The small section program: lightening the load of law school

I remember the first “small section*” of first year law students I ever taught. Two and a half years ago they were just starting. Now, in a few weeks, they’re out the door. Law school moves fast.

On this Friday night I again had a chance to see them as a group. We ate fried bread and taco fixings and there were Margaritas and Corona beers. Yes – Corona beers (has the world gone mad? Yes, alright, I, too, brought a six pack, how could I not, given my earlier post). We played games and I got very competitive (as I usually do under such circumstances).

This post is to you guys. Thanks for tonight and for the years of class time, the splendid reenactment of Mrs Palsgraf time, and of course, the office time, get out the tissue and cry on me time (see? it worked out, job-wise, otherwise!), take a walk through the Arboretum and give-my-dog-a-bone time. I can tell – you’re different today than you were in September ‘02.

For one thing, you beat me at nearly all the games we played tonight. Totally not fair. You’re more confident than I am!

* to those outside the legal world: each incoming student starts law school with a mandatory set of classes. One of these will be taught in a small section of around two dozen students. Naturally, by having class daily, the professor comes to know the small section students well and more importantly, they come to know each other. One of the most rewarding aspects of the small group program is facilitating the development of that bond (in the course of classtime and beyond) and then watching it take off and grow strong as the years progress.