You are Not in Kansas Anymore: Orientation Programs Can Help Students Fly Over the Rainbow

Abstract:     
Analogizing Oz to Law School, this article discusses the role of orientation in the law school curriculum and offers implementation strategies to develop an effective orientation. An effective and comprehensive orientation program for law school would have many goals: it should attempt to construct the profession as a calling; create syntactical, substantive, and pedagogical context; communicate care and model empathy and compassion; cultivate community to promote mutual respect, cultural competence, and interdependence; and confirm student self-confidence. In addition to explaining why these are important goals, the article explores possible ways of achieving those goals. It ends with models of different programs. The purpose of the article is to encourage law schools to redesign their orientation program to embody the specific mission of the school and incorporate practices that enhance the law school experience, enrich the educational process, encourage professional formation, and ensure that students find their way over the rainbow.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 40

Keywords: orientation programs, legal education, professional development, learning communities, diversity, cultural competence, learning theory, law school

JEL Classification: I20, I21, K00, K19

Accepted Paper Series