Thoughts on The Socratic Method

Excerpts from a discussion on The Socratic Method from The Trials of Law School DVD. Featuring Richard Primus of Columbia and Michigan Law School, Rob Miller, Author of Law School Confidential, Ruth McKinney of UNC Law School, Meg Penrose of Oklahoma Law School, and Chris Slobogin of Florida Law School.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• law
• law school
• socratic method
• pre law
• legal
• legal education
• legal theory

[cr500rebuild]

TYPICAL DAY IN LAW SCHOOL: "Prof: Explain Subject Matter Jurisiction." Dumbass 1L: "Uh, isn't is like something about jurisdiction?" Prof: What about jurisdiction? 1L: Not sure. Prof: Next student - can you explain SMJ? "Didn't do the reading." Anyone else explain SMJ? "Uh, does it mean that you have to have jurisdiction to sue?" "Uh, yes, but can you expand?" "Blah blah - wrong answer". Anyone else? "Next dumbass gives partially correct answer. AND SO IT GOES. WASTED TIME

[RunLiberty]

Ron Paul 2012

[Volleyjeff]

@cr500rebuild When done correctly, a wise professor can still use the Socratic method even with classes in which most students don't do the required reading or are "slow". The purpose of the method is to institute a series of questions designed to allow the responder to slowly realize they hold the knowledge within. The questions just provide a path to understanding. Your example, while frustrating, is just another example of standard Q&A.

[cr500rebuild]

@WARPALORPA Subject Matter Jurisdiction - the ability of a court to hear a case and render a decision.

[WARPALORPA]

@cr500rebuild so, what is SMJ?

[Ruckel2008]

@cr500rebuild Fine. Sometimes people have to agree to disagree. Good day sir.

[cr500rebuild]

@Ruckel2008 I'm no teenager. if you checked out my vids, you would know that dumbass. My academic background would make you envious? But I'm not here to ID myself or my schools. You sound like someone who has NEVER set foot in a law school class, because you would never defend it. The only ones coming to its rescue are obsolete professors jacking off to their greatness. Those in the real world do - those that can't - teach. Ok?

[Ruckel2008]

@cr500rebuild I didn't ask for your name. If you are unwilling to state your level of education or your job experience, then it probably means you have nothing. Probably a dumbass teenager with daddy's internet connection.

[cr500rebuild]

@Ruckel2008 LMFAO. My "qualifications?" Top shelf, and I'm not going to identify myself to a passive aggressive internet bitch. You don't "learn more about the law" while in law school - you learn after you graduate, when you suddenly realize that you really don't know "dick." If it really forces people to "actually know the material," then why the FUCK are all these students fucking up the answers? The SM sucks.

[Ruckel2008]

@cr500rebuild And your qualifications are? Probably nothing, which means your opinion counts for dick. Where did you go to school? Community college? Did you even make it out of high school? DarkKnight is right. The SM removes error in people's thinking processes. How you get to the answer is just as important as the answer itself. It also forces you to actually know the material before you come to class, in effect making you learn more about the law because you are actually doing the reading.