Legal Commentary

One sign that you are an experienced teacher is that  you don't care whether the book you adopt has a teacher's manual or not.  If you are teaching a subject for the first time, however, the teacher's manual can be a lifeline. 

I've been thinking about TMs because I am going to be writing one  for a casebook that is in its eighth edition.  The book has not only survived but thrived through seven editions without a TM, but the publishers would really, really like to have one, so we finally cracked under the pressure and agreed to deliver one.  My problem is that I'm out of touch with the needs of the first-time teacher of the subject.  I don't care to read someone else's summary of case, but that seems to be the stock in trade of many TMs.  I know that the one thing I want from a TM is an answer to any problem or extended hypothetical that the authors pose, and I sometimes appreciate the TM pointing me to outside reading in the area.  I also appreciate it if the TM gives hypotheticals to pose to students or points to videos or other materials that might be useful.  And of course, I wouldn't mind seeing sample exam questions, but TMs rarely include those.  Beyond that, what should the TM include?  You tell me.