Unveiling 7 Habits of Effective Law-Teaching

Academia

Unveiling 7 Habits of Effective Law-Teaching

Dr. K. Parameswaran | October 2015

As law is ubiquitous, it regulates everything in our life, from birth to death, all animate and inanimate things, and everything that human mind can reach. Law-teaching brings this significance of law in our daily life, national identity and collective global development. Effective law-teaching in legal education has the key for this meaningful understanding and constructive action.

LIFE, LAW AND SOCIETY

This life is beautiful and, our world is full of opportunities. But we go through hurdles in daily life and complicate them further. We can simplify life and, move from state of daily crisis to calm as well as enjoyment. Chaos and uncertainty can be removed; order and stability can be restored.

Our social problems show us one thing. It is the lack of adherence to norms in life; social, political, cultural, economic or religious norms. Our individual and collective life, our personal and social norms conflict with each other and create various problems in the society. Human behaviour grows from one stage to another. At times, when it understands norms it adheres to them; at times it despises them and brings problems. When political process crystallises these norms, society accepts them as law. When law is good it helps all of us. When it is bad, it disturbs our peace and delays progress. Law must keep pace with the changing requirements of the society. And, society too must consciously participate in the laws it wants and practice them without fail. This mutual understanding between law and life can make our society lawful and life-positive. Through this we can bridge life which is ‘essentially beautiful’, to our daily-life making it ‘realistically beautiful’.

SIGNIFICANCE OF LAW-TEACHING IN SOCIETY

But then, how do we make people understand the importance of order, regulation and systematised life? How do we bring adherence to laws and create law habits that help us grow in peace, progress and prosperity in society? Among all kinds of education, legal education has a great role in making society understand this.

Law students and graduates must absorb the spirit of law in thoughts, sense of law in deeds and, power of law in action. They all must impact societies to understand the mutual relationship between law and society. Law-teaching and law-teachers have a great role in building this tryst with law, life and society. An effective law teacher can be equalled to thousand mothers in the society. Law-teachers engage law students and graduates to think integrally, act legally and, manifest both peace and progress in an orderly way in society. The perfect society that we all dream for; promise of the Indian Constitution and United Nations Charter has its secret key in a sanctified place of a class-room where effective law-teaching illumines minds, transforms behaviour and brings the change that we all need at this critical hour.

EFFECTIVE LAW-TEACHING

What are the habits of effective law teaching? Law-teaching and, for that matter teaching of all subjects, have two essential aspects. One, the core contents which are taught, and two, the method and the manner by which they are delivered. The method and manner are the style of teaching where technique and procedures are involved; such as pure lecture, student’s reciprocation, resource-material, technological aids, gadgets and so on. These methods and manners are largely individualistic and, they must remain personal given the varieties they have; such as teacher’s choice, student’s interest, nature of the subject, time and other requirements. The core contents which are taught, delivered and shared with students can be made effective through certain habits. These habits create an ‘auspicious phase’ between the teacher and student. This ‘auspicious phase’ is full of moments where knowledge is awakened. Students begin to discover knowledge, discern details, distinguish things; see theories and practices, understand social needs, national requirements, global problems, comparisons and many more. In this phase the effects a teacher brings is unexplainable after a point of time as students who discover this knowledge know, enjoy and carry them for their whole life. The noble role of a teacher is successful when this is done. Both teachers and students feel fulfilment. Education and academics serve the purpose.

Here, one can understand what role legal education can play and, law-teaching has in the society. When our country is progressing in development-agenda, law and order become indispensable where competition from all sectors and sections of the society results in conflict. Justice that is substantive, equality that is meaningful, liberty that transcends, and fraternity that brings joy for everyone without discrimination becomes the tool to handle social and economic relationships. At this juncture, we must carefully tread our path to grow in peace that augments progress, prosperity that leads to maximum justice and happiness to all. It is only legal education through effective law-teaching that can make these ideals a reality. Thus, effective law-teaching becomes the channel and our crucial gateway. It becomes indispensable when world is becoming one family and, where India has a great role to play through legal education. Effective law teaching has following seven habits.

7 HABITS OF EFFECTIVE LAW-TEACHING

SPIRIT OF SUBJECT
A teacher must understand the spirit of the subject. This spirit must convey the integral sense, purpose and utility of the subject. For eg; the spirit of ‘public international law’ is sovereign equality of all states, good-faith relationship, self-determination, non-violence, security, peace, cooperation and amicable dispute settlement. This spirit must be alive in teaching to create faith on the subject among students. When spirit and faith of knowledge in a subject are passed, they increase passion and commitment to the practice of the subject.
DATA OF SUBJECT
Data gives all links and, connects the subject with society; what, why, how, when and where? List of laws, its provisions and amendments, facts and circumstances of case-laws, causes, historical time-periods, places and situations show a direct relationship among law, life and society. Through this data students get to know the practical impacts of the subject. Data of a subject increases professional skills and abilities to handle and practice the subject. Data of a subject is one of the foundations for Bar and Bench.
POLICY PERSPECTIVES
Policies of government and legislature, requirements of interest-groups and contemporary issues give students a direction on how to take the subject knowledge forward from present to future. This can also bring scope for career growth, interests in higher education and policy researches to help nation-building and international understanding.
NATIONAL APPLICATION
Constitution of India is the supreme document that binds all of us; our thoughts and activities. Every law-subject has a connection with this National Constitution. It can be connected with Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy, three organs of State, Schedules, Lists and so on. Constitution is a treasure house of knowledge that can link everyone with themselves, family, employment, society, nation, flora, fauna, sustainability and our role in the country. This in turn links a law-subject and its practical applications in society to achieve National and Constitutional goals.
INTERNATIONAL LAWS
There is no law-subject without an international application and jurisdiction. Globalization, trade and commerce, social transformation and culture, United Nations system, international organizations and legal order etc, are ingrained in every law subject; no matter they are public or private laws, penal or tax laws, personal or commercial laws. Signposts of international law with treaties and obligations can be found in every nook and corner of the world. Their applications and jurisdictions are as relevant as any other laws. International law has become synonymous with any general laws. Teaching these international dimensions in a law-subject where national and international collaborations take place, can give reality to the ideal of human unity which nationstates and civilizations have been aspiring for.
GLOBAL SPIRIT
There are issues in the existing international reality which show a lopsided growth. It creates a doubt whether true global spirit is fully achieved or not. When international law and its co-operations tend to show a potential to achieve global order, law-teaching of a subject must impart true global spirit of universal brotherhood, global justice, equal sharing of natural resources and absence of geographical inequalities and cultural differences. This global spirit is indispensable for all kinds of knowledge in every law-subject.
NEW FRONTIERS OF RESEARCH

With advancements in science, technology and information high-way, knowledge is exploding in great speed. Arts and Humanities collide with Pure and Applied Sciences to great heights exploring new depths that human mind is yearning to understand. If specialised knowledge among all disciplines of knowledge is integrated it can eradicate many ills that afflict our daily life. At this juncture knowledge of all disciplines waits for the gates of legal knowledge to be opened for them that will bring harmony among all.

If these 7 habits of effective law-teaching are undertaken it can take not only law and legal education to new heights but also our own daily life and society to a new charm and age. However, a caution here is appropriate to safeguard us against mistakes out of excess zest. If these 7 habits are to be successful, a law-teacher must understand the standards needed for this research, know how to balance all these habits, apply them with restraint; know the subject-requirements, proper appraisal of time and examinations that follow teaching.

These 7 habits of effective law-teaching can impart law-students and graduates not only the knowledge of law, but their role in the society after graduation. These 7 habits can bring true character and nobility to law teaching whereby peace, progress, prosperity in individual and collective life, national and international environment, justice and equality, liberty and fraternity will enhance life of all beings in this planetary existence

About Author

Dr. K. Parameswaran

Dr. K. Parameswaran, Associate Professor of Law, and has been Former Dean at Gujarat, National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar, taught at Symbiosis School of Law, Pune, NLSIU, Bangalore, NLU, Jodhpur, University of Madras, Indian Institute of Teacher Education (IITE), Gandhinagar, worked at Publication Department of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. He authored ‘The Integral Dimensions of Law’ (LexisNexis).