During orientation last week my criminal and legal writing classes actually met, so we did get a “preview” of what’s to come in regular class sessions. Today, we met for regular class, Criminal Law, followed by Legal Writing. It was a complete and utter blast. I am super charged and ready for this semester. I wonder how long this will last?
I did have a personal revelation today, during criminal: I am a gunner. Yes, I’d read the dreaded warnings about gunners and the consternation they cause other law students. I certainly didn’t mean to cause any students anxiety and I sure don’t want to be “that asshole”. I just can’t help it.
When the professor poses a question, my hand just involuntarily creeps up. Not always, there are times when I don’t really get what he’s asking, or genuinely don’t know the answer. But more often than not, I found my hand was raised, and I did get called on. And when I got called on it felt great.
Why did I enjoy it so much? A couple of reasons: first, and most importantly, I wanted confirmation that I was on the right track. Not necessarily validation that I was “right”, but that I understood what was going on in the case as well as what was going on in class. Second, I like the Socratic Method. Yes, I’m a freak. But I think that dance is really great. Today the criminal professor “hammered” on one of my points, and it was fantastic. He actually made me re-examine my stance, analyze the issue a little more, and in the end, I drew a new conclusion that was more appropriate to the case. And I knew why it was, and how my initial impulse was flawed. I’d always feared that the Socratic Method was just a clever guise for torturing and humiliating students, but at least for today, I actually got the oft stated higher goal of learning through questioning.
So, I like speaking in class. And I like the Socratic Method. And I guess that makes me one of the “gunners”. Now, I just help I can avoid being one of the assholes.
Go Dave! Doesn’t sound asshole-ish at all. If you’re really getting into the material, participating like that makes total sense — you’re paying to be there, why not get all you can out of it?
Here here! I thought you meant at first they profiled you and you were most likely to show up with an AK-47 to class.
You want to know why I hated gunners back in undergrad? I knew I could be asking the intelligent questions but I was too lazy or apathetic to bother with it. The biggest thing I wanted out of college was to finish it. Beyond that I still didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I grew up.
You know. They don’t. Fuck ’em.
There is nothing wrong with speaking in class and knowing the answer or having something valuable to say. You don’t sound like a gunner to me, yet.
True gunners are the ones who, like Tracy Flick in ELECTION, cannot seem to get their hand in the air fast enough or high enough. We have this person in our classes and everyone LOATHES her. Not because she’s smarter than we are (and possibly she is). But because there is a point when she actually detracts from the class experience by shooting her hand up constantly. Others who maybe don’t have the cojones I do (or you do) might be intimidated and afraid to raise their hand.
My rule is that unless I have something HUGE to say…like a philosophical point of contention, I wait a little bit before shooting up my hand. See if others would like a chance to answer. It’s a far more interesting class for both the students and professor if more than ONE person offers their perspective every class.
Good point… I guess in that sense, I’m not a “gunner”. I don’t automatically shoot my hand up, that would be silly. I do only raise my hand when I have a point to make (or a real question). But it does still seem like I have my hand in the air an aweful lot… at least compared to many of my classmates.
Weekly Law School Roundup #24
Which posts piqued my interest this week? I’ve listed them here, in no particular order– Learn More About Some of My Favorite Bloggers At Begging The Question, there are a number of guest-bloggers, and some have completed interesting biographical posts