LEGAL SKILLS COURSES ≠ SUFFERING

1. Global Legal Skills Conference IIIFacultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey We Deal Excitement! Taking Legal Skills Courses from Dull to DelightfulConrad Sturm, J.D., LL.M.Clinical Assistant Professor of Law Northwestern University School of Lawc-sturm@law.northwestern.eduTel.: 312 503 0437

2. LEGAL SKILLS COURSES ≠ SUFFERING

3. The serious and demanding study of legal skills does not preclude us from having a little fun.

4. I. The Importance of Presentation II. The Benefits of Law Games – “Family Feud” Style III. The Value of Implementing a Variety of Teaching Methods

5. I. The Importance of Presentation “The lecturer’s own attitudes and enthusiasm have an important effect on student motivation. Research on student ratings of teaching as well as on student learning indicates that the enthusiasm of the lecturer is an important factor in effecting student learning and motivation.” McKeachie, J., & Svinicki, M., McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (Houghton Mifflin Company 2006)

6. Course Evaluation XYZ • The teacher displayed knowledge of the subject matter. • The teacher was well prepared for class. • The teacher was enthusiastic about the subject matter.

7. I. The Importance of Presentation a) Get students excited about the course material - Give Legal Skills Courses Purpose - Positive Framing b) Get students excited about you and how you teach your class - Enthusiasm - Extremely Positive Attitude - Supportive Learning Environment

8. “Effective lecturers combine the talents of scholar, writer, producer, comedian, entertainer, and teacher in ways that contribute to student learning.” McKeachie, J., & Svinicki, M., McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (Houghton Mifflin Company 2006)

9. Sample Law Games - “Family Feud” Style THE CLRC GAMES HOSTED BY PROF. STURM (Because this stuff can actually be a lot of fun)

10. STRUCTURE • Six teams – 5 or 6 students per team • Top finishing team will receive 2 bonus participation percentage points • Second place team will receive 1.5 bonus participation percentage points • Third place team will receive 1 bonus participation percentage point • PLUS – Gift from the CLR Department!

11. Bonus participation points will be added to your participation grade (accounting for 10% of your final grade) BEFORE WE BEGIN: • Teams – Need names of each team and each team member

12. ROUND 1 FORMAT • Individual Competition - E.g. Individual from Team 1 vs Individual from Team 2, 3 vs 4, and so on… • 6 Questions per round • + 2 Points for each Correct Answer – points increase • Incorrect Answer allows other party to answer with the help of his or her team • No Notes Allowed – Computers and Bluebook closed! (this varies with each round) TASK – Citations ( Also can test doctrine, legal reasoning)

13. AS AN EXAMPLE…

14. Question #1 Explain the parts of the following citation: White v. Black, 23 N.E.2d 56, 62 (Ill. 1999).

15. Question #1 Answer • Case name; Published source: volume, reporter (North Eastern Reporter, Second edition), first page & jump cite page; Parenthetical: court (Illinois Supreme Court) and year.

16. II. The Benefits of Law Games – “Family Feud” Style • Reinforce Substantive Knowledge • Encourage Individual Preparation • Foster Teamwork/Collaboration – Cooperative learning • Create Healthy Competition • Increase In-class Participation & Interaction with Professor

17. Encourage Outside Classroom Discussion • Increase Student Confidence • Motivate Students with Sizable Rewards – Bonus Participation Grades, Prizes, Recognition • Value Formative Assessment over Summative Assessment – Track Student Learning • Add Excitement

18. III. The Value of Implementing a Variety of Teaching Methods Provide a cohesive learning experience by integrating a variety of teaching methods that keep your class fresh. • Lecture • Socratic Method • Practical Exercises • Law Games

19. Suggested Articles: • Marci L. Smith and Naomi Harlin Goodno, Bluebook Madness: How to Have Fun • Teaching Citation, 16 No. 1 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 40 (2007). • “We look around the large, windowless lecture hall. More than 250 first-year law • students are intently focused on The Bluebook, driven to read citation rules, and • seemingly enjoying it. A dream? It seemed like one, but this actually happened at • Pepperdine's first annual citation competition. And even though attendance at the • competition was voluntary, the room was packed and the atmosphere was pitched. • The students all wanted their section to win. Many even brought signs suitable for • getting on television at a sporting event. (Two examples: Cite This! and Go Section • B!) In other words, our students were actually having fun learning citation.” • “A final benefit of the competition is that you may actually find yourself with a new, • improved attitude toward teaching citation. In fact, you might even become downright • enthusiastic about the subject. Inevitably, this will make you a better teacher.”

20. James B. Levy, The Cobbler Wears No Shoes: A Lesson for Research Instruction, 51 J. Legal Educ. 39, 40 (2001) (discussing “the direct link between a teacher's passion for the subject matter and the student's ability to learn it”). • Sheila Simon, Top 10 Ways to Use Humor in Teaching Legal Writing, 11 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 125 (2003).