Most Professors have honors instructors, sometimes referred to as tutors. The tutors are 2L or 3L students who, if you couldn't have guessed, scored rather well in the subject class their 1L year. Their role is to help the 1L students have more understanding of the subject matter.
One of my professors does not believe in tutors. He relates studies which show students who attend tutor sessions do not do any better on the final exam than a student who did not attend the tutor sessions. He also points out, the studies show tutors improve over the students who are not tutors.
I respect this professor's opinion. There is truth in his words. Unfortunately, I must disagree with him about using tutors.
I have found some benefits to the tutor sessions. One, the tutor sessions provide a review session. Two, the tutor sessions provide repetition. Three, the tutor sessions can aid in outlining. Lastly, the tutor sessions can actually clear up any misconceptions.
The tutors provide handouts prior to the session. The handouts the fill-in-the blank type. I read over the handout prior to the session and attempt to fill in the blanks. Then, during the session, I discover the accuracy of my answers. This aids in recollection and reinforcement.
While the tutor sessions are a rehash of the week's material, repetition is good for the memory. The more times a person hears something, the easier the person will recall the specific item. Repetition is good.
While the handouts will not be in a strict outline form, the structure can aid in outlining. Realize law school outlines are not a typical "I-II-A.-1.-a." format. The outline is how the law student comprehends the body of work. The outline is a compilation of the notes, reading notes, tutor handouts, and cases from a class. The outline represents the law student's knowledge of the subject matter. Now the outline can be in the standard "outline" format, but, it does not have to follow the format. The tutor handouts can help in organizing and framing the major areas of a subject for studying.
Lastly, the tutor sessions can aid in clearing up misconceptions. The tutor is not the subject matter expert. Remember, the tutor is a student, not a faculty member. The tutor, though, has survived the 1L year and has done rather well in the class. The tutor can provide some insight which can aid in understanding of the material. Reiterating the repetition argument, thinking about the material in a different framework can help the brain wrap around a problem not understood.
The benefits of the tutor sessions outweigh the time investment (the tutor sessions are one hour in length - that's one hour not studying something else). Much like anything else in life, a student will get out of the tutor session what the student puts into the tutor session. I'd like to see the statistics encompass this fact.
Tutor or not to tutor? It's an easy answer. I say attend every tutor session...
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Impressions
After three full weeks, here are my impressions of the five courses required for first year students.
Criminal Law
This class has been my most frustrating class. This is not because of the amount of material or the professor or the challenge of the material; instead, the frustration comes from not seeing in the cases exactly what the professor is seeing. I've come close a couple of times but still miss the mark. I've tried not to let the frustration get in the way of learning, unfortunately, human nature must be overcome for the lesson to sink into my cerebrum - and, sometimes, that is not an easy task.
I did some outside the course research this past week in an attempt to understand. I believe it has helped. I've spoken with the professor which has also helped. Law school is about reading, more reading, and much contemplation. If you do not actively engage in the class by thinking about what you are reading and by thinking about what the professor adds to the reading, the law will not make sense. I hope my outside research and my conversation with the professor get me closer to seeing in the cases what the professor sees. I just need patience. Unfortunately, law school pressure sometimes makes you feel like you can't have patience.
Property
This is one of the classes I feel like I am fully understanding. The class is also very interesting. I believe the reason behind this is that the concept of property of the lay person is not the same as the concept of property of the law. Expanding the concept is very interesting. Learning is definitely enhanced when the class is liked.
I've also performed outside-the-class research which I believe has helped me understand the concept of property. My discussions with my girlfriend (I'm so glad she's been willing to listen to me - I must find a study group!) have also helped with my understanding of the material. A pattern is forming - reading, more reading, and contemplation help with the understanding of the law.
Contracts
I like this class and I believe I understand it too. This class is a little strange. The professor has his own casebook so there is a more direct influence of the professor in the course. Realize, every professor will influence the class with his or her interpretation and personal philosophy of the material. The professor usually use someone else's casebook to accomplish this. The professor who has his or her own casebook is only including specific information which is directly influenced by personal philosophy. To me, it is a little weird to have the professor's casebook.
The professor told the class he usually gives the rules then provides the cases to illustrate those rules. This class though, he has taken the approach of providing the cases first. The method he has employed this year is the method I think of when I think of law school - read cases to pull from the case the rules utilized by the court so, when given a new fact patten, the rules can be used to predict how the court will apply and decide the cases.
For this class, my jury is still out. I like the professor. I like his casebook. I believe I understand the material. Too many factors lining up for a blindside blitz!
Civil Procedure
This class is interesting. The statement might not seem odd at first but when considering the purpose of the course, the statement can stretch into the odd realm. Civil procedure teaches the rules the courts utilize for civil proceedings in federal courts. The course should be boring - think about learning the rules of the English language. Learning bareboned rules should be boring; however, for civil procedure, to me at least, learning the rules is not boring.
I find it interesting to see how a case is adjudicated based on the rules. I also find the professor's teaching method interesting. Much like property: the class is interesting, the professor is interesting, learning is happening. We'll see how I feel about this class as the trimester progresses.
Legal Skills
This class worries me. I feel like I haven't learned much in this class. This is not to say I haven't learned anything. I feel like the Karate Kid. The professor has taught the class little items and has had the class put those items to use in little exercises. My fear is when the final project is assigned, unlike the triumph the Karate Kid experienced, I will be knocked out.
Everyone says legal skills consumes most of a law student's time. It is worth only two credits (as compared to three credits of the other classes) but more work is performed for those two credits than any of the other classes. That fact is what scares me! It is like laying on the ground and a few drops of water fall on your face. Each individual drop is easy to handle and easy to cope with. Then the deluge comes; someone dumps a bucket of water on your face. The mass of water surprises you and the breath escapes waiting for the rush of water to cease. This is my fear for legal skills. I'll see how this fear pans out.
These are my impressions after three weeks. I hope some change and others do not after another three weeks.
Criminal Law
This class has been my most frustrating class. This is not because of the amount of material or the professor or the challenge of the material; instead, the frustration comes from not seeing in the cases exactly what the professor is seeing. I've come close a couple of times but still miss the mark. I've tried not to let the frustration get in the way of learning, unfortunately, human nature must be overcome for the lesson to sink into my cerebrum - and, sometimes, that is not an easy task.
I did some outside the course research this past week in an attempt to understand. I believe it has helped. I've spoken with the professor which has also helped. Law school is about reading, more reading, and much contemplation. If you do not actively engage in the class by thinking about what you are reading and by thinking about what the professor adds to the reading, the law will not make sense. I hope my outside research and my conversation with the professor get me closer to seeing in the cases what the professor sees. I just need patience. Unfortunately, law school pressure sometimes makes you feel like you can't have patience.
Property
This is one of the classes I feel like I am fully understanding. The class is also very interesting. I believe the reason behind this is that the concept of property of the lay person is not the same as the concept of property of the law. Expanding the concept is very interesting. Learning is definitely enhanced when the class is liked.
I've also performed outside-the-class research which I believe has helped me understand the concept of property. My discussions with my girlfriend (I'm so glad she's been willing to listen to me - I must find a study group!) have also helped with my understanding of the material. A pattern is forming - reading, more reading, and contemplation help with the understanding of the law.
Contracts
I like this class and I believe I understand it too. This class is a little strange. The professor has his own casebook so there is a more direct influence of the professor in the course. Realize, every professor will influence the class with his or her interpretation and personal philosophy of the material. The professor usually use someone else's casebook to accomplish this. The professor who has his or her own casebook is only including specific information which is directly influenced by personal philosophy. To me, it is a little weird to have the professor's casebook.
The professor told the class he usually gives the rules then provides the cases to illustrate those rules. This class though, he has taken the approach of providing the cases first. The method he has employed this year is the method I think of when I think of law school - read cases to pull from the case the rules utilized by the court so, when given a new fact patten, the rules can be used to predict how the court will apply and decide the cases.
For this class, my jury is still out. I like the professor. I like his casebook. I believe I understand the material. Too many factors lining up for a blindside blitz!
Civil Procedure
This class is interesting. The statement might not seem odd at first but when considering the purpose of the course, the statement can stretch into the odd realm. Civil procedure teaches the rules the courts utilize for civil proceedings in federal courts. The course should be boring - think about learning the rules of the English language. Learning bareboned rules should be boring; however, for civil procedure, to me at least, learning the rules is not boring.
I find it interesting to see how a case is adjudicated based on the rules. I also find the professor's teaching method interesting. Much like property: the class is interesting, the professor is interesting, learning is happening. We'll see how I feel about this class as the trimester progresses.
Legal Skills
This class worries me. I feel like I haven't learned much in this class. This is not to say I haven't learned anything. I feel like the Karate Kid. The professor has taught the class little items and has had the class put those items to use in little exercises. My fear is when the final project is assigned, unlike the triumph the Karate Kid experienced, I will be knocked out.
Everyone says legal skills consumes most of a law student's time. It is worth only two credits (as compared to three credits of the other classes) but more work is performed for those two credits than any of the other classes. That fact is what scares me! It is like laying on the ground and a few drops of water fall on your face. Each individual drop is easy to handle and easy to cope with. Then the deluge comes; someone dumps a bucket of water on your face. The mass of water surprises you and the breath escapes waiting for the rush of water to cease. This is my fear for legal skills. I'll see how this fear pans out.
These are my impressions after three weeks. I hope some change and others do not after another three weeks.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Cutthroats at Cal Western
Before school even started, I was warned about the cutthroats in law school. Stories abound about how some students will sabotage their classmates so that the better grade will go to the saboteur. Supposedly, students will rip pages out of books so that other students will not benefit from them or even checkout the entire book and keep it. I'm sure there are other stories to be told in this area; however, I have yet to hear them.
One of the reasons for not hearing the stories (besides the doubt one might have to the truthfulness behind the stories) is that Cal Western touts the school as a place these stories do not occur. I can see why there might be truth in the Cal Western stance.
Everyone here wants to help. The staff, the professors, the 2Ls and the 3Ls, and even fellow class students are all helpful to get the job done. The biggest fear among my students is the curve. I understand the curve is something most law schools do, so I'm not concerned about it. I might discuss the curve in another blog.
Cutthroats may not exist within the school; however, the cutthroats exist outside the school! California Western is three buildings on the out skirts of San Diego. Needless to say, there are few free parking spots to go around. Located to the north of the school is "Banker's Hill." This is a residential area where most of the students park. (Note: Not sure who would live in "Banker's Hill" as the neighborhood is in the flight path of airplanes landing at Lindbergh Field.) The key is that the number of students exceed the number of available spots close to the school.
The school does not open until 7 am. Specifically, the 350 building (the building which houses the classrooms) does not open the doors to students. The library does, even though it is not staffed until 7. The parking spots along the bridges over the I-5 which are the closest spots to the school are taken before 6:15.
Every day students are observed driving around attempting to find spots. It's like Christmas time at the mall! I'm not one to be a parking spot shark - you know who they are, the ones who drive around slowly waiting for someone to approach a car to leave, and they block the lane so that the shark gets the spot as soon as it opens. Every time I see a parking spot shark, I hear the "Jaws" music playing.
I have a few parking locations where I attempt to park. If there aren't any parking spots, I immediately go to Balboa Park. The park has parking available which is five blocks from the school - about a 10 minute walk. I, however, do not park east of Fourth Avenue on Thursdays because of street cleaning (Balboa Park is east of Sixth Avenue). Thursdays I attempt to limit my parking spot sharking.
I do have a back up location. The problem is that it is located around 15 blocks from the school. That distance is a little far. It is always good to have a back up plan though!
So if you hear that Cal Western isn't like other law schools in that cutthroat academics does not occur, realize, cutthroat parking does!
One of the reasons for not hearing the stories (besides the doubt one might have to the truthfulness behind the stories) is that Cal Western touts the school as a place these stories do not occur. I can see why there might be truth in the Cal Western stance.
Everyone here wants to help. The staff, the professors, the 2Ls and the 3Ls, and even fellow class students are all helpful to get the job done. The biggest fear among my students is the curve. I understand the curve is something most law schools do, so I'm not concerned about it. I might discuss the curve in another blog.
Cutthroats may not exist within the school; however, the cutthroats exist outside the school! California Western is three buildings on the out skirts of San Diego. Needless to say, there are few free parking spots to go around. Located to the north of the school is "Banker's Hill." This is a residential area where most of the students park. (Note: Not sure who would live in "Banker's Hill" as the neighborhood is in the flight path of airplanes landing at Lindbergh Field.) The key is that the number of students exceed the number of available spots close to the school.
The school does not open until 7 am. Specifically, the 350 building (the building which houses the classrooms) does not open the doors to students. The library does, even though it is not staffed until 7. The parking spots along the bridges over the I-5 which are the closest spots to the school are taken before 6:15.
Every day students are observed driving around attempting to find spots. It's like Christmas time at the mall! I'm not one to be a parking spot shark - you know who they are, the ones who drive around slowly waiting for someone to approach a car to leave, and they block the lane so that the shark gets the spot as soon as it opens. Every time I see a parking spot shark, I hear the "Jaws" music playing.
I have a few parking locations where I attempt to park. If there aren't any parking spots, I immediately go to Balboa Park. The park has parking available which is five blocks from the school - about a 10 minute walk. I, however, do not park east of Fourth Avenue on Thursdays because of street cleaning (Balboa Park is east of Sixth Avenue). Thursdays I attempt to limit my parking spot sharking.
I do have a back up location. The problem is that it is located around 15 blocks from the school. That distance is a little far. It is always good to have a back up plan though!
So if you hear that Cal Western isn't like other law schools in that cutthroat academics does not occur, realize, cutthroat parking does!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Week 1 in the Books
Week one is done. Many more like it to come...
This has been a long week. Or at least that is how I perceived it. On Wednesday, I felt like it should have been Friday. Time seemed to drag like those times as a little child waiting for the day to leave on a trip to Disney World. The days seemed to drag on the closer the day to leave became like some amount of torture on your psyche. This is how this week seemed to me.
Now, this is not to say the week was agonizing or torturous; the week just seemed to take a long time to complete. And reflecting back on the week as I sit here and type, the week seemed to have flown by so quickly. These are odd feelings. Are these directly related to the 1L experience? Guess I'll see next week.
The only problem with next week is it is a short week because of Labor Day. Dang holidays. As soon as I develop a routine, the desire of the people for a day off to celebrate work places a bump in the road.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, my first class is not until 9:25. On Fridays, I have only one class which starts late in the afternoon, 2:40. I know, how lucky I am to have only one class on Friday and the class is in the late afternoon! But, on these days, I go to the gym. Tuesdays and Thursdays class starts at 8:00 am. I know, how lucky for class so early!
Every day this past week, I got up at 5 am. I was at the law school by 8 am on the days I worked out and at the school by 7 am on the other two days. I was never late or rushing. I will stick to this routine as it seems to work.
If you were paying attention, I got to the law school at 8 am on Friday - the day I have class at 2:40 in the afternoon. Yesterday (Friday), I spent the entire day working and reading ahead and studying. I hope to keep this routine up for the rest of the year.
I left the school at 4:30 most days. A couple of days I stayed until 6 pm. After eating dinner, I would spend an hour or two working in my study at home. While I wanted to have school be school and home be home, I feel that the only way for that to work is to stay through dinner at school. I know that sounds like a lot of studying - and it is - but the prize, I believe, is worth the effort.
Law school is a balancing act. You must balance life and studying. I think I would prefer to eat at least one meal at home with my girlfriend, to have some semblance of the life we had prior to law school. I know there will be days I'll have to stay through dinner at the law school. On those days, I will not come home and do school work. Instead, I'll spend time with my girlfriend. I believe this is the way to maintain sanity.
This weekend I have some plans of off time. But I also have planned time to work on law school. Balance is key. Law school is studying. Many hours of studying. Karl Llewellyn says the cure for too much law is more law. But at some point, you must say, enough is enough and take time to clear the blood and sweat out of your eyes so you can keep your eye on the prize.
This has been a long week. Or at least that is how I perceived it. On Wednesday, I felt like it should have been Friday. Time seemed to drag like those times as a little child waiting for the day to leave on a trip to Disney World. The days seemed to drag on the closer the day to leave became like some amount of torture on your psyche. This is how this week seemed to me.
Now, this is not to say the week was agonizing or torturous; the week just seemed to take a long time to complete. And reflecting back on the week as I sit here and type, the week seemed to have flown by so quickly. These are odd feelings. Are these directly related to the 1L experience? Guess I'll see next week.
The only problem with next week is it is a short week because of Labor Day. Dang holidays. As soon as I develop a routine, the desire of the people for a day off to celebrate work places a bump in the road.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, my first class is not until 9:25. On Fridays, I have only one class which starts late in the afternoon, 2:40. I know, how lucky I am to have only one class on Friday and the class is in the late afternoon! But, on these days, I go to the gym. Tuesdays and Thursdays class starts at 8:00 am. I know, how lucky for class so early!
Every day this past week, I got up at 5 am. I was at the law school by 8 am on the days I worked out and at the school by 7 am on the other two days. I was never late or rushing. I will stick to this routine as it seems to work.
If you were paying attention, I got to the law school at 8 am on Friday - the day I have class at 2:40 in the afternoon. Yesterday (Friday), I spent the entire day working and reading ahead and studying. I hope to keep this routine up for the rest of the year.
I left the school at 4:30 most days. A couple of days I stayed until 6 pm. After eating dinner, I would spend an hour or two working in my study at home. While I wanted to have school be school and home be home, I feel that the only way for that to work is to stay through dinner at school. I know that sounds like a lot of studying - and it is - but the prize, I believe, is worth the effort.
Law school is a balancing act. You must balance life and studying. I think I would prefer to eat at least one meal at home with my girlfriend, to have some semblance of the life we had prior to law school. I know there will be days I'll have to stay through dinner at the law school. On those days, I will not come home and do school work. Instead, I'll spend time with my girlfriend. I believe this is the way to maintain sanity.
This weekend I have some plans of off time. But I also have planned time to work on law school. Balance is key. Law school is studying. Many hours of studying. Karl Llewellyn says the cure for too much law is more law. But at some point, you must say, enough is enough and take time to clear the blood and sweat out of your eyes so you can keep your eye on the prize.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)