Leah A. Plunkett, University of New Hampshire School of Law: “An Improviser’s Guide to Law Teaching”
Leah A. Plunkett is an Associate Professor of Legal Skills at the University of New Hampshire School of Law and presented with the Craft of Law Teaching Pod at the 2014 Igniting Law Teaching conference. In her talk, “An Improviser’s Guide to Law Teaching,” she explains that there are three rules: (1) always say yes; (2) make it “yes, and…”; (3) trees keep their hands on their heads. These principles of improvisational comedy are essential when you’re on stage with no script. They’re just as crucial in front of a law school classroom. You want to accept every offer a student makes and build on it, using methods that are authentic to your talents – and keep you from becoming deadwood.
In addition to her Associate Professor title, Professor Plunkett is the Director of Academic Success at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. She also does research with the Student Privacy Initiative at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Professor Plunkett holds an A.B. summa cum laude from Harvard College, where she performed with IGP (an improvisational comedy troupe), and a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School.
LegalED aims to harness the power of the internet for legal educations. It facilitates blended or flipped learning – by migrating lectures to the web, LegalED frees up classtime for active learning that challenges students to learn the essential lawyering competencies while they are in law school. Professors may assign the videos in any combination for students to view outside of the classroom for active learning that challenges students to learn the essential lawyering competencies while they are in law school. LegalED seeks to develop and maintain a vibrant online community of teachers and students of the law, creating a central hub for the community. Through the video collection, teachers can be inspired to borrow, adapt, and bring great teaching moments into their own courses. With an internet platform, LegalED opens up formerly isolated classrooms by sharing showcasing, celebrating and inspiring innovative teaching. Simply put, the vision of LegalED is to inspire innovation in legal education. Join the movement!
The LegalED 2015 Igniting Law Teaching conference will take place on Friday, March 20th, from 9am to 6pm. Register to attend in person or live stream the event.