Invest in Your Skill Set
Academic Support Educators engage in transformational work. We see students through the beginning of their journey to the pinnacle of licensure, and this is by no means an easy road for every student.
Much of what academic and bar support professionals do happens behind the scenes. We celebrate the quiet wins: a student passing their Civil Procedure course on the second attempt, or making a significant GPA increase after being academically dismissed. We do a lot of things people do not see.
We meet with students after work hours, sometimes with their child coloring at a nearby desk, or because they have no option but to meet after work. We repackage information to suit a student's learning and processing abilities. We provide emotional support and a listening ear when students feel defeated or unsure if they belong in law school. We maintain institutional memory about which policies uplift students and which create barriers. These forms of labor, while often invisible, are crucial to any law school committed to student-centered education.
Investing in staying abreast of current pedagogy, learning sciences, and legal education trends is not only essential to supporting our students and graduates—it is vital to our own growth and sustainability in this evolving field. Professional development can come at a cost, but it does not need to be prohibitive. Whether you are new to the field or a seasoned professional, there are numerous high-quality, free or low-cost opportunities to build your knowledge, expand your skill set, and connect with a network of like-minded educators.
Below is a list of conferences, communities, and content that can jumpstart your process of professional growth. Note that this is not an exhaustive list.
Resources for Professional Development
Association of American Law School (AALS) Section on Academic Support
- Benefits: Free membership with institutional membership, section newsletter, programming, and conference resources. If you are unable to attend AALS in person, you have the opportunity to see the playback of the Section program and to engage virtually. There are also opportunities for leadership.
- Website: https://www.aals.org/sections/list/academic-support/
Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Journal of Legal Education
- Benefits: Often offers insight into curriculum design, assessment, teaching strategies and other trends and changes in the legal academy.
- Website: https://jle.aals.org/home/
Association of Academic Support Educators (AASE)
- Benefits: While the annual conference has a fee, the community hosts webinars and special interest groups for members who pay a membership fee but some are open to the public.
- Website: https://associationofacademicsupporteducators.org/
Academic Support and Bar Preparation Google Group
- Benefits: Established in May 2020 following the demise of the ASP Chicago Kent Listserv. A valuable resource for daily resource sharing, job postings, and collaboration among ASP professionals.
Academic Support Regional Consortiums
- Northeastern Consortium of Academic Success Professionals (NECASP)
- West Coast Consortium of Academic Success Professionals (WCCASP)
- Southwest Consortium of Academic Success Professionals (SWCASP)
- Midwestern Consortium of Academic Support and Bar Programs (MCASBP)
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast
- Benefits: Practical episodes that can enhance your own bar support strategies.
- Website: https://barexamtoolbox.com
Law School Academic Support Blog
- Benefits: Blog posts written by Academic Support and Bar Preparation professors sharing how to, best practices, teaching methods, and other insights.
- Website: https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/academic_support/
The Law School Playbook
- Benefits: Mix of law school podcast, blog, and YouTube videos addressing basic law school class preparation and exam-taking skills. You get the information in whatever format you prefer.
- Website: https://www.lawschoolplaybook.com/
The Learning Curve (the Official Newsletter of the AALS Section of Academic Support)
- Website: https://www.associationofacademicsupporteducators.org/learningcurve
- Website: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=3030428
Publishers with Academic Success, Bar Exam, and Law Teaching Titles
- Suggested publishers: Carolina Academic Press, West Academic, and Aspen Publishing/Wolters Kluwer
- Benefits: Provide comprehensive books with guidelines and suggestions you can follow and specific to your work.
Slack Groups or LinkedIn Groups for Legal Educators
- Benefits: Niche groups on academic success, bar preparation, and instructional design allow for idea exchange and collaboration.
Invest in YOU
Professional growth does not have to come at the cost of your budget or your bandwidth. Start small: attend an online workshop, listen to a podcast while commuting, or join a professional community. These incremental investments in yourself will compound, making you a more effective educator, advocate, and leader in legal education.
You pour so much into your students; do not forget to pour into yourself as well.
(Goldie Pritchard)
