Last week marked the arrival of all of our first year law students for a week of orientation. There were fun activities, a series of welcomes, some serious academic activities, and a lot of new information to absorb. Our Academic Success Program is involved in various aspects of orientation but I also like to hear what some of my colleagues have to say to the students. One statement by our Associate Dean of Student Engagement caught my attention. He said to the 1Ls: “Make sure that you are teachable” and then he went on to make his various remarks. This is great advice that encourages students to be open to the information that is presented and open to learning. Ego often gets in the way of being teachable and so does competition. We do not always recognize our resistance to learning and sometimes that resistance is detrimental. Merriam-Webster defines “teachable” as “able and willing to learn, capable of being taught.” We should all be willing to learn and in turn be capable of being taught.
I think that being teachable should be paired with being open to constructive criticism and getting comfortable with being vulnerable. Law students typically receive very limited feedback and one exam at the end of the semester determines their performance in individual courses. A legal writing course is usually the course in which students receive more regular feedback because they have regular assignments with hard deadlines. I encourage students to take the feedback that they receive, determine what changes they need to make, and make those changes. I encourage them not to take constructive criticism as an affront on their intelligence or ability to be a successful law student. They should look at criticism as an opportunity to learn, develop a skill, and become a better student and lawyer. I know that it is easier said than done. Even for individuals who are accustom to managing criticism, receiving criticism in law school can be a challenge at first. It might be helpful for students to put themselves in situations where they have to manage scrutiny or constructive criticism regularly. Maybe develop public speaking skills, audition for a play, write and have their writing critiqued, or engage in any activity they feel uncomfortable engaging in but that includes an element of critique. Participating in any of these activities might put students under enough scrutiny and encourage them to determine how to best manage extensive critique. The added benefit is that hopefully these experiences empower students to seek out feedback and be more receptive of constructive criticism as a law student. (Goldie Pritchard)
