Law students seem to concentrate on the differences between teachers, but we try to point out the similarities by cutting through the professor's particular style of teaching. We ask students about their passive participation. From these clues, students begin to see the value of preparation and participation, even vicarious participation. Students need to know that a teacher's hypothetical was not merely a convenience but an example of the kind of question they may see on an exam. Unless alerted, students may not recognize the significance of these doodlings.
Many students come from an undergraduate model that accommodated last-minute review.
Within two days of the debriefing sessions, the level of student participation increases. More students raise their hands, and the range of responses indicates an increased level of understanding. Furthermore, rather than fighting the process of the law school classroom, students begin to buy into it because they can see where it is going, and they see how they can better prepare to reap its benefits.