Making the Most of Your Visit to a Classroom
Research on law-related education in the early 1980's identified several characteristics of effective programs that helped to reduce delinquent behavior among young people. These characteristics appeared in each of the settings where there was a reduction in self-reported delinquent behavior and/or predilection toward delinquent behavior.
One of these significant characteristics was the effective use of outside resource people. Outside resource people can provide knowledge based on real life experience, not just books. But experts are needed for more than their knowledge. Young people need to bond with a variety of positive adult role models and need help in developing their critical thinking skills.
Here is how students describe a great legal resource person:
- Knowledgeable: Familiar with the content and skills taught in the lesson
- Resourceful: Provides illustrative examples from real-life experiences
- Truthful: Talks about the weaknesses as well as strengths in our system of justice
- Effective in Communication: Checks for understanding and elaborates as necessary
- Approachable: Encourages students to ask questions and voice their opinions
- Respectful: Validates good ideas/reasoning; corrects/challenges appropriately
- Reliable: Keeps appointments and promises or notifies class in a timely fashion
- Fun: Enjoys the experience
- Talk to the teachers in advance. Get a clear understanding of your role, a description of the class, find out how long you will have, etc.
- Be relaxed, friendly and respectful.
- Encourage student participation.
- Use examples, where possible, that are relevant to students' lives.
- Include personal reflections and experiences.
- You don't have to have an answer to every question. Offer to get back to students with an answer if possible.
- Don't present an unbending defense of the system as it exists today. Be frank about weaknesses and suggest or generate suggestions on possible solutions.
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Lawyer in the Classroom |