship with every student. But just know that the payoff of getting a phone call (not an email) from a student saying “THANK YOU, I PASSED THE BAR” is so incredibly rewarding.
• I wish I had a better understanding of the politics of legal education in general and as it relates to ASP in particular. As a new person, it’s important to learn some of the history without taking on battles that belong to others. Give yourself space to listen and learn, but be a neutral observer for as long as you can until you get a sense of the politics and can begin to develop your own vision.
• Don’t remain in the ASP silo—make faculty allies! But do learn from all the ASPers who came before you. Read, read, read.
• Know the budget! I wish I knew more about resource allocation.
• Help students place class exercises in context. Meet with 1L professors, sit in on their classes, and develop an understanding of when they are doing and why. Where needed, translate for students so they can grasp what they are being asked to do and why.
• I wish I’d known how much patience, stamina, and support from my family and partner I would need for this work, even more than I expected. And I wish I had known how much technology can bolster information transmission and learning.
• Don’t let your students’ issues become your issues.
• Don’t give away your skills, value and expertise. Ask for status, security, and money. Really.
• That doing ASP work can be even more rewarding if you’re doing it at a school that has a mission you feel inspired by and aligned with.
• Students in a panic are usually looking for a strong voice pointing out a clear path. Don’t be afraid to tell them the work they have to do.
• Students feel so much more overwhelmed and intimidated about managing their time than I would have guessed!
• Don’t underestimate the power of anxiety and lack of confidence in undermining student success.
• Without failure there is no learning. Share your own humanity and failure. Students see you as human, fallible, and successful.
• You will burn out if you try to bring the “magic” to every student. Don’t neglect your own soul. HOLD BOUNDARIES, respect yourself, respect your students.
• Never forget the importance of building relationships and culture with your students. Your upper-class peer models are extremely valuable and get you insights on your students’ experiences that you will never have on your own. (And seeing them is another reminder that you can, indeed already have, made a difference.)
• “It takes a village” really applies in ASP. I was expecting more of a competitive attitude, and I pleasantly surprised to find out how willing other ASPers were to share their strategies. Ask others what they are doing, what has worked, and what flopped—they will tell you!

National MBE Results are Out

Bar results are rolling in, and nearly everyone starts wondering about the national MBE numbers.  Some schools in states like Texas and California want the numbers to try to predict what pass rates will be in their jurisdictions.  Other states, like Oklahoma, are more interested in understanding their pass rates.  The vast majority of us want the information to also understand what is happening on the MBE.  This will not be my "NCBE is an  out of touch, opaque, etc." post, at least not entirely.  I am merely passing along information from February.  You can find the NCBE's official announcement here.

In case you don't want to go to the NCBE site, the February mean score was 134.  The good news is the mean is up 1.2 points from last year, and for Oklahoma, that led to increased pass rates.  However, 134 is still 2.2 points lower than February 2015.  For more context, Oklahoma sets the MBE passing score at 135.  Oklahoma does combine essays and MBE scores, but we don't scale essays to the MBE.  135 is what Oklahoma determined was the equivalent to passing an essay.  Thus, over 10,658 takers did not score above Oklahoma's MBE passing score.  Each of those takers would need above passing essays scores to pass the entire exam.  UBE states with 270 cut scores are in the same situation, and the lowest UBE cut scores of 260 would still have significant numbers of takers below 130.  

Numerous factors obviously impact the national mean.  Many others will continue the debate on whether the MBE is a "minimum competency" exam.  The February results are another data point in that analysis.

(Steven Foster)

Following a Legend

Legends make a lasting impact on their profession and community.  Michael Jordan, John Elway, Bill Walsh, Tom Osborne, Barry Switzer, and many others changed the culture or view of their sports organization.  Legends also cast a long shadow.  Tom Osborne and Barry Switzer were arguably the best college football coaches at Nebraska and Oklahoma respectively.  Nebraska has not been the same since Osborne left in 1998, and Oklahoma fell into obscurity from 1989 to 1999.  On the other hand, George Seifert followed the great Bill Walsh as San Francisco 49ers’ head coach with 2 more Super Bowl victories for San Francisco.  Following a legend can be daunting.

I am definitely following a legend on the ASP blog.  Amy made a huge impact on students’ lives and the ASP community throughout her tenure, but if someone didn’t already know that, the ASP listserv responses illuminated the impact she had on all of us when she humbly announced her retirement.  I can remember reading the blog regularly when I started in ASP with little experience.  I appreciated all of her insight.  Her posts, and other contributing editors, helped guide programs I created and produced questions I needed to answer.  Students at OCU, and many other law schools, succeeded because of her.

I will always owe a huge debt to Amy.  Her expansion to have contributing editors posting on each day not only disseminated new ideas on a more regular basis, it provided me the special opportunity to distribute my thoughts to others.  I have thoroughly enjoyed posting my ideas and receiving feedback from the community. 

I appreciated the opportunity Amy provided me.  It was that opportunity that led me to this point.  I hope I can follow her great leadership and continue to help others develop new ways to reach students to maximize their chances of success in law school and on the bar exam.  My goal will be to continue her great work so I am analogized with George Seifert and not Frank Solich or Gary Gibbs.

(Steven Foster)

Useful Forgetfulness and Study Tools/Outlines: Could There Be Too Much of a Good Thing?

Perhaps you've heard the phrase "Too big to fail."  Well, that might be true, at least according to some, with respect to some business enterprises in the midst of the last recession.  

But, at least from my point of view, that saying is not true at all with respect to student study tools and outlines.  In my experience, too big of an outline can lead to less than stellar final exam results.

Here's why...There's a learning concept called "useful forgetfulness."  

As I understand the educational science behind useful forgetfulness, it is in the midst of the filtering process - in which we decide to trim, shorter, collapse, and simplify our notes and outlines - that best promotes efficacious learning because the decision to leave something out of our outline means that we have made a proactive decision about its value.  In short, the process of sorting the important legal principles from the not-so-important leads to active and enriching learning.  

Nevertheless, for most of us, we are sorely afraid about leaving anything out of our outlines because we often lack confidence that we can make such filtering choices about what is important versus what is not important.  Consequently, we often end up with massive 50 plus page outlines in which we know very little because we have not made hard reflective decisions to prioritize the important.  So, here's a tip to help with trimming your outline down to a workable size to best enhance your learning.

First, grab a piece of paper and hand-write or type out, using both sides of the paper, the most important things from your outline.  If you think a rule might be important, don't put it in your outline yet because you can always add to your study tool later.  Instead, only put the rule down in your mini-study tool if the legal principle immediately jumps out to you as critically important.

Second, take your mini-study tool on a test flight.  Here's how.  Grab hold of a few essay problems or multiple-choice questions and see if you have enough on your "one-pager" outline to solve the problems.  If a rule is missing, just add it.  And, as you practice more hypothetical problems in preparation for your final exams, feel free to add more rules as needed.  And, there's more great news.  In the process of seeing a rule that might be missing from your mini-study tool, you'll know that rule down "cold" because you will have seen it applied in context. So, feel free to have less in your outlines because, with respect to study tools, less can indeed be more!  (Scott Johns).

Catch Some Z's

In the busy-ness of the end of the term, it's important for all of us -- faculty, staff, and students -- to stick to the basics. And the most basic of all basics is to get sufficient sleep.

Let's just talk about the brain. Stanford neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky, of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers fame (and also author of the lesser-known but magnificent A Primate's Memoir), posits that sleep helps cognition in three major ways.  First, it restores energy.  The brain, it turns out, is an energy hog. While it comprises only about 2% of the body's weight, it uses about 20% of the body's energy, with two-thirds of that energy going to firing neutrons.  Wonder why you feel so tired after intensive thinking? -- you are actually churning through enormous amounts of energy. This energy is restored in slow wave sleep.  Second, the REM sleep in which dreaming occurs consolidates memory. High levels of the class of hormones known as glucocorticoids elevate stress and disrupt cognition. Glucocorticoid levels, however, plummet during sleep, especially REM sleep. So cognition can be enhanced simply allowing the brain to work its way through learned material when these hormone levels are at their lowest, by getting a good night's sleep. Because REM sleep consolidates memory so well, those who study, sleep overnight, and take a test the next afternoon do significantly better than those who study the morning before a test. Finally, REM sleep improves assessment and judgment, especially in complex circumstances, perhaps by exercising lesser-used neural pathways during those wild and crazy dreams. This allows the brain to establish wide networks of connections instead of simple one-lane pathways, leading to deeper, more nuanced thinking. Indeed, Berkeley neuroscientist Matthew Walker suggests that the most significant cognitive benefit of sleep lies not in strengthening the memory of specific items but in assimilating small bits of knowledge into large-scale schema.

More energy for the brain to work, better memory, and better ability to put things into a larger perspective. Sounds like a winning combination for everyone. Let's ditch the late nights and catch some Z's.

(Nancy Luebbert)

 

Only Thirteen More Meeting Days 'Til Exam Period!

This time of year sneaks up on us like the holidays in December.  It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming students back for spring semester.  We blink, and then poof!  Final exams are less than three weeks away.  And before they start, we have so much to take care of.  Drafting final exams, for one thing.  But, at the same time, staying on top of our current classes -- in particular, at least in my case, pushing feedback on written assignments out to students so they can make use of it as they prepare for finals.  Plus the approaching end of the semester often means a traffic jam of administrative work, as committees and working groups hasten to complete projects before a big chunk of their members leave for sabbaticals, holidays, or other teaching gigs over the summer.

When it gets crazy busy like this, it is important to set aside at least a measure of our thought and energy for that portion of our student population that might otherwise get lost in the background noise.  Sure, part of what makes us so busy are the students we've developed relationships with -- those who regularly seek us out because of anxiety or confusion or a habit of pursuing every advantage -- and part of it may be required meetings with students on academic probation.  We'll see those folks without much extra effort on our parts.  But there are other students who could use our help who might not put themselves on our radar screens.  Maybe they are shy; maybe they are overconfident; maybe they are just underestimating how much they have to do to get ready for the approaching finals.  Maybe they feel so busy that they can't make time for us.  

These are often students, not currently in academic difficulty, for whom a little support, guidance, or intervention will have a far more significant positive effect this week than it would have if it were delivered when the student showed up at the threshold to our office, panicking, a few days before finals.  So, even though we are busy, making the effort to identify and check in with these students now makes good cost/benefit sense.

If you have not already done so, consider taking some time over the next few days to:

• Go through your calendar or appointment records from the fall and early spring and make note of any students who have sought help in the past, but from whom you have not heard for a while.  Send them quick e-mails, asking them how they are doing and inviting them to drop by or make an appointment if they'd like to talk about preparing for the end of the semester.
• Check in with faculty (especially those teaching 1L courses) to ask if there are any students they have concerns about whom they haven't already referred to you.  At this point, spring midterms are probably all completely graded, and those professors may have information they didn't have at the start of the semester.
• Remind the students (again, especially 1L students) in class or via social media or your school's information portal how close they are to the end of the semester, how busy your office gets at this time of year, and how wise it is to come to see you sooner rather than later if they have any concerns.

When we are this busy and things are moving towards a close so quickly, reaching out to students in the grey area can demand a bit of mindfulness.  But even one fruitful meeting with a student now might be more effective than a flurry of desperate conferences the week before finals.  That would be time well spent.

[Bill MacDonald]

Welcome to Our New Editor for the Blog

Please welcome Steven Foster, Director of Academic Achievement and Instructor of Law (Oklahoma City University School of Law) as the new Editor for the Law School Academic Support Blog. Steven has been a Contributing Editor for the Law School Academic Support Blog since January 2018. You have enjoyed reading his insights in Monday posts. Steven will now take over my Friday through Sunday slots. I will become a Contributing Editor and post on Mondays until my retirement at the end of May. 

Many of you know Steven through his AASE and SWCASP involvement. In case you have not met him, his law school's website provides a faculty profile for Steven:

"Professor Foster specializes in preparing students to take the bar exam. He also manages the Academic Achievement department, providing programs to improve success in the classroom, on the bar exam, and in each students’ profession.

Prior to joining the law school, he was an associate at Fenton, Fenton, Smith, Reneau, and Moon where he practiced insurance defense. Professor Foster graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University School of Law where he received numerous awards, including the School of Law’s Outstanding Graduate Award for Most Likely to Succeed."

(Amy Jarmon)

Mitchell Hamline Academic Excellence Specialist Position

The Academic Excellence Department has an opening for a full-time Academic Excellence Specialist. Academic Excellence Specialists are responsible for teaching, guiding, and supporting MHSL students to ensure their successful transition to and completion of law school and ensure students are successful in the passage of the bar. Specialists meet with and counsel students on their academic progress; develop and oversee the execution of individualized learning plans; provide one-on-one tutoring; develop, implement and revise courses and programs; and teach classes and workshops.

Qualifications: J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school; admission to the bar; strong legal writing, research, and analysis skills; ability to build rapport with students, faculty and staff; demonstrated ability to exercise sound, ethical, and professional judgment; and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and social learning platforms. Some evening and weekend work necessary based on program and student needs.

To apply please send cover letter and resume by e-mail to [email protected]; by fax to (651) 290-8645; or by mail to Human Resources, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, 875 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105. Members of under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, veteran/military status, disability or handicap, age, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, or any other protected class status defined by law.

 

Atlanta's John Marshall Academic Achievement Position

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School invites applications for a position in the Office of Academic Achievement. 

This position is a full-time, non-tenure track position that begins no later than July 2019 with a possible opportunity to begin earlier.

Responsibilities:

To enhance the critical skills associated with law school success, the office of academic achievement (OAA) at AJMLS offers instruction in the form of one-on-one counseling, mandatory and non-mandatory workshops, group presentations and specialized course offerings to all enrolled students and graduates of AJMLS. Reporting directly to the Assistant Dean of the program, the successful applicant should be able to:

• Help implement and manage all components of the academic support program at the Law School, which includes programming focused on preparing students for the bar exam.
• Teach academic workshops to students in the day and evening division on topics, such as briefing, course outlining, and exam performance.
• Provide learning strategies and techniques to enhance and leverage the academic skills that underline law school success.
• Work one-on-one with students in the day and evening division with focus on strengthening the academic skills of critical reading, briefing, outlining, and analysis. Individual counseling serves all students as well as students identified as academically at risk.
• Provide written, formative feedback to students on practice problems and/or exams.
• Help develop and assess the academic success program by collecting and maintaining data relevant to academic performance.
• Help develop personal action plans for students studying for law school exams and bar exams
• Identify students’ academic strengths and opportunities and assist in providing effective instruction to help leverage performance.
• Be interested, and stay current on, educational learning theory.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of the program.

Qualifications:

• Applicants must have a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, a law license, excellent academic credentials, and a demonstrated commitment to working with students to improve their academic performance.
• We are particularly interested in applicants who have experience and interest teaching in an academic success program.

Application Information:

Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, writing sample and contact information for three references to: Sarah D. Murphy, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, 1422 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309 or via email to [email protected]. We will be reviewing applications as they are submitted. 

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School is equal opportunity employers and does not discriminate in any of their programs or activities on the basis of race, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, disability, color, or religious belief.

1.  The position advertised:

__x_ a.   is a full-time appointment.
___   b.   is a part-time appointment.

Other, please specify:

2. The position advertised:
   ___ a.   is a tenure-track appointment.
   ___   b.   may lead to successive long-term contracts of five or more years.
   ___   c.   may lead to successive short-term contracts of one to four years.  (Full Time Position)
   ___   d. has an upper-limit on the number of years a teacher may be appointed.
   ___   e. is part of a fellowship program for one or two years.

___ f. is an adjunct appointment.

___ g.    is a year-to-year appointment.

___ h.    is a one-year visitorship.

__x_ i.   is for at will employment.

Other, please specify:

Additional information, question 2:

3.  The person hired:
   ___ a.  will be permitted to vote on all matters at faculty meetings.

___   b.  will be permitted to vote in faculty meetings on matters except those pertaining to hiring, tenure, and promotion.
___x c.  will not be permitted to vote in faculty meetings.

Other, please specify:

Additional information, question 3:

4. 
    The school anticipates paying an annual academic year base compensation in the range checked below.  (A base compensation does not include stipends for coaching moot court teams, teaching other courses, or teaching in summer school; a base compensation does not include conference travel or other professional development funds.)
   ___ a. over $120,000
   ___   b.  $110,000 - $119,999
   ___   c.  $100,000 - $109,999
   ___   d.  $90,000 - $99,999
   ___   e.  $80,000 - $89,999
   ___   f.   $70,000 - $79,999
   __x_ g.  $60,000 - $69,999
   ___   h.  $50,000 - $59,999
   ___   i.   $40, 000-49,999
   ___   j.   $10,000 - $39,000.
   ___   k.  less than $10,000.
   
   Other, please specify:

Additional information, question 4:

5. The person hired will have the title of:

___   a.  Associate Dean (including Dean of Students).

___   b.  Assistant Dean.

___   c.  Director.

___   d.  Associate Director.

___   e.  Assistant Director.

___   f.   Professor – Full, Associate, or Assistant (tenure track).

___   g.  Professor – Full, Associate, or Assistant (clinical tenure track or its equivalent).

___   h.  Professor – Full, Associate, or Assistant (neither tenure track nor clinical tenure track).

___   i.   no title.

Other, please specify: Academic Support Professional

Additional information, question 5:

6. Job responsibilities include (please check all that apply):

_x__ a.  working with students whose predicators (LSAT and University GPA) suggest they will struggle to excel in law school.

__x_ b.  working with students who performed relatively poorly on their law school examinations or other assessments.

__x_ c.  working with diverse students.

__x_ d.  managing orientation.

__x_ e.  teaching ASP-related classes (case briefing, synthesis, analysis, etc.).

__x_ f.   teaching bar-exam related classes.

__x_ g.  working with students on an individual basis.

___   h.  teaching other law school courses.

Other, please specify:

Additional information, question 6:

7. The person hired will be present in the office:

___   a.  9-10 month appointment.

___x b. Year round appointment (works regularly in the summer months).

Additional information, question 7:

8. The person hired is required to publish, in some form, in order to maintain employment.

___   a.  Yes.

_x__ b.  No.

Additional information, question 8:

9. The person hired will report to:

___   a. the Dean of the Law School.

___   b. an Associate Dean.

___   c.  the Director of the Academic Support Department.

___   d.  a Faculty Committee.

Other, please specify: Assistant Dean of Academic Achievement

Additional information, question 9:

 

 

 

 

What do YOU want to select as courses?

We are getting ready to register for courses for the next academic year's two semesters. Rising 2L advisees are meeting with their academic advisors to plan their course selections (and alternate courses in case they get waitlisted). As always, the rumor mill is generating a lot of static that has this group of newbies to registration somewhat perplexed.

There are some advisees who ignore the rumor mill entirely. There are other advisees who take every word as gospel and stress. Here are some tips to sort the wheat from the chaff during the course registration process:

• Be cognizant of the actual academic policies and procedures at the law school. What are the graduation requirements that must be met? What are the credit-hour ranges allowed each semester? What are the prerequisites for advanced courses, clinics, externships, etc.?
• Remember that each student learns differently from other students. You have preferences for subject matter, teaching styles, course formats, test formats, and more. Ask multiple upper-division students about courses/professors to get a variety of perspectives. A professor/course that would be perfect for you may not be another student's choice.
• Use the resources you have available to learn more about the courses. The professor teaching the course is your best source if you want to know more beyond the catalog description. Ask about topics that will be covered, types of readings/exercises for class, assessments in the course, and more. Talk to concentration and dual-degree advisors if you want more specifics on those options. Attend meetings regarding clinics, externships, journals, internal/national competition teams, and other options. Talk to your career development office about coursework/experiences for career paths you want to consider. 
• Balance your course schedule wisely for your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. If you are not good at business/math oriented courses, then income tax and commercial law in the same semester may be a killer. Two major paper courses may be fine if you are a very strong writer. If you are weak in legal research, then you may want to take an extra legal research seminar before you take your capstone/advanced writing course.
• Balance elective and required courses. Explore legal topics that you are curious about or may be interested in practicing. Take required courses 2L year that are needed as prerequisites for interesting advanced elective courses. If you have specific career goals, also consider concentrations or dual-degrees as you register.
• If you are registering for 2L year, think about what requirements and electives will be left for 3L year. Will that give you a balanced schedule for those last two semesters? If you are a rising 3L, think about the balance between your final fall and spring semesters.Will you have extra job-hunt or part-time-job commitments to balance in?
• Consider your commitments outside of class when choosing a balanced schedule. Do you commute a long distance each day? Will you be working? Do you have family commitments? Will you be an organization officer? Will you try out for competition teams or write-on for a journal?
• Be true to yourself in your selections. Test the "everyone should aspire to" advice against your own values, goals, and gut. If you know you want to be a transactional lawyer and do not want to litigate, then ignore pressure to take elective litigation courses and instead focus on courses that will benefit your goals. If you really do not have any desire to write on to a journal and would turn down the opportunity if offered, then do not force yourself to enter the write-on competition. If working at Big Law is your idea of a total nightmare, then pursue coursework that will be beneficial to a small or mid-sized firm in the geographical area you want. If you are set on solo practice, then take electives in law office management, law practice technology, and other practical areas.
• Remember that no course you take will be a total waste of time. You hone your legal reasoning skills in every course. If you take a course you think you want to practice in and ultimately decide you despise it, then you have gained insight into what not to practice. If you take a course you are unsure of and fall in love with the content area, then you have discovered an interest that may point to advanced coursework and a career.
• It is okay if you do not have any idea what you want to do after your J.D. degree. There are areas of law to explore and find out. Many law students discover their passions during 2L and 3L year. So take required and elective courses with an open mind!
• Do not despair if you do not get your "perfect" schedule. Through waitlists and add/drop period, you may get to tweak your schedule over the summer and into early fall semester.

I went to law school knowing exactly what I wanted to do with my law degree - I changed my mind. By the end of 1L summer I had discovered a new passion in a previously overlooked area of law. During 2L and 3L years, I discovered other potential areas of interest. The law is so expansive that the options are almost endless! (Amy Jarmon)

So Close

It has been an exciting time in Red Raider Land! Our basketball team returned home Tuesday afternoon to a warm welcome. Although they lost in the NCAA final against Virginia, they have set school history. In fact our TTU President cancelled evening classes Monday night and all classes for Tuesday.

I will admit that I was glued to my television for both the Final Four and the Final. The first of those games was such a joyous victory. The team was amazing. The loss to Virginia was heart-breaking, especially because of the OT call giving the ball to Virginia after the replay. The team played well and gave it every ounce of effort. Chris Beard has helped these young men become a family that supports one another at all times. In true Lubbock fashion the team was given a wonderful welcome home. This NCAA championship season will be remembered forever.

In many ways the NCAA tournament is a lot like final exams for law students. The hard work to get there, the high stakes, the pressure. Each exam feels like a "will I be victorious or go down in defeat" moment for some students. Here are some exam tips we can learn from the NCAA tournament:

• Daily preparation and hard work pay off in the big game. The road to success is built day by day.
• Practice, practice, and more practice is essential to honing skills for exams. You will never practice too much.
• A team to help you reach your game-day potential can be important - a study group, a study partner, teaching assistants/tutors, professors.
• People who believe in you and your abilities - friends, family, and mentors - should surround you in pre- and post-game times.
• Staying calm under pressure allows you to stay in the game and focus on every point you can get. Breathe deeply, and calm those jitters.
• Mistakes happen. Instant (or continual) replay after a disappointing exam performance is not helpful. Move on to the next exam in the series.
• Whether you win or lose, you are still a winner if you did your best on the day. All you can ask of yourself is to do your best.
• All of us can use victories or defeats to become better players in the future. Exam review later and new strategies can show us how to improve our scores.

For all of our students who are on the downward slope of classes to exams, keep up the hard work and show them what you can do! (Amy Jarmon)

 

 

What I Learned from a Saint with Scabies

There were no two ways about it -- the saint looked like she had scabies. Under my hands, the mixture of red oxide, Mars orange, yellow ochre, and chromium green produced a blotchy face, one that looked scabbed with pustules and rotting skin. I looked around the room. The same traditional colors in the hands of others produced a face that was serene and luminous. Frustration welled up inside me, and it took everything I had to keep back the tears that threatened to spill out. I was following the rules Father Damian had given us, yet what I was producing could hardly be called an icon; it was more like an amateurish cartoon. It wouldn't have bothered me so much if the others at this retreat were accomplished artists, but my peers were amateurs like me -- people from all walks of life and all religious traditions, taking a week off from their busy lives to learn an ancient art form and contemplative practice by "writing" an icon. Some were inspired by faith, some by art, some only by the idea of doing something different for a week.

Making his rounds through the room, the monk reached my table and thoughtfully contemplated my poplar board with its rough strokes, uneven lines, and errant splotches. "You've got the basics," he said. "Don't be afraid." And with a few deft brushstrokes, the scabies disappeared from the saint's face. "It's the practice. We use traditional pigments, and we follow rules so our boards don't warp and the icon has depth that draws the eye through, as though it were a window. A lot of the foundational work seems invisible, but it's important. It seems counterintuitive to use these colors that seem harsh and discordant. But as you build it up, layer by layer, you're adding depth and meaning. You'll make mistakes -- sometimes huge ones. But there's rarely a mistake you can't recover from. Work at it, and you'll be an iconographer."

As I painted, and corrected, and layered, and corrected again, tackling a practice for which I had no natural talent, I jotted down the lessons for life and law which came tumbling out day by day:

• • • • • • • • It seems to start with chaos, but as I work at it, it starts to make sense.
              • Some people are better at this than I am. That's OK. I can rejoice in their successes.
              • Enjoy this community of diverse people who came together for a common purpose.
              • Take time to share. Take time to laugh.
              • If I want to do this, I belong here.
              • If I practice, I will get better.
              • It's OK to ask for help when I need it.
              • Just because it's not perfect doesn't mean it's not good.
                

Every day when I look at the imperfect icon hanging on my wall, it reminds me of how hard learning can be, both for me and for my students. How critical it is to accept our stumbling and know the struggle is worthwhile! As the poet Wendell Berry said, "It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings." 

(Nancy Luebbert)