8.4: Weeks 5 and 6 Narrative
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Weeks Five and Six Narrative
These weeks build on the Dan Harris TED Talk with a mindfulness self-compassion in-class practice. It also moves into creativity with students constructing a cajita, a small(ish) box containing items that represent their paths to and in the law.
The self-compassion practice introduces students to Kristin Neff, the academic who has pioneered research in self-compassion. She has a website with multiple free materials, some of which are used as homework exercises. That website can be mined for multiple exercises and other materials. The self-compassion work has universal value and may be particularly useful for law students, who can be fierce self-critics and whose stress is likely increased by the self-criticism. The exercise asks them to reflect on ways they can be more self-compassionate—and it is one of the times in which the written reflection is done but not turned in. I want them to be as open and candid with themselves as possible. To start this class, I will lead a loving-kindness mindfulness practice. A portion of that practice can be dedicated to self-compassion. It will be good to link the practice with the exercise on self-compassion. Hopefully, a general discussion on the topic will ensue.
For additional resources, mindfulness teacher Sharon Salzberg is quite well-known for loving-kindness practice. She has a website that lists her multiple books and podcasts. She also has multiple meditations on open sources that could be used in this class. Students are introduced to her in week one as she is interviewed in the mindfulness movement film.
Continuing with a self-exploration theme, in this period I borrow from a colleague who has done a cajita project in her mindful lawyer course. Students will move from their rational lawyer brains to their more creative side by creating a cajita. Building on several articles from contemplative pedagogy, and adapting them to the law school setting, class time will be spent on students making a box that contains representations of why and how they decided to go to law school and what they hope to do with their law degree. The following article could be assigned or simply used as the teacher’s guide for instruction of the students on this project. https://www.laurarendon.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cajitas_article_kanagala_rendon.pdf
Full disclosure: for me assigning this project –for the first time, at least—brings anxiety. The instructions are not as concrete as I'd like, I am worried about student reaction, and although I can be creative, it is not my go-to manner of expression. I am assigning it, however, for several reasons: first, my colleague who has done it says it is often the best class of the semester; second, I think it is valuable to have students get out of their law student/thinking brains—and maybe develop a habit of doing so on other occasions; and, three, as is attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, it is good to do one thing every day that scares you. This contains enough fright for at least a week! Ultimately, I decided to lean into that fear and make this a two-class project. When looking at what I was asking of students and what I hope might come out of the project, more time seems better than less.