I think this very nicely constructed clip will give you a sense of how I approach clinical teaching at the law school. I offer some thoughts about how students feel about clinical education and you see a bit of a clinic seminar class in which we are working with a simulation of a suppression hearing.
I used to think of clinical teaching as primarily focused on things I had that I was trying to pass on to my students, whether it was knowledge or modes of analysis. Over time, I have come to think of teaching more as an opportunity to accompany really talented people on a journey that I know will move and change them. I do not aspire to just go along for the ride - I mean to be a guide, and help my students get the most out of the experience they can.
Of course my job is made easier by the inherent excitement of the experiences we share, but it is also made harder by the high expectations we share for the clinic. I also teach non-clinical classes at Fordham Law School as you can see. I want all of my students to grow and remember their time with me, but I know that not every classroom experience speaks to every student. I also know that the clinic is not transformative for every student, but in my heart, I admit I think it should be.
-- Ian Weinstein
Fordham, Law School, Clinical Legal Education, Law Clinic, Legal Education, Legal Pedagogy, Teaching Law
