Yesterday I had a workshop in Formal Logic, a concept which is kicking my butt six ways from Sunday. And not in a good way. Tutor was teaching this particular workshop and I thought there would be lots of people, especially from my own class. Also, we didn't know if the class would be offered in April (which I now know it isn't) or even again before June 9. Tutor said that if people felt they saw too much of him as it is, then they might want to take the workshop with another tutor.
Well, I cannot see enough of him, but, that aside, I was more concerned with mastering this thing and that who knows when another workshop would be offered. I didn't care if Mr Snuffleupagus was teaching it, once I could understand it.
Oddly, only 3 people, including myself, from my class showed up. I asked Tutor if he expected many people and he said, "I have very low expectations." There were about 10 people in all and Tutor gave the non-students a real workout.
Somehow, I found that I grasped the concepts a lot better in the workshop. The one thing that was giving me real hell was translating "unless" rules into Formal Logic language. Like, you get no dessert unless you ate your salad. It has to translate into: I ate dessert, therefore I had salad. And then further, If dessert, then salad.
It sounds simple, but there are Xs and Ys and arrows. Disturbing stuff.
What I found impressive was how Kaplan came up with these methods to attack questions and how effectively they train their tutors and teachers to impart these methods. I initially scoffed at the idea of technique, thinking practice will help me master. Now, that might be true (as lots of people still don't take Kaplan courses and still get into law school), but even I have to admit that the methods I am paying for are really paying off.
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