8.5: Weeks 7 and 8 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 Seven and Eight Narrative
These two weeks have a range of classes, from an exercise helping students to resist technology addictions to an exercise on mindful listening as a lawyering skill worth cultivating, to the consideration of a report on lawyer distress and well-being.
For the first topic, students read a short article from a bar journal now about “action addictions” and the reasons behind why we can sabotage ourselves by checking e-mail or doing other things in the name of “multi-tasking” rather than actually focusing and getting critical or time-sensitive work done. Although this is a generally applicable skill, the bar journal article sets it in the lawyer context, specifically addressing the stress of law practice. Practicing law often requires meeting deadlines—as does being a law student—so this is an obvious good skill for students to have. In this class, I will also have a guest mindfulness meditation facilitator who will lead the students in a guided meditation based on resisting technology.
Students also read from the 2017 National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, focusing specifically on the report’s recommendation for law schools. With ABA Accreditation Standard 508(b) requirement that law schools provide students with well-being resources, students will have experienced how their law school satisfies that standard. With that experience in mind, I ask students to craft one or two additional recommendations for law schools. The ensuing discussion should be rich and, with students’ permission, consider inviting the Dean of Students or other appropriate law administrator to be present for this discussion. The challenge to this will be to have already established a classroom environment in which the students will feel free to say no to having a class visitor. Asking them to respond anonymously may also be an option.
This period also includes a class that continues mindfulness in connection with specific lawyering skills, something to which I will return in the second half of the course. where I introduce several classes that focus on the ways in which mindfulness can enhance specific lawyering skills. One of those skills is listening. In other law school classes, there may also be a focus on this “soft” skill. However, it is certainly a skill that can withstand multiple opportunities to practice. I use one of a number of websites that have instruction and practice exercises on how to improve listening. The exercises that I have chosen include a reading on bad habits that interfere with listening and developing the skill to listen with empathy.
The last class for week eight is the student's second small group session. I will ask them to reflect on improvements and challenges that have occurred in the middle portion of the course. This class might also present a good opportunity to ask students if they need or
want to form any explicit intentions for the second part of the semester. I will also ask them to address in their small groups how some of the external course requirements are coming along. These include requirements to attend several lawyer-based online meditation practices; these requirements are intended to allow students to have at their disposal multiple practice resources after the class is over. If they have already experimented and found good resources, the hope is that they will choose to continue with these after the class ends. Thus, there need not be an interregnum where they are searching for the right practices.