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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,360
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dilemma
Okay, I've got a little problem here, and I'm trying to decide, so I'm
writing this to clarify my thoughts and bouncing this off you helpful peeps. The Center for Legal Studies is a proprietary paralegal certificate program. It's offered in universities all across the country, and has been for many years--close to 20, I think. Back in the 1990s, this program seemed like a good option for me, as a person with 3 1/2 years of college and over 10 years in the legal support biz. So, I took it twice--once to help me pass the PLS, and again to help me pass the CLA exam (back then you could re-take with no additional fee). This helped me get my first real "paralegal" job (as opposed to legal secretary). (Note, since then I have completed my BA). A few years ago, I had the opportunity to teach this class. It's offered at my local university, and it's a 6-week class, all day every Saturday and Sunday. It's pretty grueling. I have taught it about 5 times now over the past few years. Now comes my dilemma. They've asked me to teach the course starting Saturday. (They're always asking last minute). The last time this course was scheduled to run, I got an email on Friday from the CLS asking if I would teach. I didn't respond right away, but thought about it over the weekend. I responded on the next Tuesday, since that Monday had been a holiday. They're all like, oh, sorry, we offered it to our online instructor. Well, I was pretty pissed. And that underscores the major problem I have with the CLS--they offer NO support at all for their instructors. I have suggested an instructor forum to discuss issues--no response. And the OTHER problem-- Although I firmly believe that the short course format is beneficial to many people; e.g., people thinking about changing careers, people wanting to get more legal knowledge in connection with a related career, single moms who can't do it any other time, etc. -- I can no longer (if I ever did) support the premise that, oh, take this 6-week course and be a paralegal! I try to give my students a REAL idea of the realities of this job--at least in my town (which is not a big city with a lot of major firms). On the plus side--I LOVE teaching and passing along my legal skills. I really enjoy it and would love to do more. Plus, the pay is helpful. I don't really NEED it, but it would be helpful, for Christmas, and saving and stuff. On the negative side, crappy support, a less than wonderful curriculum and testing. So what do you think? Should I just go for it because I like the teaching (and the extra money); or pass because I no longer believe wholeheartedly in the program. Keep in mind they'll just get some random starving atty or paralegal to teach it if I don't say yes.
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