A Conveys Blackacre To B And Her Heirs

I’m looking forward to teaching Property Law this semester, a course I’ve been wanting to teach for a while now. Prepping a new course for the first time is never easy, but I’m ready to hit the ground running thanks to colleagues near and far who’ve lent their advice and teaching notes.

In my case, the prep has been worth it since I’m expanding my core offerings long-term to include Property. But what about the Prof who wants to try out a new course for a semester or two without transitioning permanently to a new subject? I taught Civil Pro last semester without plans necessarily to tech it again any time soon, but it was worth it nonetheless. It enriched my understanding of judicial philosophy and the circumstances that motivate different Justices to adhere to, or depart from, their preferred method of decision-making. From a teaching perspective, I was also able to refine some problem-solving exercises and other teaching techniques that will come in handy in a practice oriented course like Property.

So I’m curious what others think. When it comes to tackling new subjects, whether for the long or short term, is the leg work, and time away from research, writing and self, worth it? (on this point, Jacquie's post from last week comes to mind).  Barring an institutional need, do administrators encourage faculty members to spread their intellectual wings? Should faculty be encourage, or perhaps required on occasion, to expand their breadth of knowledge?

-Kathleen Bergin

Comments

[Jacqueline Lipton]

A couple of times in recent years I've taught a new course (complete with new course prep) just as a fill-in for someone else with no plans to teach it again the short term. Most of the courses have been in similar areas - IP law, commercial law etc - so it's not as much of a new prep as doing something completely different. But I find I've enjoyed the new classes and new class preps more and more as the years have gone on. I also think that post-tenure when there's less pressure to preserve every last minute for scholarship, one can really get a lot out of new class preps because you can really throw yourself into them.