Bar Passage Training Lesson: More Experiential Learning
By Hillary
Burgess
Hillary.burgess [at] hofstra [dot] edu
I am on my way back
from the LSAC Academic Support Bar Passage Programs Topical Workshop. I cannot
believe how much I learned, especially about questions that I didnt know to ask.
However, the biggest lesson Ive taken away from the workshop had nothing to do
with bar support or bar passage.
The biggest lesson for me was that no
matter what percentage of experiential learning exercises I incorporate into my
Academic Success workshops, I can always include more and talk less. My new
teaching mantra is going to be, Stop talking to start teaching. I can apply the
same lessons to my skills-building workshops that I apply in my casebook
courses: no content is so important that it cant be cut in favor of an exercise
that teaches students how to learn the content on their own. This principle is
true, even when my content is how to learn. Exercises simply do the job
better.
I cant thank this community enough for creating the open, caring,
and supportive environment we have, from the incredibly supportive wise
(surprisingly young) elders to the people who have been around just long enough
to not feel new (at least to the new people like me). Both groups don’t seem to
be afraid to put it all out there if doing so will better serve our community
and especially our students.
