1st Day of Class: The Paper Chase

The following are a few scenes from "The Paper Chase." I edited the scenes together and posted them on YouTube. This video captures well part of my teaching philosophy. I usually show and discuss this video the first week of class.



Quotes to Discuss on the First Day of Class:

"You are on your feet?" -- Kingsfield

"Fill this room with your intelligence." -- Kingsfield

"You won't find it in the casebook...It's just a hypothetical." -- Kingsfield

"A photographic memory is of absolutely no use to you...without the ability to analyze that vast mass of facts between your ears." -- Kingsfield

"We use the Socratic method here. I call on you. Ask you a question and you answer it. Why don't I just give you a lecture? Because through my questions you'll learn to teach yourselves. Through this method of questioning, answering, questioning, answering we seek to develop in you the ability to analyze that vast complex of facts that constitute the relationships of members within a given society." -- Kingsfield

At times you may feel that you have found the correct answer. I assure you that this is a total delusion on your part. You'll never find the correct, absolute and final answer. In my classroom there is always another question, another question to follow your answer. As you are on a treadmill, my little questions spin the tumblers of your mind. You are on an operating table. My little questions are the fingers probing your brain. We do brain surgery here. You teach yourselves the law, but I train your mind..." -- Kingsfield


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Note 1: This collection of clips begins with the first day of class and then on to subsequent student-teacher interactions throughout a semester.

Note 2: These clips are edited together in such a way to highlight questions about pedagogy, but not spoil the film, if you have not seen it. I'd strongly encourage you to watch the full film. There is much more in the film.

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