Does Socratic Method prepare for court?

[jeffjoe]

What's your opinion on this idea?

The socratic method prepares potential lawyers to face the pressure of a judge demanding detailed information on a case in a very short time span.
In other words the pressure of this teaching method approximate the pressure of facing a judge.

[Andrew]

As professors like to note in defense of the socratic method: "Even if you don't become a trial lawyer, people are going to ask to think on your feet throughout your career.  Teaching this way helps you to practice that skill."

I think it certainly helps in that regard.

In Civ Pro, our professor brought in a tape of Posner and Easterbrook grilling a young attorney.  It did sounds a lot like class.

[joe momma]

it made me poo.

[buggirl92002]

I despise, am sometimes awed by, and respect it. It is a fascinating sort of "organic" way to develop a concept from the listener's point of view. Good professors truly can convey information in novel ways that approach genius sometimes. Conversely, as the poor schmuck who must answer the questions, the experience ranges from humiliating to (possibly once in three years) miraculous. I think it's an integral part of the law school experience.

[Todd]

After my first experience w/being called on I think it's a great idea.  Lawyers should be competent to quickly articulate the law and their understanding of the facts.  I did ok, got the facts right, but when I slowed (1sec pause) she called on someone with their hand up.  Which brings up another topic, in my class at least if someone even slightly faulters in asking a question 10 hands shoot up to answer the question.  I didn't feel bad but I can see where some would feel like they are being one-upped by their fellow students.

[jeffjoe]

Some say it is poor manners to be too quick to offer an answer for another student.

I try not to do this, but my profs don't let people off the hook so quickly.  They wait a little or a lot and when they want others to 'help' they will ask for it.


We are really getting into the socratic method now and I see the value in it.

But I will say this.  It is great when you are prepared, read and briefed the case.

It really sucks if you haven't.

After my first experience w/being called on I think it's a great idea.  Lawyers should be competent to quickly articulate the law and their understanding of the facts.  I did ok, got the facts right, but when I slowed (1sec pause) she called on someone with their hand up.  Which brings up another topic, in my class at least if someone even slightly faulters in asking a question 10 hands shoot up to answer the question.  I didn't feel bad but I can see where some would feel like they are being one-upped by their fellow students.

[slacker]

My prof that does the best version of Socratic (in my opinion) asks that no one raises a hand while someone "has the case." He gives people time to come up with an answer, and only when it's clear that there's not going to be one readily forthcoming, then he'll open it up to others. Once he does that, though, he'll go back to the orginal person, if the original person wants to continue with the case.

It's actually pretty good on the "thinking on your feet" vs. trying to humiliate the student or some other goal.

And, in this prof's view, it is preparation for court. He won't accept things phrased as a question. He'd much rather have someone speak confidently and wrong. Yes, it all gets corrected, but part of the training is the attitude in presentation.

[slacker]

That's where the "volunteer for socratic" worked well. If you prepped a case and really wanted to present it, you could email the guy prior to class and request it.

That class never had anyone cold called...there was always someone willing to present.

[rapunzel]

Slacker's profs seem to have the right idea.  I hate it when we have to spend 30 minutes trapped listening to some poor lost soul.  But I wouldn't want 10 hands up within a second of taking a breath either.

[joe]

bump