Teacher Handbook 2012-2013

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Mission

Our mission is to link law students with incarcerated and at-risk Bay Area youth through law-related education. We strive—through balanced information, activities, and discussion—to demystify the law, increase youths' understanding and appreciation of the legal system, and to empower them to work productively within it. StreetLaw offers incarcerated and at-risk youth a chance to build a rapport with law students, giving both groups an opportunity to change preconceptions they may hold about the other. StreetLaw also offers law students a unique opportunity to hone their understanding of criminal law and policy in a practical setting.

History

The first StreetLaw program was established at Georgetown Law Center in 1972, when law students developed a legal curriculum to be taught to high school students in the Washington, DC public school system. The founders selected the name StreetLaw to represent the content of the course—practical law important in students’ everyday life, on the street. Programs modeled on StreetLaw have now been introduced around the globe in nations including Ghana, Haiti, India, Mongolia, Northern Ireland, Russia, and South Africa. StreetLaw began at Stanford Law School in 1996 and is now the largest pro bono organization at Stanford Law School.

Program Basics

StreetLaw participants co-teach in a team of three to five teachers once a week, in a 45-minute to 1-hour site visit, during at least two of three quarters, for seven weeks each quarter. The Curriculum

Stanford StreetLaw has developed its own curriculum, which is regularly revised to respond to the experiences of our teachers. Each week, StreetLaw participants cover a different legal topic, engaging in age-appropriate, activity- and discussion-rich learning with our students. Four lessons are mandatory, and students/teachers have choice over the remaining lessons. The lessons are as follows: • The Basics (required) • Search and Seizure (required) • Three Strikes (required) • Planning your Future (required) • Gangs and Prop 21 • Unlawful Sex • Torts Not Cake • The Penal System • Inchoate Crimes • Immigration • Mock Trial • Assault, Battery, Burglary • Hearings and Plea Bargaining • Bill of Rights • Copyright

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Each StreetLaw lesson is outlined in great detail, and includes comprehensive explanations of all objectives, icebreakers, activities, case studies, handouts, timing suggestions, and additional information for our member teachers. Teaching teams then generally meet briefly each week to review or modify the lesson plans, divide the lesson components, and prepare any additional materials. All lessons are on the StreetLaw website.

Because of the heavily scripted nature of the lessons—and because all participants will undergo comprehensive StreetLaw-specific teacher training—it is not necessary that participants have had any prior teaching experience. Time Commitment—Teaching and Training

StreetLaw participants can expect to spend 14 hours per quarter, including lesson preparation, travel, and teaching time.

In addition to the mandatory Pro Bono Ethics Training, new StreetLaw participants must attend one mandatory Orientation training, and all StreetLaw participants must attend a StreetLaw-specific teacher training focused on teaching methods and classroom management practices. Additionally, participants are asked to attend two substantive criminal law trainings during the year.

o Search and Seizure Training with Robert Weisberg o Three Strikes Training with Mike Romano Fall quarter participants can expect to begin teaching the week of October 15, and all teaching

commitments end before finals begin each quarter.

Sites

Past StreetLaw participants have taught incarcerated youth at Santa Clara County Juvenile

Hall—at both San Mateo's Hillcrest School (the school for incarcerated youth in San Mateo) and Gateway School (the day-program for San Mateo youth on probation)—as well as at area Community Day Schools in Daly City and Redwood City, including Kemp Girls Camp (an all-female residential facility). This year, our sites are as follows: Hillcrest Youth who live in the hall attend school at Hillcrest, which is the actual detention facility. Hillcrest provides temporary care for some youth who are awaiting their hearing or court-ordered placement, and enrollment is approximately 110 students. There are regularly scheduled classes at Hillcrest, although the student population tends to fluctuate at Hillcrest more so than at Gateway because of incoming youth, releases and transfers to other facilities or programs. Students in both facilities receive instruction in English, math, social studies, and science. Both facilities have a special education teacher on staff. East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy East Palo Alto Youth Court (EPAYC) is a community-centered courtroom staffed by youth who are trained to sere as attorneys, jurors, bailiffs, and clerks. Youth Court handles the cases of youth who commit minor offenses. To be eligible for a EPAYC hearing, the youth must admit the facts of the offense. Then, youth attorneys explain to a youth jury the circumstances surrounding the offense. The jury then deliberates and returns an appropriate sentence, such as community service.

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Executive Director Toni Stone is very excited about a partnership with us--she participated in StreetLaw when she was a law student, so she is very familiar with our program. Ms. Stone told us the youth we will teach will be a mix of past offenders and youth volunteers who serve as the attorneys, jurors, bailiffs, etc., so StreetLaw lessons are just as pertinent to them in their various capacities. Gateway Gateway is a community school that is part of the San Mateo School District. It is run by the County Office of Education and supported by the probation department. Youth who are on probation may be sent to Gateway as a term of probation, where they will take classes under stricter security than in a regular classroom setting. Most students who attend Gateway do not live in the hall. Instead, they live at home and take busses to Gateway each day. The school has recently undergone a restructuring, and is still building up its enrollment.

Benefits

StreetLaw participants can expect to gain • A greater familiarity with the content and practical application of the law • Experience communicating legal concepts clearly to the lay person • Practice in presentation skills and interactive pedagogical methods • Experience working as a part of team • A better understanding of and sensitivity toward community problems and vulnerable

groups

It is our great privilege to teach at San Mateo and we want to be able to continue what has been an excellent relationship between our two programs. Enjoy the opportunity! The kids are great, full of wonderful questions and inspirational stories and are thrilled to see you each week.

Student Evaluations

About the teachers • “They listened to all of our questions and comments.” • “The teachers explained what the laws are and how they relate to our lifestyles and goals. “ • “They broke it down so that we can understand what they are talking about.”

What you learned from Street Law

• “How to defend myself.” • “My rights as a minor. “ • “How to stay out of jail and set your mind on good achievements in life when you get out.”

Other comments

• “I learned how to handle the police in a positive way.” • “Thank you for coming and teaching us information we should know.” • “Keep this program going. It is a good one.”

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Members and Leadership

StreetLaw members are drawn from the student body of Stanford Law School—and we welcome all willing to participate. Stanford StreetLaw is entirely student-organized and run. The 2012-2013 Stanford StreetLaw Executive Board:

• Ashly Nikkole Davis (Co-President) • Laura Bixby (Co-President) • Peter Broderick (Training & Curriculum Co-Chair) • Nisha Kashyap (Training & Curriculum Co-Chair) • Andrew Noll (Training & Curriculum Co-Chair)

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Rules for Teaching

1. You must be on time! Be at the entrance to Hillcrest or Gateway several minutes before you are scheduled to teach so that you will be in the classroom on time. Arrive as a group to make the entrance through security easier on the facility. If your group is not there on time, you may not be allowed into the facility to teach. There is also a lot of material to get through in each lesson and often some preparation work involved that requires you to get there in plenty of time to start teaching. When you arrive, go to the front desk (at Hillcrest) or go to the main building (at Gateway) and inform a member of staff that you are there to teach StreetLaw in your specified classroom with your specified teacher.

2. There is a dress code for teachers – please abide by it. You may not wear tight clothing,

shorts, or skirts above the knee. As a general rule, wear loose and baggy clothing in a neutral color and avoid shirts with low necklines. DO NOT wear red or blue or any apparel with athletic team insignia to either site (in addition, avoid using red or blue pens –marker pens can be found in the PICC and must be returned there after each lesson). While it is clear that you wouldn’t be showing affiliation to a gang, you are entering an environment in which certain colors, numbers, signs, and sports teams are “charged.” Please keep this in mind and avoid adding to any tension through what you wear.

3. Do not remove anything from the classrooms (and do not leave anything in the

classrooms). You should avoid bringing pens other than marker pens into the classrooms unless you can count them out and in at the beginning and end of each lesson. It is especially important that you do not take items from the classrooms, as suspicion will fall on the youth if items go missing and they may be subjected to searches.

4. Avoid using the word “YOU” in examples or hypotheticals. We have a general policy at

StreetLaw of avoiding use of the word you. This is because we want to avoid giving the impression of making assumptions when we talk to the students and because we want to empower them – not make them even more used to being talked to as if they are naturally going to be involved in the (often criminal) situations we describe. Instead, substitute “I” for “you” when giving examples and discussing the material (“If I am stopped by a police office, I should…”).

5. Remind the students they should not use the word “I” when referring to hypotheticals or

examples. It is important that youth don’t breach their own confidentiality with their lawyer by talking about their own case. The rules of attorney-client privilege are complicated, so we want to avoid all situations that could potentially be damaging to the youth. Furthermore, we are law students and not lawyers and cannot provide them with legal advice about their cases under any circumstances. Encourage youth to use examples that start with “my friend” or “someone I know.” It is especially important that they don’t use the word “I” during the sex lesson when referring to prohibited sexual activity (unless they want something to be reported for their own protection).

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Their school teachers are mandatory reporters. Also remember not to make assumptions about whether students are talking about themselves when they give examples.

6. Do not bring in the following items: in pen knifes, including small knives on key chains,

bottle openers, or even cell phones with you. 7. If you want to bring food, please make sure it is a non-sugar variety and that you check

with your classroom teacher the week before in order to get permission as some teachers won’t allow food in at all.

8. If you want to show DVDs or VHS as per some of the lessons, please also check the week

before and arrange for facilities to show the material. If you bring marker pens with you, please do not take red or blue colors.

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Teaching Tips and Strategies

1. Be real: Be yourself, the kids will appreciate it and show you more respect.

2. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know”: Write down questions you don’t know the answer to in

front of the kids so they know you will follow through and then follow through! Give students the

option of writing down any questions they may have and then collect them up at the end of

each lesson –this might help a quiet youth get an answer to a question he or she is to shy to say

out loud.

3. Don’t make promises you can’t keep: In any promises or rewards you make, follow through!

4. Validate what the youth say: Always acknowledge all contributions and refer back to them.

5. Don’t use “you” in examples: Instead say “when I” or “when John Smith”, etc.

6. Be creative: Don’t just lecture, use visuals, group work, skits, role plays, etc.

7. Be mindful of your audience: Make direct points in language that the students will understand.

8. Instead of giving the answers to the students, ask the questions that will lead them to the answers

on their own.

9. Always maintain a level of respect in the classroom.

10. Be aware of each of the students: Try to remember each of their names and try to get

everybody involved not just those who consistently participate. You could even ask students to

write their names on a name card (be aware of gang insignia and colors however – including 13

instead of B, $ instead of S – if in doubt, write all of them yourself).

11. Remember that we are not lawyers and cannot under any circumstances give the students

legal advice about their cases. They should not discuss their cases with you at all.

12. Avoid making any assumptions about the students. Remember that we have as much to learn

from them as they have to learn from us: Don’t pity, patronize or talk down to them. Be

understanding and empathetic but resist making comments such as “I know what you mean” or

“I understand how you feel” unless you actually do. It’s far better to say, “I hear what your

saying” as it’s just more real. This is particularly true with lessons such as the one on gang

enhancement laws; the students may be skeptical that a bunch of law school students truly

knows what it is like to feel pressure to join a gang, for example.

13. There are many resources in the PICC (downstairs towards the law review offices and opposite

the basement stairs on the library side). These resources include costumes, binders, folders, pens,

and card. Make use of them and let us know if you need additional supplies.

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Teacher Checklist Before teaching You should attempt to make contact with your teacher to introduce yourself and try to make sure to give your email and phone information to the appropriate instructor in your classroom so that you can be reached if there is a change in schedule. Meetings and conflicts sometimes occur, so it is important for your teacher to be able to reach you. Sample introductory email:

Dear Ms. Kaprive, Greetings! We are Stanford Law School’s StreetLaw team assigned to teach in your special education classroom each Friday from 1:55 – 2:50, beginning this Friday, October 2. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to work with you and with your students this semester, and we want to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for our first teaching session and, of course, that we respect any established rules and procedures. We have just a few questions for you below, but we recognize that you are very busy, so we’d be happy to hop on the phone with you if it’s more convenient—just let us know. 1. Will this Friday still work for us to come and teach from 1:55-2:50? If so, is there a specific time we should arrive? 2. Is there anything specific that we should know about working in your classroom or with the students? 3. Do you have a class list you could share with us? If not, approximately how many students should we expect? Again, we thank you for allowing us to come into your classroom. Please let us know if you have any questions at all. Best, Ashley Rogers, Malaina Freedman, Eva Gonda, and Ozan Yalti

Before class

1. Print out a copy of the lesson for yourself. 2. Coordinate weekly preparatory meetings with other team members; make

sure everyone is on the same page as far as who is leading what sections of the lesson.

3. Coordinate transportation for all team members. 4. Remember to contact the classroom teacher in advance if you won’t be

teaching that week. Lead teacher should maintain contact throughout the

10 quarter with the classroom teacher and address any concerns. At the beginning of class

1. Reintroduce StreetLaw. Remind the juveniles that we are students and cannot answer questions about their specific cases.

2. Distribute nametags if you need to. 3. Icebreaker, which is included in the lessons. 4. Answer pending questions from previous lesson.

At the end of class

1. Review the main points of the lesson. 2. Answer any questions that the students have about that day’s class or other

classes. If there are questions you cannot answer, write them down and tell the students you’ll do some research and get back to them next week.

3. Get feedback from the students. 4. Thank the students for their work and praise them for their participation. Remind

them you will be coming back the next week (or not if that’s the case). After class

1. Check with teacher or guard about anything unusual you might have planned for next class. Examples: You’re bringing snacks, or you have a creative lesson plan that involves the students moving around a lot.

2. Team Leader: Make notes of any ideas you have for improving the lesson and indicate any feedback on the StreetLaw website. All suggestions, including negative comments, are always welcome – our goal is always to improve our curriculum.

3. Debrief as a team either in the car ride home or in a separate meeting. 4. Lead teachers should give feedback to other teachers and ask for feedback.

Starting the Lesson Beginning the lesson involves 3 important steps: A – Greeting. Have any visuals/ materials ready in advance. When possible, set up the classroom in advance (arrange the seats, clear the board). Teachers should immediately say hello, and introduce themselves and StreetLaw as new students might be there every week (and remind students that you are not a lawyer and that you can’t discuss their case with them). While waiting for all of the youth to get there, is a

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good time for one-on-one talk. Sometimes you can ask a youth who has been in class before to introduce StreetLaw. B – Seating. Make sure students sit in a circle or in the seating arrangement you prefer and that teachers are spread out among the students. C – Starting. An icebreaker is the best way to get started because it helps you to know the kids’ names. Various ice-breakers and “gut checks” are included in the lessons, and should help you get things started. Ending the Lesson A – Review the main points discussed. Always end the lesson this way. This quick review is crucial in making sure that what was taught is not immediately forgotten or wasted. One effective strategy for review and summarizing key points is by having a brief question and answer session with the students. Also be sure to let them know what topic you will be covering the following week. B – Thank students for their participation. Don’t forget to give lots of compliments and encouragement throughout the lesson, and at the end of the lesson. If the students had questions you were unable to answer, be sure to write them down before you leave.

Common Classroom Occurrences and How to Respond

Disruptive Behavior Generally Because everyone teaches in teams, those not actually talking at any given point should monitor student behavior discretely and immediately quash any interruptions without substantially disturbing the flow of the lesson. For example, teachers can make eye contact and use “be silent” gesture of finger to lips, or use physical proximity by going to stand or sit by the disruptive student without really saying anything. Teachers can also ask an individual student to help out by agreeing to listen and not interrupt on a person-to-person basis: “Hey Juan, can you help me get this point across to the other students by listening up? Thanks!” Teachers may also want to put the disruptive student on the spot by asking what she thinks, that way she may pay more attention from then on.

1. Youth start fighting, whispering, not paying attention.

RESPONSE: Immediately ask a question; engage them in a conversation with you. If they continue, single them out and politely remind them that they need to listen because this information is important. If they still misbehave, remind them that the guard/teacher is nearby. Often if this happens the classroom teacher will intervene.

2. Kids bring up their own case.

RESPONSE: Remind the kids that we cannot discuss their cases, and generalize the topic into a hypothetical. Do NOT discuss the kid’s own case, and do not offer them legal advice about their cases. When discussing the hypothetical, ask the group what they think could/should have happened, what was wrong, what was right, and why. Try to get them to come up with the policy arguments on both sides.

3. Youth ask you what you personally believe or think.

RESPONSE: Be honest but remind them that there are always two sides to the coin. Direct the discussion back to them and try to make them come up with opposing arguments on their own. Sometimes it helps to play devil’s advocate to get them thinking about a response.

4. Youth make derogatory racial/sexual comments

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RESPONSE: Derogatory comments are intolerable. Tell them up front that those are unacceptable remarks, they may be trying to test you and you don’t want to give in on this. Their regular classroom rules apply to this behavior, and you should feel free to ask the classroom teacher to intervene if you need to.

5. Youth using gang phrases or signs

RESPONSE: Find a subtle way to let the youth know that you are aware of what they are doing. A quick glance for a slight infraction should do the trick. They know themselves that they will get in serious trouble for showing gang affiliation and that it can add time to their sentence. If a youth openly states an affiliation to a gang or criticizes another gang, they will likely be pulled from the lesson. If they are not and you feel it might escalate, simply tell them it is not appropriate. Again, the classroom teacher can help here.

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Curricular Resources

StreetLaw-specific Resources

• http://streetlaw.stanford.edu/ Use this website to access lesson plans and submit

questions to our Curriculum & Training Chairs about topics that may have come up during the course of a lesson. Also, access a list of commonly asked student questions here.

• www.streetlaw.com This website, run by McGraw-Hill, offers free outlines of StreetLaw

lessons with links to supplemental information. This information specifically pertains to high-school course called "StreetLaw" that enrolled students take for credit, but the information is still helpful and relevant to our modified version of the course.

• http://www.law.washington.edu/streetlaw/ This website of the Street Law Program of the

University of Washington Law School offers model lesson plans and resource links. This program is an actual clinic students take for-credit, but again, the materials and messages are still relevant.

Topical Links American Civics and Politics

• http://www.loc.gov This website for the Library of Congress has many documents, pictures, and even sounds related to American history and politics available. There is a link on the home page to an area especially for teachers with lesson plans and activities.

• http://www.constitutioncenter.org/learn This website for the National Constitution Center contains lessons plans and resources on subjects related to the Constitution and its history.

• http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/civics.html This website for the New York Times' Learning Network contains lesson plans related to American civics and politics.

• http://score.rims.k12.ca.us This website, developed by California educators, presents resources and lesson plans on Principles of American Democracy.

• http://www.courts.wa.gov/education/ This website, sponsored by the Washington State Court System, provides age appropriate lesson plans on a variety of legal subjects.

• http://www.americatakingaction.com/lounge/askeric.htm This website, provided by the federal Education Information Resources Center, provides lesson plans on Civics- related topics.

Juveniles and the Law This section includes links to websites that contain information about the juvenile justice system in California and nationwide. These links represent only a sampling of the available resources and are not meant to be exhaustive.

•https://www.ncjrs.gov/ This website for the National Criminal Justice Reference Service offers electronic versions of numerous federal publications containing information and

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statistics on juveniles and the criminal justice system. It also contains an extensive list of other websites providing resources regarding juveniles and the law.

• http://www.ojjdp.gov/ This website for the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention offers a statistical briefing book and other resources.

• http://www.ncjj.org/ This website for the National Center for Juvenile Justice includes an extensive list of publications and resources as well as state- by-state profiles of juvenile justice law and systems.

• http://www.abanet.org/crimjust/juvjus/home.html This website for the American Bar Association's Juvenile Justice Center features publications and links on a variety of aspects of juvenile justice.

• http://www.jlc.org/ This website for the Juvenile Law Center provides fact sheets, news, and publications related to both civil and criminal proceedings involving juveniles.

• http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/juvenile_justice/index.html This website for the California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), offers information on the correctional system for juvenile offenders in California.

• http://www.youthlaw.org/ This website for the National Center for Youth Law, based in Oakland, has information on a variety of issues affecting youth as well as its quarterly publication, Youth Law News.

• http://ylc.org/ This website for the Youth Law Center features publications and links to other resources on youth law.

• http://www.jjpl.org/ This website for the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana contains information on state and national juvenile justice policy as well as Ya Heard Me, a publication of artwork and writing by young persons incarcerated in Louisiana.

Community Legal Resources

• http://www.legalaidsmc.org/ This website of the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County offers information on education, resources, and direct legal services available to low- income community members.

• http://www.legalaidsociety.org/ This website of the Legal Aid Society of Santa Clara County offers information on its free, civil legal services for low-income community members.

Pedagogical Resources

Teaching Skills Links

• http://ctl.stanford.edu/ This website of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Stanford offers tips on effective teaching. Although intended primarily for graduate students teaching college courses, it has teaching handouts and tips that may be helpful more generally. • http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/ This website of the Active Learning Practices for Schools project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education provides information on developing strategies for and reflecting on teaching.

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Driving Directions

HILLCREST AND GATEWAY The general address for the all of the sites is 222 Paul Scannell Drive, San Mateo, CA 94402, Phone: 650-312-5327. Driving time is about twenty minutes from Stanford. From the Law School:

• Take Campus Drive East to Junipero Serra • Right on Junipero Serra • Left on Alpine Road to 280 NORTH • Take 280 NORTH to Highway 92 EAST • Take the first exit, Ralston Avenue. • Right on Polhemus Road • Take your first left onto Paul Scannel Drive (this was formerly Tower Road, for

returning teachers).

On your first visit, follow the signs to the main entrances for each facility.

• To get to Gateway school: Make a quick left on to Tower Road. • To get to Hillcrest: Stay on Paul Scannel Drive, go up the hill and look for a new

building that says "Youth Services Center."

When you arrive at your site: Park and explain to security at the metal detectors that you are from Stanford StreetLaw. You may be asked to sign in. Please arrive at least 10-15 minutes early for your first visit in case of any problems or delays!

EAST PALO ALTO PHOENIX ACADEMY Address: 1039 Garden Street, East Palo Alto, CA. Driving time is about twenty minutes from Stanford. From the Law School:

• Take Campus Drive to Palm Dr • Turn right onto Palm Dr • Continue onto University Ave • Turn right onto Bell St • Turn left onto Cooley Ave • Take the 1st right onto Bell St • Turn left onto Clarke Ave • Take the 1st right onto Garden St, Destination will be on the left

Contact at EPAPA:

Toni Stone Executive Director East Palo Alto Youth Court P.O. Box 50878 East Palo Alto, CA 94303 (650) 427-9492 NOTE: If you have difficulty finding your site or any have any other issues with your facility, please contact Ashly Nikkole Davis at 415.244.1222

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