u/lawlschool2019

I'm teaching a large 1L doctrinal class for the first time this semester. Student feedback so far suggests that it's going reasonably well but one thing I've noticed when reviewing recordings of classes is that I tend to rely on my notes quite heavily. I find that if I stray too far from them I tend to miss some points and have to go back to them, which confuses students. I do try to engage students regularly through cold calls, group discussion, and polling questions, but those are also pretty heavily scripted as it's my first time.

I feel bad about reading so much from my notes, especially as it's considered bad public speaking in other contexts. Should I just trust that it will get easier and more spontaneous with time, or should I change my prep to focus on more spontaneity and engagement?

When you teach a large class for the first time, especially a required 1L class, how many weeks in advance do you prep? I have heard various opinions on this, including that preparing more than a few weeks in advance is overkill because you should expect to learn and adapt as you go.

I will be teaching civil procedure for the first time this fall and will likely use the Glannon textbook. If anyone has course materials (syllabi, teaching notes, slides, assessments, etc.) they are willing to share, I would be most grateful.

Do podium law professors tend to keep their bar admission active while teaching? Does it make sense to get licensed in the state of your school when you start a TT position?