The NASJE Futures Committee is pleased to share their report on online education.
The purpose of this report is to update NASJE leadership and members about the process and findings of an August 2017 member survey on the topics of distance learning and learning management systems.
This report includes a detailed look at what people are doing in online education, what they think of it, and why they use the technology they use.
You can access the Online Education Report from the Futures Committee in the NASJE Member area.
Marty Sullivan, who’s been interim director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, has been chosen the permanent director, Chief Justice Dan Kemp announced today.
Sullivan has worked in the office since 2003 and as education director since 2007. He’s a political science graduate of UA-Little Rock and holds master’s degrees from UA-Little Rock and Michigan State, the latter in judicial administration.
Christine Christopherson was promoted from Director of Court Staff Education to the Interim Director of Judicial Branch Education to encompass probation, court staff, and judges. Christopherson had been with the Supreme Court of Nebraska for about seven months.
With the departure of Shela Shanks, former State Bar Commission Director/Counsel on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation has taken the opportunity to refocus the leadership of the Judicial Branch Education Division and the Attorney Services Division which had a shared administrator. The separation will allow each to focus directly on the constituency served by their respective division. This change will become fully effective October 16, 2017.
Judicial Branch Education
Christine Christopherson will serve as Interim Director of Judicial Branch Education. The division will continue to provide education for judges, court staff, and probation staff as guided by the Judicial Branch Education Advisory Committee.
Attorney Services Division
The Attorney Services Division, which oversees regulation of the legal profession and the provision of services by the Nebraska Supreme Court to all attorneys licensed in Nebraska, will continue under the leadership of Administrator Carole McMahon-Boies and will add Director of Admissions to her role. Attorney services will maintain the management of Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, attorney licensure, and bar examination.
The Counsel for Discipline, under the leadership of Mark Weber, will continue with the primary duty of investigation of disciplinary complaints against attorneys. The office will take on responsibilities and duties related to the Unauthorized Practice of Law formerly handled by Ms. Shanks.
Well, NASJE Colleagues, I hadn’t exactly planned to write another “President’s Message,” but then again, I hadn’t planned on Hurricane Irma or any of the frantic activity that occurred as that storm barreled towards the east coast with Charleston in its sight. Again, first and foremost, our hearts go out to all of those affected by hurricanes this season – we wish you strength and fortitude as you and your communities recover.
Postponing a conference is a miniscule effort, considering what others have had to endure. But as we all know, it sure doesn’t feel miniscule in the moment, regardless of one’s level of experience in dealing with emergencies. If Irma isn’t a teachable moment, I don’t know what is! Stay tuned for a future NASJE conference presentation on “Judicial Branch Education (JBE) Continuity of Operations Plans,” and if you need a refresher in COOP, take a look at NCSC’s COOP Planning Guide.
Lastly, if this “disaster planning” has you thinking about a time (or two) in your JBE career when you’ve had to implement Plan B, please share that with your NASJE Facebook friends. It’s likely that we spend significant time in our daily lives discouraging war stories, but in this case, we might all enjoy learning from each other and commiserating together.
Regarding the conference itself, we have essentially transported the educational agenda, the experiential learning opportunity (ELO) at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the social events to the new conference dates of December 3-6, 2017. Your Conference Committee Co-Chairs continue working to reschedule faculty on the new dates, and the response has been overwhelmingly, “Yes! I can be there in December.” Thank goodness! Given the “extra” months we now have until the conference starts, I’ll remind attendees of the advance reading recommended in the “ELO Preview and Recommended Reading” article on NASJE.org. Authors of the book We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel will join us at the church for our ELO. Make the most of it by reading and reflecting on the suggested materials before this Tuesday afternoon (December 5) session.
Since our Annual Business Meeting was postponed until December, the current Board remains in place until the next Business Meeting (Tuesday, December 5). On behalf of the Board, I respectfully ask that our committees continue their work as well. It is essential that we don’t “lose” these next 10 weeks, in terms of the tasks and responsibilities that fall to the hardworking chairs and members of NASJE’s committees. Visit the NASJE.org member area to view the latest committee reports, prepared for the September Business Meeting, to see what activities are underway and be in touch with a committee chair or member if you see something of interest. Volunteers serving on committees are always welcome and needed!
I’d like to end my remarks by having us look forward (again) to NASJE’s Annual Conference whereOld meets New: Incorporating Fundamentals, Instructional Design and Adult Learning into the21st Century, December 3-6, in Charleston, SC. My anticipation, and hopefully yours as well, will continue to grow as we look to December for all of the educational opportunities that were planned for September. We, as a Board, were able to implement “Plan B” largely because of the heroic efforts of Conference Committee Co-Chairs – Dan Rettig and Janice Calvi-Ruimerman – and Nikiesha Cosby of the National Center for State Courts. To have to prepare for this conference once is a monumental task, but twice?! I’m so very grateful for their attention to detail, for the Board’s and Past Presidents’ guidance, and to all of our members and attendees who remain “onboard” for December. During this unexpected down time, I have started another Pat Conroy novel, but the quote I used in the last message is so poignant, I hope you will allow it to remain posted just a bit longer… Until December, my friends!
Charleston has a landscape that encourages intimacy and partisanship. I have heard it said that an inoculation to the sights and smells of the Carolina low country is an almost irreversible antidote to the charms of other landscapes, other alien geographies. You can be moved profoundly by other vistas, by other oceans, by soaring mountain ranges, but you can never be seduced. You can even forsake the low country, renounce it for other climates, but you can never completely escape the sensuous, semitropical pull of Charleston and her marshes.
The sessions that Margaret Allen and Kelly Tait, both past presidents of NASJE, presented at the annual conference of the National Association for Court Management (NACM) and the International Association for Court Administration (IACA) in July 2017 were selected to be live-streamed and recorded.
Margaret Allen co-presented a session with the Center for Court Innovation’s Emily LaGratta on “The Evidence behind Effective Customer Service: Procedural Justice and Fair Treatment.” Kelly Tait taught a session on “Implicit Bias: How Our Amazing Brains Can Lead Us Astray.”
Recordings of their sessions as well as others from the conference are available at the NACM website or you can stream them below.
KELLY TAIT: Implicit Bias- How Our Amazing Brains Can Lead Us Astray
MARGARET ALLEN & EMILY LAGRATTA: The Evidence Behind Effective Customer Service- Procedural Justice and Fair Treatment
It’s one of my favorite times of year, especially when I’m able to enjoy some fun in the sun with family and friends. If you haven’t yet taken a vacation or at least slowed life to a summer pace, you better do so soon. “Back to school” messages are everywhere, making it hard not to think ahead to September and the educational opportunities and requirements often associated with that month.
NASJE’s own exceptional educational sessions continue to be planned for September 10-13 in Charleston. If you think you might be able to do some advance reading before the conference starts, in preparation for the experiential learning session at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, check out this article elsewhere on our website. Authors of the book We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel will join us. More on the annual conference in Charleston follows, but first, I’d like to share an overview of activities undertaken by our association this spring and summer.
Your NASJE Board continues to meet monthly in an effort to stay up to date on committee activities and projects, NASJE’s fiscal status, and opportunities and issues that may be of interest to the membership. One committee in particular is in need of assistance – the Membership and Mentor Committee. If you might be interested in serving as a NASJE mentor (and no, you don’t need 20 years of experience to do so!), please take a look at President-elect/Co-Chair Lee Ann Barnhardt’s recent article. You just might be inspired to serve, and we thank you in advance for your willingness to help NASJE’s newest members.
Karen Thorson Award. The Board is delighted to announce that Michael Roosevelt of California is the recipient of the 2017 Karen Thorson Award. He currently serves as the Senior Analyst, Criminal Justice Services, Judicial Council of California, Operations and Programs Division, but his contributions to the court community extend well beyond that position. If NASJE’s history was portrayed as a mural, there would be a gaping hole, were it not for the knowledge and services Michael has provided to the organization through the years. He has regularly led conference sessions and efforts to develop curriculum, in addition to acting as regional director and committee chair. Michael will join us in Charleston at the Annual Conference to receive this honor (and to lead a discussion), and you can look forward to learning more about him when his “interview” is posted to the NASJE website later this fall.
On June 27, NASJE held a webinar on “Rethinking Learning Styles” (recording available on the Members Only page). Nancy Smith and Mary Ann Koory of the Western Region and Tony Simones of the Midwest Region facilitated the discussion. The goal of the webinar was to help members prepare for the upcoming conference session that will be a continuation of this discussion, and will feature Tesia Marshik of the University of Wisconsin Lacrosse. Dr. Marshik’s Tedx talk on the subject of rethinking learning styles was the catalyst behind the 2016 conference session and this webinar.
On May 11, Education & Curriculum Committee member Julie McDonald of Indiana hosted a “callinar” session on “Vicarious Trauma.” Tiffany Hammill of Florida, whose capstone paper on “Addressing the Effects of Vicarious Trauma Experienced by Court Employees” served as the foundation for the session, and Loretta Oleksy, Deputy Director of the Indiana Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program, led the discussion of 22 NASJE members.
Since my last update, I have represented NASJE at both the NACM/IACA Joint International Conference in Arlington, VA and the CCJ/COSCA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA. For their July 2017 conference, NACM partnered with the International Association for Court Administration (IACA), and the theme was “Excellence on a Global Scale.” Many of the plenary sessions had an international or global focus, but there were also numerous breakout sessions on topics of great interest to so many working in the courts, both stateside and abroad. A few NASJE past presidents assisted with faculty development for the event, and we are appreciative of the opportunity to strengthen our NACM partnership and the educational sessions themselves. As a reminder, you may view select annual (and midyear) conference sessions on the NACM website. Handouts and other written materials are available as well.
The Annual Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) was held in Philadelphia (August 5-9), and the theme was “Federalism: Sharing Power, Securing Liberty.” Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, Thomas G. Saylor and Court Administrator, Thomas B. Darr offered remarks from the host state, followed by a warm welcome from Governor Thomas W. Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro. An eloquent and inspiring start to a great event!
Education topics included the following:
Promoting Cooperation between State and Federal Courts
National Task Force on Fines, Fees and Bail Practices Update
Who Cares What “The Federalist Papers” Say About Federalism?
Safety and Security Strategies for Judges, Their Families and the Court (Judicial Family Institute Presentation)
On behalf of the NASJE Board of Directors, I thank all of these partner organizations for their invitations and look forward to continuing our joint efforts in judicial branch administration and education.
Let’s now turn our attention forward to an upcoming event that is equally exciting – NASJE’s Annual Conference where Old meets New: Incorporating Fundamentals, Instructional Design and Adult Learning into the21st Century, September 10-13 in Charleston, SC. Visit NASJE.org to see details, including the educational agenda and multiple articles on education sessions, including the We Are Charleston experiential learning session and the viewing of “Moonlight.” The article, “The Best of Charleston,” that Conference Co-Chair Janice Calvi-Ruimerman and member Meredith “Merry” Hofford wrote, is a must read. And, if you still have time for more reading, one of Pat Conroy’s novels set in South Carolina might be just the thing. I sincerely hope to see you soon in this historical city.
Charleston has a landscape that encourages intimacy and partisanship. I have heard it said that an inoculation to the sights and smells of the Carolina low country is an almost irreversible antidote to the charms of other landscapes, other alien geographies. You can be moved profoundly by other vistas, by other oceans, by soaring mountain ranges, but you can never be seduced. You can even forsake the low country, renounce it for other climates, but you can never completely escape the sensuous, semitropical pull of Charleston and her marshes.
By Lee Ann Barnhardt, Co-Chair Membership and Mentor Committee
The Membership and Mentor Committee is looking for individuals to serve as mentors for new members.
The origins of mentoring can be traced back to ancient Greek mythology. When Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War, he put his trusted friend, Mentor, in charge of his son, Telemachus. Ever since, the term ‘mentor’ has generally come to define someone with more experience, imparting their wisdom and values on someone with less experience.
You don’t need to be a Greek warrior to be a NASJE mentor, but you do need to be willing to share your passion for judicial branch education with others. The time commitment for a mentor/mentee relationship is typically 6-12 months, but the way that time is structured is flexible to fit individual needs and schedules.
If you mentor people in NASJE, you learn things about how things work at different levels and in different places. You learn things that make you a better educator and leader. You build your network. When you share your knowledge and experiences you can change the world for that person.
Mentoring is about teaching. When you teach something to another person, you discover all of the details that you don’t completely understand yourself. That means mentors make themselves smarter in the process of teaching others.
Mentoring is also about relationships among colleagues. When you mentor, it also increases your feeling of connection to your colleagues and to our organization. And, if you and your mentee continue working in the same field, you gain a valuable ally and sounding board for years to come.
I have had the honor of being mentored by some of NASJE’s best and also serving as a member. Below are my “Top 10 Reasons” to be a NASJE Mentor.
You wouldn’t be where you are today it if wasn’t for mentors in your own life.
You meet new people.
You have a positive effect on the organization.
You can change the world for someone.
You learn stuff.
You feel like you did something that matters.
You are motivated to do your own job better.
You build long lasting relationships within other educators.
You can redefine your own career path and goals.
You have the chance to share your passion with others.
Mentoring also serves the organization. The benefits to NASJE are member retention, increased engagement by members, professional development of members, the transfer of knowledge and skills, and the development of future leaders.
Remember how confused and stressed out YOU were when you started your new job in judicial branch education? By acting as a mentor, you can help make the transition easier on someone else.
The time, the commitment, and the dedication that is involved in mentoring does not go unnoticed. If you are a NASJE mentor now or have been in the past, thank you! If you know a mentor, ask them about their mentoring commitment. You may be surprised at what they have to say about the process.
If you are interested in serving as a mentor or learning more about the program, NASJE needs you. Please contact Lee Ann Barnhardt, Co-Chair of the Membership and Mentor Committee, at lbarnhardt@ndcourts.gov.
NACM’s 2018 Midyear Conference will be held next February in Orange County, California and NACM is looking for great presenters. The conference theme is Bridging the Gap: The Power of Strategic Collaboration. NASJE members have plenty of topics and great speaking skills to offer!
Please consider expanding your profile and keeping NASJE’s name out there by submitting a speaking proposal for the conference.
1. What was your path to judicial education? I am an attorney and started working at the Wyoming Supreme Court in 2013. Originally, I was the Wyoming Court Improvement Program (CIP) director, but in November, 2016, my job morphed into the Director of Legal Resources and Judicial Education, a brand new position.
I now help manage our State Law Library, Judicial Learning Center, Court Improvement Program and Judicial Education. Wyoming is experiencing a significant turnover in our judiciary due to judicial retirements, and our state has made judicial education a top priority, hence the creation of my position.
2. How long have you worked at your organization? I have worked for the Wyoming Supreme Court for almost 4 years.
3. If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? I would like to be a movie director.
4. What do you like to do when you’re not at work? I like to spend time with my family (I have a 5 and 6 year old), golf, run, garden and hang out on our family ranch.
Middle Schoolers and Judges: Observations from a First Year Judicial Education Manager
by Bryan Walker
Bryan Walker
One of the few interview questions I was prepared for was, “We can see you have a lot of experience working with students, but tell us about your experience working with adult learners.” In the back of my mind, I was thinking how much different could it be? My belief has always been that great teachers can teach anybody. The student’s age does not matter. My first disclaimer: I do not consider myself a great teacher. I have, however, found success as a teacher and coach. In my opinion, certificates and degrees have never determined the efficacy of a teacher. I have seen many teachers with Ph.Ds. who fail to connect with learners. As Jack Anderson Pidgeon, the headmaster of the private Kiski School in Saltsburg noted , “Teaching must flow from within. Teaching is an art.” I guess I relayed this message well to the interview committee. I have just completed my first year as judicial education manager with The National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.
Of all the students I have had the privilege of working with, I believe middle schoolers are the most fascinating. I’ve spent 18 years in the world of independent schools as a teacher, coach, and administrator. Over the course of these years, I’ve learned many pedagogical lessons. I found it important to write these down in order to survive in the middle school environment.
At the beginning of my teaching career as a middle school math and science teacher, I learned the most important lessons did not revolve around content, but rather ensuring students were establishing a foundation for a strong work-ethic, organizational skills, and conducting themselves with some degree of decorum. I later learned as a dean of students, the importance and impact of advisory activities. Advisory activities would ensure every student is connected with an adult on-campus. Focusing a large amount of time providing a safe environment for students led to an increase in student achievement. Learners and their relationships with teachers are critical for success to occur. As the head of a school, I learned the importance of creating a strong foundation of close-knit relationships within the student body. When influential students study, every student studies. If influential students party, everyone parties. An environment conducive to learning can only be created with the “trend setters” on-board. Malcolm Gladwell’s “Law of the Few” (Gladwell, 2000) rings true in middle schools. I believe many of these lessons are just as valid in judicial education.
I have just completed my first year as a judicial education manager. I am now accustomed to primarily working with adults, the judges who serve as participants and faculty members. I am surprised at the pedagogical similarities relating to the first interview question I answered. Observations and insights I have gleaned from my first year of working at the National Judicial College coupled with my many years in K-12 education reveal the surprising similarities between middle schoolers and judges.
Middle schoolers are fragile, curious, and strong-willed. Judges are assertive, keen, and anxious to gain knowledge. Both parties carry an incredibly high degree of expectations and pressure to do their jobs with an incredible number of variables impacting their ability to perform to their potentials.
Middle schoolers, like all judges, want to do well. When a middle schooler feels loved at home, they are able to learn at school. When a school environment is safe, middle schoolers will voluntarily participate. Creating a safe learning environment for judges is equally important. Learners will gain the most out of a class when class participation occurs. Judges want to be active learners in a dynamic classroom. Creating a safe environment for both classrooms allows participation and the exchange of ideas, which is a sign of authentic learning.
Many middle schoolers carry a false sense of bravado. The more intense the bravado, the more care that is usually required. Many judges require the same amount of care. A black robe may portray an intimidating and self-assured front, but the same care and attention for details is required for judges. Judicial educators must ensure the needs of each judge is met for a course to be successful. This can range from changing the classroom seating arrangements to altering the delivery of content.
Mastering the art of teaching is required to connect with both middle schoolers and judges. There are so many changes happening with the students’ adolescent bodies, teachers must cater lessons to students’ excitement, lethargy, or mood swings. Judges also need each lesson to be presented concisely and coherently to ensure the small window of time they have for professional development is maximized.
Many girls in middle school are more physically capable. This trait allows girls to be more confident in some areas of school, leading to a more successful academic experience. Although there are fewer female judges in my courses, I have noticed female judges are generally very active participants. I have seen female judges maximize the opportunity to attend a course through lively participation.
Many middle school teachers I have worked with are relatively young and are inexperienced teachers. They are newbies to teaching. Many judges are also newbies to teaching. Judges, however, possess a wealth of experience from the bench. A breadth and depth of content knowledge is not always associated with being a great teacher. Effective teaching requires a connection with the students through common ground. This connection cannot be assumed. It must be identified and tapped into.
Middle schoolers and judges seek autonomy. Teachers should teach in such a way that learners discover the answers on their own. In both environments, teachers need to create environments where they empower students to gain knowledge on their own. Middle schoolers and judges do not want anything handed to them.
Middle schoolers believe no one understands them. These years can be a difficult time in their lives. They are seeking relationships with peers and crave the opportunity to be part of something bigger. Like middle schoolers, judges crave the opportunity to foster collegial relationships. When judges have the opportunity to be collegial, they share experiences and gain knowledge that impacts their daily decision making.
Middle schoolers must be active learners to fully understand a concept. Lessons should actively involve students and ensure relevancy for improved retention rates. Judges also require interactive and relevant courses. There are too many emails, too many cases, and too many other responsibilities vying for their attention. The lessons must be engaging and relevant to be worthwhile for the judges.
1. What was your path to judicial education? I am an attorney and started working at the Wyoming Supreme Court in 2013. Originally, I was the Wyoming Court Improvement Program (CIP) director, but in November, 2016, my job morphed into the Director of Legal Resources and Judicial Education, a brand new position.