Law School Academic Support Blog

Brain Health Resource

Healthy habits can improve retention and our overall mental health.  Law students need help in both areas.  The massive amount of information needed for success on finals and the bar exam requires intentional efforts to keep our brains healthy.  Similar intentional actions are needed to decrease stress in law school.  The first step to building those healthy habits is to constantly seek information.  Debra Austin posts tips each Thursday to help with brain health.  I encourage everyone to read the tips each week.  The are online at https://debraaustin.com/newsletter/

Let's encourage students, faculty, staff, and ASPers to build healthy habits for the new year.

(Steven Foster)

Building Community...In An Elevator

Time is so precious. That's why I love elevators. Not because I like to wait. Indeed where I teach the elevators are as slow as molasses, which means, that I have a captive audience (especially because our elevators don't have music to calm the nerves).  

That got me thinking.  Why not make the most of the situation at hand?  After all, we live and work and move in learning communities. So, here's a few suggestions to turn elevator rides into more "elevating experiences" to help celebrate community and learning.

First, smile.  Yep, you might even make eye contact too.  This is not the time to be bashful.

Second, recognize the other.  Resist the tendency to pretend to be too busy for relationships by looking down at your smart phone, or up at the flashing numbers, or at the floor.  After all, we are communities of learning, so extend a hearty hello to each one (and a gracious goodbye as people depart).

Third, introduce yourself if you haven't met.  "Hi!  I'm Scott Johns, one of your faculty members."  

Fourth, ask questions such as: "What's something you're learning today?"  What's your favorite class (and why?)?  "What type of law are you interested in practicing?

You see, elevators can be elevating experiences...if only we take the time to be with each other.  And who knows, you might make someone's day because most of us - if truth be known - go through much of life unrecognizable by others, just hoping to be known.  But elevators are no place to be alone (nor is law school or life either).

So here's seeing (and chatting) with you on the elevator soon! 

(Scott Johns).

2nd Annual Midwestern Consortium on Academic Support and Bar Programs Conference

What: 2nd Annual Midwestern Consortium on Academic Support and Bar Programs Conference.

When: March 13,2020

Where: Chicago

 

In October of 2018 I hosted the 1st Annual Midwestern Consortium on Academic Support and Bar Programs Conference at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.  It was a great way to get to know the other academic support and bar professionals in the region, and share ideas in a somewhat informal setting. I'm pleased to announce that on March 13th there will be a  2nd Annual Midwestern Consortium on Academic Support and Bar Programs Conference. The location is Chicago-Kent College of Law in downtown Chicago. The theme is Making New Connections: Expanding the Scope of Academic Support and Bar Exam Prep Through Online Learning. Together with our discussion leaders, we will explore online tools for our work, including:

• The challenges & opportunities presented by online learning
• The collaborative & community-building potential of online learning
• The use and potential online learning to support diversity
• Engagement pros, cons & how-tos for online learning
• Online strategies specific to online learning & bar prep

If you would like to join us, please use the link above. Please email any one of us with questions or concerns. A more detailed schedule is below.

Kari Johnson, Chicago-Kent [email protected] 

Melissa Hale, Loyola [email protected]

Megan Kreminski, John Marshall [email protected] 

Schedule:

8:30am -9:00am: Registration, coffee and bagels

9:00am-9:15am: Welcome and Introductions

9:15am-10:30am: “Challenges and Opportunities with Online Learning: A roundtable discussion”

Melissa Hale, Director of Academic Success and Bar Programs, Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Kari Johnson, Professor of Legal Research and Writing, Chicago Kent School of Law

Megan Kreminski, Assistant Director of Academic Achievement, UIC John Marshall School of Law

10:30am-11:30: “The Two Cs: Using Collaboration and Community to Increase Access to Legal Education for Diverse Students”

Nicole Coon, Academic Excellence Specialist, Mitchell Hamline School of Law and Associate Adjunct Professor of Legal Research and Writing, University of Minnesota Law School.

11:30-12:00pm: Lunch

12:00pm-1:15pm: Presentation on Online Learning and Student Engagement with The Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction

1:15-1:30 - Break

1:30pm-2:30pm: “Remote Access to Bar Exam Support Programs: Meaningful Engagement or ‘Engagement is Meaningless’?”

Jamie Kleppetsch, Professional Lecturer and Director of Bar Passage, DePaul University College of Law

2:30pm-3:30pm:” Bar Support Gets Outside the Building and Goes Online” Katherine Silver Kelly, Clinical Professor of Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

Hotel Information:
The Crowne Plaza Chicago West Loop is pleased to create a booking link for your attendees to make their own reservations online. Individuals will also be able to make reservations by calling 312-829-5000 and provide their dates and group code. Reservations must be made on or before the cut-off date of 2/20/2020 in order to be eligible for the group rate of $129/night.  After this date, your attendees may call 312-829-5000 for reservation assistance. All reservations must be accompanied by a first night room deposit, or guaranteed with a major credit card.

There will be a group dinner Thursday night (March 12th) for anyone that is in town. There will also be a more detailed program to follow. There is no registration fee, and all are welcome to join! 

I hope to see many of you in my lovely city to discuss ways we can better support students. And, of course, catch up socially!

(Melissa Hale)

Getting Past Uncertainty

It is an oddly resonant time of year.

This has been happening for the past week or so:

• A student comes to my office to talk.  It's a 1L student, wrestling with a mix of shock and panic after receiving first-semester grades.  They did not do as well as they had expected, and they are not sure what that means.  Are they really smart enough for law school?  Will they even make it through the first year?  They are willing to work hard to improve, but they don't even know where to begin, and they are not sure that they will improve enough to make it.  I explain that of course they need to take their grades seriously, and that they do have a good deal of progress to make, preferably as quickly as possible.  However, I note, it is not unusual for students not to reach their fully potential right away, especially when transitioning into new types of tasks, and that they do have time to get themselves where they want to be, as long as they are diligent and thoughtful and make every effort to learn useful lessons from the disappointing evaluations they have received so far.
• Next, a recent graduate comes to my office to talk.  It's someone preparing to take the bar exam in February, wrestling with a mix of shock and panic after receiving the results of their first simulated MBE exam.  They did not do as well as they had expected, and they are not sure what that means.  Are they really smart enough for the bar exam?  Will they even pass?  They are willing to work hard to improve, but they don't even know where to begin, and they are not sure that they will improve enough to make it.  I explain that of course they need to take their score seriously, and that they do have a good deal of progress to make, preferably as quickly as possible.  However, I note, it is not unusual for examinees not to reach their fully potential right away, especially when transitioning into new types of tasks, and that they do have time to get themselves where they want to be, as long as they are diligent and thoughtful and make every effort to learn useful lessons from the disappointing evaluations they have received so far.
• Next, another 1L student comes to my office to talk . . .

It is the nature of our jobs that we sometimes find ourselves trying to convey multiple messages -- sometimes contradictory -- at the same time.  In January, this messaging consists of finding the right balance of intensity and perspective, of patience and urgency, of recognizing the effects of circumstance and shouldering the burden of personal responsibility.  It can be tough in part because the people we counsel can be so different -- words that barely allay the anxiety of one person might be enough to lull another person into a false sense of self-confidence.  Better to calm our advisees down just enough for them to be able to hear and take in our more practical suggestions about focusing on step-by-step goals, specific tasks, and formative assessments, which provide them not only with routes to get to where they want to be, but also help them strengthen their abilities to more accurately judge their performance and progress.

For those preparing for the February bar, it might also be worthwhile reminding them that they may have had similar moments of uncertainty when they first entered law school.  They figured out enough to get obtain their J.D.s.  Why should they doubt that they have the capacity to figure out how to clear that final hurdle?

[Bill MacDonald]

The Dolly Parton Challenge for ASP

Last week, Steven Foster, Director of Academic Achievement for Oklahoma City University School of Law shared an interesting article about student perceptions of social media usage. The article caption: Social Media is Tearing Us Apart, caused me to reflect upon my evolving thoughts about academic use of social media.

In my early years of teaching, I was largely dismissive of student use of social media outlets. I viewed online social networking as inutile, with no academic or pedagogical purpose. Many of us, born avant the age of social media influence, worried that tools like Instagram and Facebook were counterproductive distractions during intense bar study periods. Yet, there were anecdotal (if not fully accurate) correlations between students who spent too much time surfing and socializing on social mediums and those who ultimately failed the bar exam. The sage advice of the day directed bar studiers to deactivate social media accounts and avoid screen time during bar study.

Fast forwarding to the present day, those in ASP and bar prep may be better served to use the litany of social media tools for programmatic good. Social media, at its best, is an ideal tool to connect with and aid students. To that end, I will use this weekly blog post as a Dolly Parton challenge — ASP style.*  

LinkedIn

Law students are likely groomed by career development administrators to create professional online profiles. LinkedIn is one of the go-to sources for online professional profiles. LinkedIn connections can also be wonderful resources for ABA data reporting. ASPers can and should accept connection requests from current and recent law students. Law grads who are seeking JD-employment, or those who are newly positioned, typically keep their LinkedIn profiles up to date. Another great use of LinkedIn, for ASP related purposes, is its searchability. Unlike other social mediums, students and young lawyers generally use their legal names and their profiles are easily searchable by name and location.

Facebook

I set up a private group on Facebook for my students during bar study.  I allow only current bar takers to join the group. Within the group, I share daily bar study affirmations, announcements, and bar study tips. I post Questions of the Day (“QOD”) to engage students. I create an environment where students can be comfortable posting answers, even wrong answers. They use the group forum to interact with peers and learn from each other. At the end of each day, I post the answer and explanation to the QOD which generates additional questions. Our students are going to be on social media anyway, why not use the tool to engage them in bar study, I say.

Instagram

Although "the gram" does not provide the group interaction capabilities of  of Facebook, it is a great tool to market program events. Using memes and graphically captioned announcements for, e.g. practice exams, meeting with bar examiners, deadlines, office hours, and free lunch, will easily capture student attention. Having an Instagram presence also aids in outreach to Gen Z and the later-born Millennials who are deliberately not present on  Facebook. 

Twitter

Although excluded by Dolly Parton, #AcademicTwitter is not to be slept on. St. John’s University School of Law legal writing professor, Renee Allen is the reigning queen of law school Twitter. She has over 2,000 followers to her @profallentweets handle. She has written and presented on effective usage of social media in law school academic support. According to Professor Allen, "Twitter is great for networking, learning, and self-promotion . . . and it can humanize law profs, which is super important for students who follow [us]." 

Tinder

Well, I’ll leave to one of the other bloggers to find a fit for Tinder in Academic Support and Bar Prep. 😉

(Marsha Griggs)

*The Dolly Parton challenge refers to a four-photo mosaic of potential profile photos for social media sites LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Tinder.     

•                    
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Time to Get Back Up

I sat anxiously in the stands watching a nail-biter.  Adrenaline pumping as the score narrowed to a one possession game, then the lead slipped away.  I watched as the shots stopped dropping, and the defense became more porous than it had been all season.  As the clock hit zero, the team lost.  While I am describing a 4th grade basketball game, the dejection on the team's face was immediate.  My son's team was undefeated and just lost to a team with a worse record.  It wasn't the 2004 Pistons beating the Lakers, but the kids felt it.  The coach talked to them for 5-10 minutes after the game.  My son told me in the car that the theme of the talk was to learn from the mistakes.  There are still enough regular season games left to have the best record, and there is a tournament at the end of the season.  Their goals are still attainable.

Many alumni around the country felt defeated last week.  The midterm simulated MBE happened for most February bar takers.  The results were probably not what most students wanted.  While the stakes are much higher, the theme is the same for February bar takers as it is for the 4th grade basketball team.  The simulated test is a learning experience to determine where to improve.  The goal of passing the bar is still achievable with the right amount of effort.  

I encourage everyone to increase effort, but the effort must be efficient.  Make sure to complete the required assignments in your course.  I also encourage sitting down with your academic support professional to create a customized plan for the rest of bar prep.  ASPers at your school can give advice on how to use an extra 10-20 minutes or where to maximize your effort.  The exam is in 4 weeks, so efficiency will be critical.

The simulated test is deflating.  Don't let it be demotivating.  The test is a checkpoint on the journey to a license.  Keep up the hard work for 4 more weeks.

(Steven Foster)

Assistant Dean for Bar Success at New York Law School

Student Feelings of Social Media

Social Media icons created an artificial environment to bring people together.  We can connect with high school friends across the country, and families can post pictures for far away relatives.  The connections can keep everyone updated and feeling connected.  However, our attempts for connection may have gone too far.  

Current middle and high school students understand social media better than many people much older.  Common Sense Media and Kahoot! conducted a recent survey of over 400,000 middle and high school students.  56% of those surveyed believe social media is tearing us apart instead of bringing us together.  Some could argue adolescence amplifies the discord of social media, and while that is plausible, law students have similar tendencies.  Every semester includes a social media debacle at my school, and I am sure the same occurs across the country.  I see discord regularly within our students.

Also included in the findings:

-31 percent said it was okay to share something on social media, even if it's not true, if it is funny and you like what it says.

-80 percent believe some people spend too much time making the posts perfect to impress others.

Younger students recognize the problems with social media.  Their recognition may be able to change how people use social media in the future.  You can read the short article on the findings at Education Week here.

(Steven Foster)

Winnie the Pooh & Learning?

Research suggests a relationship between a positive growth mindset mindset and improved learning. C. Dweck, G. Walton, G. Cohen, Academic Tenacity: Mindsets and Skills that Promote Long-Term Learning (2014).  Consequently, I've been trying to "read" the minds of my students (and they often seem to look sullen, downtrodden, and burdened).  

To be frank, that might well be my fault because I don't always accentuate the positives about the difficulties involved in learning.  Yet for most of us, we realize that it's in the midst of the hard spots of our lives that our character was shaped.  In short, we grew into the people we are today because of how we pulled through the difficulties of yesterday.  And that's why learning is...growing our minds.  So, why not see learning in similar light?

Here's a couple of suggestions that might help your students approach learning with a more positive growth mindset:

First, my best classes are when I leave room at the end of the class, well, for learning (or at least reflecting on learning). Here's how: I ask students to mingle about what they learned today. Instantly faces are transformed into beams of sunlight; frowns are replaced by the warmth of smiles; and, most significantly, the class becomes alive with criss-crossing conversations.  Then, I open up the floor...and the floor fills up oh so quickly.  Hand over there, another over here.  Three over there.  More that away.  In short, as students open up, they come to appreciate that they have learned a great deal (and that most of their learning came through courageously probing mistakes made). 

Second, I toss out a statement - in my best vocal rendition of Eeyore as possible - gloomily saying: "Oh my...oh me.  Woe is me.  I missed...another...problem." We then contrast that mindset with Winnie the Pooh: "Oh, look, there's honey over there, up in the tree, and back over there, why, there's even more honey; there's honey everywhere!" Suddenly students recognize that law school life is not really as gloomy as they think it is, that there's plenty of "honey" to be gathered from every problem that we miss; that it's in "climbing up the trees" and putting our hands in the thick of the "bee hives" that leads us to even more honey...because, well, "where's there's bees--there's got to be honey."

In short, it's in the midsts of mistakes that we learn best. So, to sum up what I've gleaned about learning from Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore it's this:  "The best learning is like honey; it's a sticky mess of a problem (but a mighty good treat!)."

(Scott Johns)

P.S. To learn more about Winnie the Pooh and friends, visit: https://winniethepooh.disney.com/winnie-the-pooh

Multitasking and Bar Review, or the case for "Mini Essays"

If you are taking the Feb Bar Exam (or even if you are looking ahead to July), you might be wondering about the best ways to study. You might also be wondering about how to increase your studying without increasing your study hours. Remember, self care is important!

To this end, I present to you....."Mini Essays".  Mini essays are a very simple, yet effective, way to multitask while you study.

Step 1: Choose an MBE question that you got wrong. Or even one you got right, but are a bit uncertain as to WHY you got it right. Maybe you guessed, or were unsure of the answer. (On a side note, any MBE you get right, but feel like it was a lucky guess, or anything short of feeling 100% confident that you know why you were right, you should STILL review). 

Step 2: Eliminate the answer choices.

Step 3: Write an IRAC answer to the question. 

This should not take longer than 5-10 minutes, and your essay should not be more than half a page or so. Ideally, it's a paragraph.

This is effective because you are doing multiple things at once. First and foremost, you are mastering the law. If you are struggling with an MBE question because you don't remember the law, or you were unsure about how to apply it, writing it out (with your notes) is a great way to help remember and master that law. This is far more effective than simply reviewing or rewriting an outline.

Next, you are practicing your essay writing skills in a timed setting. This should feel less daunting than writing out full 30 minute essays. You can do these in 5 minutes! But, you are practicing writing out an analysis, as well as your time management and general writing skills. It's a win all around!

Finally, if you can write out an answer, and do it well, to a multiple choice question, chances are you going to get the answer right next time you see a similar question. 

Remember that you don't always need huge blocks of time to study. Many students get frustrated because they are working, or have family commitments, that prevent them from carving out hours at a time.  Mini Essays are a great way to fill those 5-10 minute blocks.

Finally, as you are almost halfway through bar review, keep in mind that it is a marathon, not a spring. Take care of yourself physically and mentally, and go into the exam with confidence!

(Melissa Hale)

You are More than a Test Score

Across the country this week, bar candidates will take a full-length practice exam. Your first simulated MBE scores may not be exactly what you expected. I took my first bar exam years ago, but I still remember the shock of my first practice test score. I could not believe my eyes. Never before had I seen a percentage so low. My practice test results triggered a fight or flight instinct in me. For others, this week's results may yield any one of a host of emotions: fear, devastation, sadness, indifference, or overconfidence. Bar passers must develop the coping mechanisms to rebuff these counterproductive, yet understandable, emotions. 

The first step in your battle for resilience must be to reflect on your pre-bar journey. Approximately three years ago, you were wondering if you would get into your first-choice law school — or any law school for that matter. Once admitted, those first-year exams made you question your ability to make it through law school. Yet somehow by grace and sporadic unhealthy doses of caffeine, you are here with a law degree and one test that stands between you and the practice of law. What began as a quest both shaky and unsure, is now a dream realized. How you started is NOT how you will finish.

The second step is self-assessment. You may have learned that while you love e.g. Torts or Contracts, they do not reciprocate your sentiments. You may be equally shocked to discover that you excelled in a dreaded subject area, proving that you know the doctrine of equitable conversion and standards of review far better than you previously led yourself to believe. Analyze your practice exam results to identify your areas of strength and weakness.

The third step is to slow your roll. Before looking to new sets of practice questions, revisit questions that you have already answered and missed. Don't reread the answer explanations. Instead reread the question facts. It is highly likely that you may know the tested rule of law, but missed some key detail in the fact pattern or misread the call of the question. It is unwise to do more practice questions until you fully understand how to analyze and answer the ones you've already answered.

The fourth and final step is to execute a plan of attack. Once you come to terms with your weaknesses, develop an effective plan to combat them. The tools and assignments from your commercial bar review provider can only take you so far. If you need drastic improvement, consider reaching out to your law school academic and bar support team or a professional bar tutor. Sometimes the best bar therapy comes in the form of a volunteer bar coach or the supportive words of a recent bar passer.

(Marsha Griggs)

The Problem with Comparison

Comparison is the thief of Joy. - President Theodore Roosevelt

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel. - Pastor Steven Furtick

Unfortunately, now is the season of comparison.  Grades came out recently, and I hear 2 questions from many of my students.  The first question is, "am I still in law school?" For the vast majority of law students, the answer is yes.  The next question I hear is some version of how do I compared to everyone else.  The joy of passing or completing a semester of law school isn't most students' reaction.  The near immediate reaction is to start comparing to others.  The immediate comparison furthers the demoralizing effect law school has on many students.

Depression in law school is four times higher than society.  I believe one of the reasons is our natural tendency to compare ourselves to others.  Not only do people like to compare, society has furthered the comparison mindset.  Pastor Furtick's quote from above is specific to social media.  He is 100% correct.  One study indicates over 69% of adults use social media.  Social media is a constant comparison.  Individuals see friends' vacations, clothes, habits, food, etc. and start feeling bad about life.  The perception is the pictures and stories on facebook are the constant, and our own daily constant can't compare. 

Current students grew up on social media, so they are even more entrenched in comparisons.  Our job is to find a way to help students fight the immediate need to compare to others' grades.  When students come in, I always start with acknowledging students' feeling'.  Many are upset with grades, and feeling disappointed is understandable.  From there, I talk about what they accomplished.  I tell them not everyone can make it into law school, and not everyone graduates.  Making it through a semester is impressive.  Here are a few additional strategies for decreasing comparisons:

1.  Turn off social media as much as possible, but definitely during the week after grades are released.  Disappointment from grades can be compounded by comparing to others on facebook. 

2.  Write down why you came to law school.  Ask yourself, can you still complete your career goals?  The answer is most likely yes.  With a few exceptions, you can still accomplish your goals no matter what your grades were.  Many jobs are found through networking.

3.  Don't listen to others' stories.  Too many people talk about their "great" grades or how well they did.  Don't listen.  I hear more people talk about how well they did than is statistically probable.    

4.  Focus on what matters, which is this semester.  Last semester's grades are finished.  The only thing that can change are current and future semester grades.  Now is the time to focus on how to improve.  

Grade comparison is a thief of the joy of law school.  Intellectual attainment should be rigorous but fulfilling.  Constant comparison can ruin it.  Let's strive to help students stop comparing to each other.

(Steven Foster)

Quotes to Start the New Year

Many of us are trying to make changes for the new year.  Success insider published 20 motivation quotes for the new year.  Here they are:

Let today be the day you give up who you've been for who you can become. - Hal Elrod

The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year.  It is that we should have a new soul. - G.K. Chersterton

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. - Melody Beattie

If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one. - Dolly Parton

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. - Hal Borland

Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book.  Write a good one. - Braid Paisley

You have brains in your head.  You have feet in your shoes.  You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. - Dr. Seuss

For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. - T.S. Elliott

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Only you have the power to determine whether your future mimics your past. - Skip Prichard

Your life journey is about learning to become more of who you are and fulfilling the highest, truest expression of yourself as a human being. - Oprah Winfrey

There is no passion to be found in playing small - in settling for a life that is less than what you are capable of living. - Nelson Mandela

Don't count the days.  Make the days count. - Muhammad Ali

Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. - H. Jackson Brown Jr.

You are never too old to set a goal or to dream a new dream. - C.S. Lewis

And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that never were. - Rainer Maria Rilke

It is never too late to be what you might have been. - George Elliot

Ring out the old, ring in the new, ring, happy bells, across the snow:  the year is going, let him go; ring out the false, ring in the true. - Alfred Lord Tennyson

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. - Thomas Jefferson

(Steven Foster)

SWCASP Workshop on March 5th and 6th

8^th Annual Southwestern Consortium of Academic Support Professionals Workshop on March 6^th, 2020 

ASP Across the Curriculum

at

Texas Tech University School of Law

in Lubbock, Texas

 

The Southwestern Consortium of Academic Support Professionals will host a one day conference focused on developing Academic Support programs throughout the curriculum.  ASPers are amazing at the work we do, but we have limited interactions with students.  Students need skills work reinforced throughout every year of law school.  ASP skills range from metacognition to specific test taking skills.  The goal of the conference is to provide ideas for participants to take back to law schools that will encourage everyone at the school to help students improve. 

Registration will be open to anyone interested in academic support.  You can register by filling out the form at this link.

Hotel Information:

Texas Tech secured rooms at:

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson

6225 62^nd Street

Lubbock, TX 79424

You should be able to mention Texas Tech and SWCASP to get the conference rate.

 

Conference Dinner and Presenters

Thursday, March 5^th

6:30pm – Shuttle from Hotel to Funky Door Restaurant

 

Friday, March 6^th

8-9 – Shuttle to Texas Tech School of Law with Breakfast

9-12 – Presentations:

                        It Takes a Village: Establishing Working Relationships with Doctrinal Faculty

                        Reynaldo Valencia, Preyal Shah, & Meijken Westenskow; UNT Dallas – College of Law

                        Using Academic Support Techniques in the Doctrinal Classroom: One Civil Procedure Professor’s Experience

                        Zoe Niesel; St. Mary’s University School of Law

                        Theory, Design, and Implementation of Effective Bar Exam Preparation Programs

                        Raul Ruiz, Director of Bar Preparation & Assistant Professor of Academic Support; Florida International University College of Law

12-1 – Lunch

1-3 – Presentations:

                        Integrating the Multistate Performance Test from Day One

                        Antonia Miceli; Saint Louis University School of Law

                        Why I Lifted the Laptop Ban in My Classroom

                        Yolanda Ingram; Drexel Kline School of Law

                        2L Curriculum Chasm: Creating the Skill Bridge Between 1L and 3L

                        Jamie Kleppetsch; DePaul University College of Law

6pm – Optional Dinner, Drinks, and Socializing at La Sirena Restaurant

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

 

Steven Foster ([email protected])

Director of Academic Achievement at Oklahoma City University

 

Cassie Christopher ([email protected])

Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Bar Success

 

Chelsea Baldwin ([email protected])

Director, Academic Success Programs

A Legal Education "Learning Triangle"

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  So picture a triangle:  One way to think about learning is to contemplate the three "angles" of learning.  

At the apex of the triangle - from the viewpoint of most students - law school education is all about learning to think, act, and communicate like an attorney.  

But that begs the question. What is learning?  

Well, in my opinion there are two others corners to the triangle, and those - I believe - are the wellsprings or foundations for successful learning.  And, as many have suggested, they often go overlooked in our haste to teach students to "think like attorneys."

Let me explain what I see as the other two corners that make a "well-rounded" triangle so that our students can effectively learn to think, act, and communicate like attorneys.

One of the corners involves applying the science of learning - the lessons learned from educational psychologists as how best to learn.  And, as the scientists suggest, its often counter-intuitive to our own notions of how we best learn: To cut to the chase, less talk and more action, by having our students engage in pre-testing, practice testing, distributed practice, retrieval practice, and interleaving practice throughout the semester, is foundational to long-term meaningful learning.

The other corner, it seems to me, involves the interplay of the heart, the soul, and the mind.  It's the psychological-social dimensions of what best equips us and our students to engage in optimal learning practices.  Some emphasize academic tenacity or grit.  But, in my opinion, this corner of the triangle rises (or falls) on whether we are developing within our students a sense of place, of belonging, as valuable members of our learning communities.  You see, it's very difficult to have grit when we feel out of place, like we don't belong. But focus on equipping our students to belong...and tenacity will soon follow suit.

Lately, thanks to the work of many in the academic support field in teaching me about the interrelationships among (1) the skills of lawyering, (2) the science of learning, and (3) the psychological-social dimensions of learning, I've been regularly integrating, emphasizing, and sharing research about learning straight from the "scientists" mouths.  

Here's two of my favorite articles, filled with colorful and vibrant charts and tables, which I flash onto the classroom screens (and then have my students ponder, decipher, and explain as to how they can best learn to "think like lawyers" based on the latest research):

J. Dunlosky, Strengthening the Student Toolbox: Study Strategies to Boost Learning;

C. Dweck, et. al., Academic Tenancy: Mindsets and Skill That Promote Long-Term Learning.

And, if you want to make the most of this little blog, grab a piece of paper, close your computer, and draw a nifty picture of a triangle (with annotations as you try to recall as much as you can about what you learned).  

Happy Learning to you and your students!

(Scott Johns).

 

 

Feeling Overwhelmed By Bar Review?

It's that time of year, where you might start to feel overwhelmed by the amount of bar review tasks in front of you. First all, this is not at all unusual, and you are not alone. 

Second, a brutally honest fact  - statistics show that the more bar prep course a student completes, the higher their chances of passing. For every single percentage point of your commercial bar course that you complete, your chances of passing the bar also increase.

However, whilst it is true on a general level that you need to be working hard to cover as much of that course as possible, it is also worth remembering that you are not a statistic. Students are unique individuals, not numbers. Most importantly, whilst working hard, you need to ensure that you keep your health and sanity for the end of Feb.

So, all that being said, here are a few tips if you find yourself getting overwhelmed:

1. One thing at a time.The best thing to do when feeling overwhelmed is to take one step at a time, and DO one thing at a time. Yes, it’s good to have a big picture idea of what you need to accomplish between now and the end of Feb, that’s what will keep you on target. But, on a day to day basis, you need to focus on what you can do in the next 5 minutes, the next hour, the afternoon. Make lists for yourself, or use the ones given to you by the commercial prep companies (which are usually online) and tick one thing off at a time, even if it’s a small thing.
2. Prioritize active learning. Don’t get bogged down in reviewing outlines, making outlines, making flashcards, etc. Your priority should always be practice essays (especially if you will get feedback) and practice MBE questions, not to mention, practice MPT. As for the law, of course you need to know it, and remember it, but you will remember it better by writing about it, with a unique fact pattern, then you will simply by reading the law, or even putting it on a flashcard. Succeeding on the bar exam is a SKILL, so you need practice. You wouldn’t prepare for a hockey game simply by reading about hockey; you’d get on the ice and run skating drills, you’d have practice games. The bar isn’t really any different.
3. Extra Questions. I often get questions about whether students should be doing MORE, or a good source of extra questions. The right answer to this is going to vary from student to student. I always think more questions are better, in general, and varying the types of questions you are doing can be beneficial. However, you don’t need to pile on extra books and questions for the sake of doing so. Focus on getting through your normal schedule first, if you get through that, and you are not completely exhausted, then consider extra sources of questions.
4. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing.Remember, you are not a statistic, and there is no cookie cutter bar student. Comparing notes with others on what works, or what doesn’t, is fine, but don’t judge yourself by how many hours someone else is in the library, or how many sample questions they are doing, or whether they’ve bought 10 extra books. This is like the first year of law school; everyone is different, and you might be working at a different pace, or in a different way, from someone else. That’s ok!

Remember you still have over 5 weeks left,  this is not a sprint, it’s an endurance race. That means pacing yourself. Working hard, yes, but also remember that working smarter is more important than just working harder.

Good luck, you got this!

(Melissa Hale)

Function Over Form

I had a minor enlightening encounter this week that I thought worth sharing.  I was going over the responses to some previous bar exam essay questions that a former student had wanted to review with me.  One of the first questions we went over had a moderately long fact pattern involving a will of uncertain validity, and then asked simply, "Who will inherit the decedent's property?"  The student properly recognized that there were several issues that had to be addressed in order to answer that question, and identified and fairly discussed most (but not all) of them.

Another question had been written in such a way that it clearly indicated that there were three specific issues to discuss: at the end of the page-long fact pattern, three separate questions were asked, in separate sentences, formatted into three separate enumerated paragraphs, as in*:

1. Do you really want to hurt me?
2. How can you mend a broken heart?
3. Should I stay or should I go?

*Questions selected for illustration only.  Not actual bar exam questions.

The student had done a fair job of answering these questions, creating a separate header for each one that incorporated the language of the question and then earnestly examining each question presented.  A rule or two was misstated, some relevant facts were overlooked, but essentially the student had properly identified the relevant issues and had done some creditable analysis for each one.

A few questions later, we were looking at another question that seemed to wrap up in a similar way, with three enumerated statements.  In this case, however, the question explained that one of the parties in the question had filed suit against another, and that the complaint had three allegations**:

1. You think love is to pray, but I'm sorry I don't pray that way.
2. You don't have to prove to me that you're beautiful to strangers; I've got lovin' eyes of my own.
3. Now that I've surrendered so tenderly, you now want to leave, oooo you want to leave me.

**Valid only in jurisdictions that permit bar examination responses to be produced via karaoke.

After listing these allegations, the question asked, "Is the plaintiff likely to succeed on these issues?  Explain."

As with the previous enumerated question, the student took cues from the formatting in the text to format the answer, again creating a separate header incorporating the language of each issue and then examining each issue separately.  In doing so, however, the student implicitly assumed that the assertions made by the plaintiff were as sound and valid as the questions asked by the constructor of the question.  In other words, the student took the precedent statements in the plaintiff's assertions -- "You think love is to pray", "I've got lovin' eyes of my own", and "I've surrendered so tenderly" -- as givens that could be employed to prove the asserted conclusions, rather than as unproven premises that needed to be demonstrated or disproved with reference to specific facts and legal rules.  Thus, the analysis in this question was abbreviated and circular: "Because the plaintiff has lovin' eyes of his own, defendant does not have to prove that she is beautiful to strangers."

I pointed out to the student that, ordinarily, a decision maker would not simply take the plaintiff's assertions at face value, but would likely seek proof by citing facts and legal standards.  The student acknowledged that it had not appeared, in the heat of the exam, that the implications of the two questions were very different -- the first providing three issues for analysis, and the second requiring the examinee to determine the real issues themselves.  The student had not had any trouble recognizing this need to figure out the relevant issues in the first question, so it wasn't an inability to dig deeper that had prevented her from doing so in the last question.  Instead, we agreed, it had been a reflexive reaction to the form of the question -- "1,2,3 means take those words as your givens".  Making this explicit seemed to prepare the student to avoid doing the same thing in the future.

Just a neat little example of how the shortcuts we take, or make for ourselves, can sometimes take us places we don't want to go.

[Bill MacDonald]

The Allure and Allusion of Score Portability

The Uniform Bar Examination (“UBE”) has juggernauted from an idea to the primary gateway for entry into the practice of law. To the resounding support of law graduates and law schools, a supermajority of states has abandoned individual state law exams for a uniform exam written by a private entity. The UBE is the exam of the future and I anticipate that at least three more states will have adopted the UBE by year end. The UBE remedies many voiced complaints about varying degrees of exam quality and exam difficulty across states. Perhaps the most touted feature of the UBE is score portability.

UBE takers may "port" or transfer their scores into other UBE states, thus, relieving examinees from the arduous chore of having to sit anew for a bar exam. However, the promise of score portability is allusive at best. Transfer procedures vary by state. The fees to transfer one’s UBE score may be as high as $1700, possibly more than the cost of taking the bar exam in the transferring state.[1] For a majority of students who exit law school burdened with student loan debt, these transfer costs will make the promise of portability unrealizable.

According to attorney and bar prep professional Ashley Heidemann, “the UBE is not as portable as law students are led to believe.”[2] Heidemann feels that the promise of portability is highly deceptive to law students who believe that a widespread uniform exam means that once licensed, UBE attorneys will be able to transfer into other states at any time.[3] “The biggest misconception students have,” says Heidemann, “is that UBE scores can be transferred to a different UBE jurisdiction at any time. In reality, UBE scores are only good for generally two to five years, meaning one cannot transfer a score from one state to a different UBE state after their specified time period is over.”[4]

Even staunch supporters of the UBE seem to think that the UBE has not yet reached its greatest potential. UNLV Professor Joan Howarth advocates for a uniform cut score, citing that a six point score differential could effectively exclude hundreds of bar takers from the practice of law.[5] Melissa Hale, Director of Academic Success and Bar Programs at Loyola University Chicago School of Law says, “I’d love to see a more uniform process [regarding admission and transfer policies].” Hale, who sees the UBE as an improvement over predecessor exams and self-identifies as pro-UBE, wants to make sure that students understand the score transfer process and that it is “not without hurdles.”

As more and more states adopt the UBE, academic support professionals will need to stay in the know and keep students informed about the true costs and limitations of score portability. That is — until or unless a uniform cut score becomes a reality. Stay tuned, we may be closer than we think!

(Marsha Griggs)

 

[1] Marsha Griggs, Building a Better Bar Exam, 7 Tex. A&M L. Rev 1 (2019).

[2] Interview with Ashley Heidemann, President, JD ADVISING LLC (Mar. 25, 2019).

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Joan W. Howarth, The Case for a Uniform Cut Score, 42 J. LEGAL PROF. 69, 72 (2017).

Associate Director for Bar Performance and Assessment at Golden Gate University

BASIC FUNCTION AND SCOPE OF JOB:

Under the supervision of the Faculty Director of Bar Services, the Associate Director will design and implement a comprehensive communications and monitoring system to annually track student preparation and performance on the bar exam by graduating class in all jurisdictions, and assume primary responsibility for collecting and analyzing a wide range of bar performance data for reporting to the law school faculty, university senior leadership and accrediting agencies. The Associate Director will also oversee the delivery of the law school’s 3L/4L and post-graduation bar exam preparation curriculum and programming, including but not limited to the alumni bar mentoring program, essay feedback program and simulated exams.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Create and implement a comprehensive program for communicating with students about bar exam requirements in order to assess their preparedness and predict success;
• Design and implement a case management and monitoring system for students in each graduating class, to track exam performance in all jurisdictions, with particular focus on the California Bar Exam;
• Collect, compile, manage and secure a wide-range of data that relates student demographics, participation and academic achievement to bar performance outcomes;
• Conduct statistical analysis and prepare reports for the law school faculty and the university senior leadership following each exam administration;
• In collaboration with the law school dean’s office, compile statistics for the ABA’s annual bar passage questionnaire; recommend strategies to maintain compliance with accreditation standards;
• Oversee and provide individualized counseling to GGU students preparing for the bar exam as well as repeat bar takers;
• Review student practice essays, provide detailed feedback and oversee the law school’s alumni bar mentoring program;
• Formulate and revise as needed the curriculum for bar preparation workshops, courses and orientation sessions;
• Provide training for adjunct instructors and supervise teaching assistants;
• In collaboration with the Faculty Director of Academic Achievement, administer all Themis programs and services throughout the student lifecycle; and,
• Provide support for Academic Achievement programming and teach academic skills courses as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

JD from an ABA-accredited law school and member of the State Bar of California;

• Minimum two years’ experience in preparing students for the bar exam, with prior experience grading the California bar exam preferred;
• Experience with standard practices of data collection, management and analysis; familiarity working with relational database systems and statistical program software packages preferred;
• Proficiency in using Excel and the MS Office suite;
• Superior organizational, written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills;
• Ability to provide motivation and encouragement to students; think creatively and critically around strategies to assess student preparedness and improve bar exam performance;
• Ability to work independently, managing multiple projects and deadlines under minimal supervision; set priorities, demonstrate initiative and assume leadership while working as a member of a professional team;
• Ability to handle confidential information, collaborate with colleagues, and exhibit good judgment when interfacing with students, staff and faculty; and
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and professional working relationships with all law school constituents, bar examination officials and the legal community.

Assistant Director at UNLV

Job Description

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas invites applications for Assistant Director, Academic Success Program, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law [R0119668]

PROFILE of the UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1957, UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution comprised of approximately 31,000 students and more than 3,900 faculty and staff. To date, UNLV has conferred more than 136,000 degrees, producing more than 120,000 alumni around the world. UNLV   is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as an R1 research university with very high research activity. The university is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region's diversifying population and workforce, driving economic activity through increased research and community partnerships, and creating an academic health center for Southern Nevada that includes the launch of a new UNLV School of Medicine.  UNLV is located on a 332-acre main campus and two satellite campuses in Southern Nevada.  For more information, visit us online at: http://www.unlv.edu

COMMITMENT to DIVERSITY

The successful candidate will demonstrate support for diversity, equity, and inclusiveness as well as participate in maintaining a respectful, positive work environment.

ROLE of the POSITION

The position exists to provide support for the Academic Success Program. Reporting to the Director of the Academic Success Program, the Assistant Director meets weekly with current students to assist them with their legal studies, monitors and trains student mentors, assists in curriculum and program development for the bar passage and first-year programs, counsels current students and alumni on bar passage issues, and conducts seminars and workshops. Evening and weekend work is sometimes required.

QUALIFICATIONS

This position requires a Juris Doctor from an ABA-approved law school and membership in a state bar and 1 ~ 3 years of related professional experience. Membership in the state bar of Nevada is preferred. Credentials must be obtained prior to the start of employment.

The Assistant Director of the Academic Success Program must have excellent oral and written communication skills with strong attention to detail, excellent writing and editing abilities, sound legal skills and knowledge, an affinity for counseling and mentoring students, interpersonal skills, public speaking skills, critical reasoning skills, and excellent time management and organization skills. Solid working knowledge of computer systems and software applications such as PeopleSoft, word processing, spreadsheets, and database management is also desired. This position requires the ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse environment and the ability to work well as a member of a team and independently. Prior academic support experience or teaching experience (i.e. Legal writing or comparable teaching experience in writing and analytical skills training) is preferred.

SALARY RANGE

Salary competitive with those at similarly situated institutions. Position is contingent upon funding. 

APPLICATION DETAILS

Submit a letter of interest, a detailed resume listing qualifications and experience, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references who may be contacted. Applicants should fully describe their qualifications and experience, with specific reference to each of the minimum and preferred qualifications because this is the information on which the initial review of materials will be based.

Although this position will remain open until filled, review of candidates’ materials will begin on March 2, 2020, and best consideration will be gained for materials submitted prior to that date. Materials should be addressed to Sydney Lisy, Search Committee Chair, and are to be submitted online as we do not accept emailed materials. For assistance with the application process, please contact UNLV Human Resources at (702) 895-3504 or [email protected].