Wednesday, March 28, 2012

99 Motivators for College Success: Prologue


Prologue
©
2012 Perry Binder, LLC

I never dreamed of being a college professor. Does anybody? When my third grade teacher asked us about our dream job, Molly said an astronaut; Evan, an actor. Perry: “Obtain a terminal degree and lecture on legal morasses.”

Every college student wants a good laugh, I think. Humor can be found even in the most stressful situations. For example, I tell students that I can't offer legal advice. But that didn't stop "Steve" from calling me after class in a panic: “The judge gave me ten days for speeding; they’re taking me away!”

So that night, I drove to the county jail, where the innkeeper ushered me into a tiny drab room facing glass. Steve appeared on the other side, looking weary and wearing an ugly orange jumpsuit. I never practiced criminal law, so I just put my hand up to the glass and spread my fingers apart because I saw that done on TV. Steve finally smiled and put his hand up to mine. He told me what happened, but all I could do was stare at our mitts and think: “Hey, this TV hand thing really works!”

While Steve's dilemma was no laughing matter, I use that story on the first day of class to set the tone for our semester: Understanding the law is serious business and applied unequally to young college students without counsel. But we will laugh and learn a lot together.

To me, humor for the college crowd mixes audience participation with storytelling about the bizarre world around us. Consider this recent headline: Man Pleads Guilty to DUI in Motorized Recliner. Who knew the law could be so funny? But college isn’t all about laughs. At times, many students feel anxiety and intimidation, mixed with a lost feeling in class, in career direction, and in life. That’s where this book comes in.

99 Motivators™ for College Success offers my thoughts from over twenty years of college teaching. The Motivators are presented in bite-sized tips and quotes. Most are serious, some are quirky, and hopefully they are all constructive and motivational.

The book is divided into three sections:

I. Motivators for Success in Picking a Major or Career Path

II. Motivators for Success in the Classroom

III. Motivators for Success in Adjusting to College Life

Each Motivator contains space to jot down notes when a tip or quote resonates with you. At the end of each section, three “Takeaways” highlight the overarching Motivator themes, and then you are challenged to apply these concepts by writing three Personal Motivator Goals.

Three sections. Ninety nine Motivators. Nine Takeaways. Nine Personal Goals. This book will make you think hard about what you want out of your college experience and career in an easy to access format.

99 Motivators™ for College Success offers guidance on how to study for multiple choice exams, with sample questions and answers. Further, this book shows you how to write organized essays, by providing a sample essay exam question with model college and law school level responses.

99 Motivators™ for College Success is not only for people heading to college or already in college. It is also for the parents of students to better understand what’s expected of children in college, and the pressures they face from professors, peers, and family members.

99 Motivators™ for College Success is for high school teachers and guidance counselors, and anyone else who facilitates the difficult transition process from high school to college for students. Finally, this book is for new and seasoned college professors seeking a fresh perspective on teaching.

If you are looking for a textbook on the A-Z steps for college and career success, then this book is not for you. Frankly, I am skeptical of books which promise a neat roadmap or a cure-all to the pressures of college or the work world. Instead, the value of 99 Motivators™ for College Success is an opportunity for positive introspection on college and careers, with quick messages and jolts to your nervous system.

In 99 Motivators™ for College Success, I am one part professor, one part college tour guide, and one part cheerleader. Let’s get started on the path to college success, but first, my student Steve’s verdict: I referred him to a criminal defense lawyer but Steve still spent three days in jail for speeding. It would've been zero if he had an attorney at the outset, which shows that maybe nothing is funny about the law after all!

Available on Amazon (click here)


Monday, March 12, 2012

Overheard from Perry's Former Students, for his College Success Book


Available on Amazon (click here)


"Way Too Kind" Testimonials from Professor Binder’s Former Students

Professor Binder cares about his students and our world. He makes you think and ask yourself: How can I apply this to my reality and bring about justice? Zyna Adams

Perry provides a means of learning which applies to everyone in the classroom. There's a difference between being in class and wanting to be in class. Every lecture I attended, I can honestly say I wanted to be there. Stephanie Beadle

Perry's teaching style is unusual, and his classes were one of the main reasons I decided to go on to law school. Allen Bearden

Perry's unique and humorous ways of relating to his audience have inspired me to enhance my presentations when teaching classes at work. Though I cannot use his Pawn/Porn Shop example, I have found myself channeling Perry to make dry topics a lot more interesting. Jason Belford

On Professor Binder’s class project, I searched through a sea of county real estate records, discovered a family estate dispute on a piece of neighborhood property, wrote a legal letter to the parties involved, and got an A on the project! Aubree Lundie Bergmann

Perry doesn't bore you with repetitive slideshows; each class he has a stand up lecture that is truly interesting and very engaging! His real life examples of the material being taught are often hilarious, especially coming from Perry's hilarious, yet ingenious perspective! For extra credit, I created a video and posted it on his Facebook wall about a particular case. David Brown

Professor Binder ensured there was never a dull moment of class because he truly cared about teaching and motivating his students to learn. I will never forget coming back from surgery and the first thing he does is start the class on a welcome back chant for me. Kevin Clodfelter

Perry's class was more than just another class for me, it was a decision making catalyst, and had a huge impact on my future. His classes were the ones that I felt passionate about and never bored. Kevin Crayon

Mr. Binder is the Michael Jordan of teaching. I say that because he isn't the best at any one thing when it comes to teaching but he is above average in all categories from knowledge, to humor, to understanding the college student. His humor made me interested, and I like how he would try different approaches in class. Harlem Duru

Professor Binder’s exuberant attitude towards the subject matter really motivated me to be engaged in his lectures. Ari Edlin

Perry is so entertaining in the classroom that one often wonders why he hasn't taken up comedy as another career. But where he truly shines is in creating a sense of mutuality--and in doing so makes his students feel like we are part of an experience, not a top-down lecture. Jennifer Flome


Professor Binder's classes bring humor and real world events into one place. He will paint a picture of an event and have students envision what he is talking about and give feedback on what they were thinking about. He has a knack for finding ways of getting every student in his classes involved and feeling good about being in class and reassuring his students that going to class after all is not as bad as it may seem. Bobby Flood

I appreciated Perry’s commitment to helping my classmates and me go beyond our limited backgrounds and cultures and blossom into informed and caring professionals. My experience in his “Perry-Legal” course was a wonderful introduction into the world of the legal profession. Thanks for your help in unlocking my “rubber room.” Anthony Gerald

Class with Mr. Binder is truly a college experience like no other! With his innovative teaching style and the way he communicates to his students, you cannot help but learn and absorb his lessons with ease. My college experience was made much better because I took his class! Gabe Heslop

Two essential lessons that Perry's class taught me are: important information is everywhere if we spend the time to look closer; and it's more meaningful to find humor in our daily lives than to live with fear, pessimism, or divisiveness. Those lessons go a long way toward finding happiness and reaching the success that we all imagine. Thomas Hodges

Being in Perry’s class brought excitement to the legal system, as his methodology to teaching and learning processes were always relayed by humor. It showed that there are more engaging ways to learn law without necessarily having to read and research alone - by relaying real-life situations with laughter and enthusiasm. Frank James

Having Perry as my professor, you never knew what to expect. He may be quiet and subtle at the beginning of your class and standing on the desk dancing around by the end. Thanks to Perry, I am able to handle a lot of the "unexpected" twists and turns that are found in so many of the cases and with so many of the clients. Jane Glaze

Professor Binder's class was simply amazing - there's really no other way to describe it. Hands down, it was my favorite class. His teaching style coupled with his humor made the class so interesting and kept us engaged the entire time. The best part was that he actually motivated his students, making us WANT to learn and succeed. Anita Kathuria

Professor Binder is an amazing professor as he teaches in ways that students find interesting and will always remember. It was because of Professor Binder that I was inspired to go to law school and am forever grateful for taking his classes. Nina Kathuria

Perry Binder is the only Professor I have known that practically encourages his students to yell out " Yo Prof" in class. He is charming and witty, keeping his class entertained with jokes and funny mannerisms. The class is engaged in discussions and learning new things about the law and how it relates to everyday life without even realizing it. Jaskirat Kaur

Professor Binder keeps his class interesting and fun. You will laugh, be entertained and learn so much about law. I never knew that law could be fun until I had Professor Perry - he is the best! Mindaugas Michael Judvytis

Taking Perry's class is the best way to spend a summer! If there's one thing I learned from his class, it's: Don't serve the coffee too hot! Taylor Nations

I took Perry Binder’s class my freshman year of college. Although it has now been over a decade, I remember his class as the one I most looked forward to because of his passion and knowledge of the subject, magnetic charm, and outgoing personality. Today, I consider Perry a friend and his determination has encouraged me to continue my education throughout grad school. Sherlene Nelson

Perry Binder was not only a Professor, but a Mentor. Expect the unexpected - his courses were never dull, making sure students were always personally challenged. His classes were not about memorizing material, but taking it and applying to real-life scenarios. To date the best Professor I have had. Lizette Olaechea

Professor Binder’s class was a great bridge between an undergraduate program and a law school. Any prospective law student should definitely consider enrolling the courses conducted by Professor Binder. David Pyun

Dr. Binder is a brilliant mind whose contagious unbridled enthusiasm, coupled with captivating antics, make his class educational and fun - while providing a true Socratic learning experience. I highly recommend his class to anyone, especially those considering law school. Caveat Emptor: Beware, not all professors in law school teach like him, so don't be fooled! Kash Rambhotla

Perry would often tell us, ‘It's good to be the judge.’ After taking two semesters with him, both full of inspiring stories, fascinating reads, and guaranteed laughs, I would have to disagree - it's good to be the student. Jasmine Shergill

Perry’s sense of humor and vast amount knowledge truly inspired me to learn and achieve at higher levels. He has a gift of being able to teach in a way that provides you with the ability to remember the lesson for years to come. I have a sincere thankfulness for the desire to never stop learning - that is priceless. April Sohayda

To have shared a classroom with Perry was not only a learning experience, but a trajectory for life. One that influenced our family onto better things, including my daughter becoming an attorney. Vincent Suero

Taking a class with Professor Perry Binder may look like a typical law class from the outside, but once you experience his enthusiastic teaching style which blends insightful real world scenarios with theoretical legal precedents, you will depart every class looking forward to the next one. His witty, intelligent, and often comedic presentation of information not only grabs your attention while in class, but encourages you to find practical application of the legal world in our daily lives. Jason Thomas

Perry’s enthusiasm was contagious and my cheeks would be sore from laughing after every class! Each lesson was followed by real life examples and he had an awesome way of putting a hilarious twist to them. I wish I would have just gone to Perry Binder University! I took every single undergrad class he taught. Kevin Walkup

Professor Binder’s class was the one that I looked forward to most on Mondays. It opened my mind to both the challenges and rewards that exist in the legal field and influenced me to pursue a law degree. Ashley Woolard