1 of 10

Seminar Teaching: �Some Thoughts

AALS Workshop for New Law Teachers

June 29, 2007

Margo Schlanger, �Washington University in St. Louis

2 of 10

Seminar Models

  1. Low-enrollment course
  2. Discussion group
  3. Paper writing

3 of 10

1) Low-enrollment course

Challenges: Few people can mean low energy

Heavy burden on each student

Balancing student/teacher participation

​

Techniques: “Talk amongst yourselves”

Group students for participation

Speed rounds

Facilitating discussion

Don’t be afraid to talk

4 of 10

Participation after “talk amongst yourselves”

(First minute or so). Turn up volume

​

5 of 10

Speed Round

Through 2:30 (Kemp)

6 of 10

Facilitating Discussion

Through 1:08 (Melanie)

7 of 10

2) Discussion group

Challenges: Unfamiliar types of materials

Less directed kind of conversation (more space for development of their own ideas)

​

Techniques: Response papers

Hub and spoke conversation

Class conversation

8 of 10

Discussion Class

Up volume: 0:07 to 3:00

9 of 10

3) Paper writing

Challenges: Picking a topic

Airing problems and insights

Pacing of research and writing

Maintaining group dynamic (?)

​

Techniques: Offer topics to choose from

Pairing/Brainstorming

Setting a schedule (cont.)

Presentations???

10 of 10

Paper Writing Schedule

  1. Pick an area, and then a topic (2-4 sentences). Confer (usually 2x).
  2. Literature review. Confer.
  3. Some item of research (case catalog, statutory summary, or whatever). Confer.
  4. Draft. Confer.
  5. Final.