Teacher who dropped out recalls experience to inspire at-risk students

Excellent and inspiring article for students of all ages, for this holiday season:

Tears well up in Deborah LaPlante’s eyes as she sits at the back of the Orleans Arena, watching intently as her students file one by one across the stage to receive their high school diplomas.

As with most graduations, it’s a joyful occasion. Parents are smiling, teachers are beaming and students are radiating pride and hope for the future.

LaPlante, a 51-year-old teacher at Chaparral High School, never experienced the triumph of a high school graduation. In 1976, she dropped out of Orange Glen High School in Escondido, Calif., just a few weeks into her junior year. She was 16.

Continue reading: Teacher who dropped out recalls experience to inspire at-risk students
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jun/21/chaparral-teacher-uses-personal-experience-inspire/

The Case for Humor in the College Classroom

My light thoughts for a new semester...

As college professors nationwide prepare for a new academic year, my message for them is simple: Lighten up! Your students just might engage and learn.

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.

Whether the subject is law or nuclear physics, every student wants a good laugh. As teacher accountability objectives collide with shorter attention spans, laughter is the secret ingredient to keep everyone on task. Humor can even be found in the most stressful situations. ...

Continue reading
The Case for Humor in the College Classroom
The Huffington Post, College Section
Perry Binder

Closing Speaker at The Future of Education conference in Florence, Italy

I was honored to present "Motivating Students Toward Success" for The Future of Education conference's 300 attendees.  This two-day conference "aims to to promote transnational cooperation and share good practice in the field of innovation for Education."  It focuses on the following thematic areas:

• Innovative Teaching and Learning Methodologies
• Education and New Technologies
• Media Education
• E-learning
• Learning Games
• Studies on Education
• Studies on Second Language Acquisition
• Art Education
• Music Education

My wrap up session was based on 99 Motivators for College Success, and was attended by higher education colleagues from around the world.  It was a fun adventure for me to interact with great people.

Closing Speech

Motivating Students towards Success

Perry Binder

Legal Studies Professor, Georgia State University and 

Author of 99 Motivators for College Success (USA)

Conference Details:

http://conference.pixel-online.net/foe2013/index.php

The 5 Best High School Graduation Gift Books

What's the lamest high school graduation gift you've seen? How about a good book instead, for college prep or just for pure fun. Hey, I had to sneak my book onto this list.

The Best High School Graduation Gift Books
via Amazon Lists

Graduation Speech from 99 Motivators for College Success

Your Graduation Inspires Me

Excerpt from 99 Motivators for College Success

When I participate in graduation ceremonies, I often imagine delivering my own speech to the graduates, as if I were the commencement speaker:

Good morning chancellor, president, deans, faculty members, staff, students, friends, and family members.  And to the graduates:

Every one of you is special.

Every one of you is a productive member of society.

Every one of you is what inspires ME - because…

Every one of you has a story to tell.

I just wish I had the time to hear every one of them, and to be there as your career paths unfold.

You have already accomplished a huge milestone on that journey.  The biggest step though was just showing up.  That’s it.  The secret most people don’t get until it’s too late.  Just showing up as young freshmen was a threshold event.  Trying something which may be hard for the first time.  Experiencing new things, even if it’s unknown whether the objective is attainable.

To me, the greatest barriers to success, however you define that, are a fear of the unknown, a fear of change, and a fear of failure.  But you need a game plan, and hopefully you can lean a little on what you learned in school to figure out that route.  No matter what you do in life, you always will have your education.

I hope you made some lifelong friends here.  Frankly, I learned more about life from my peers than from my professors.  And I hope you got more than knowledge from your profs because you can get that from a book.  I’m hoping you gained insight on whatever subject, and then stamped your own original perspective on how to resolve issues and solve problems.

Many times the things you do won’t work.  And you will fail at some things you try.  That’s just a fact of life.  Abraham Lincoln once said:  “My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” 

And you will make mistakes.  A lot of them!  Both in your careers and your lives.  That’s just another fact of life.  But that’s okay.  The trick is figuring out how to deal with setbacks.  Your family and friends will always be there for you.  And your education will continually serve as a foundation to get you back on track.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said: “We are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of our own minds.”  Graduates, each of you must unlock your mind and blaze a path built on reason and purpose.  Life is too short to spend it bouncing around like a random and aimless ball in a game of Pong.®  And whether you are 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 years young, it is never too late to test the boundaries of your dreams.

Finally, I want all of you gathered in front of me to please lose the title of “former” student, because you will be my students for many years to come.  And I expect in return that I can become your student, as I learn about your professional successes, trials, and tribulations.

Every one of you is special.

Every one of you is a productive member of society.

Every one of you is what inspires me – because...

Every one of you has a story to tell.

What will your next journey be?

Excerpt from 99 Motivators for College Success

c 2009-2013 Perry Binder, LLC

Article: Social Networks and Workplace Risk: Classroom Scenarios from a U.S. and EU Perspective

Social Networks and Workplace Risk: Classroom Scenarios from a U.S. and EU Perspective

Now available for free online.  Click here:
Social Networks and Workplace Risk: Classroom Scenarios from a U.S. and EU Perspective

Perry Binder and Nancy R. Mansfield, Social Networks and Workplace Risk: Classroom Scenarios from a U.S. and EU Perspective, 30 J. Legal Stud. Educ. 1-44 (2013)

Introduction

The explosion of social networks and the growing concern over privacy in the digital age—both in the United States and Europe—have provided an opportunity to introduce students to the legal risks of using social media in the workplace. In general, the U.S. legal system views privacy as a legal right, while member states of the European Union (EU) view privacy as a human right. In fact, the EU Directive on Data Protection of 1995 mandates that each EU member state create a Data Protection Authority to protect each citizen's privacy rights and investigate breaches. However, novel transborder legal issues have complicated protection of privacy rights in the twenty-first century, as EU nations attempt to balance cherished privacy with the free speech evidenced on U.S.-based social networks.

Continue reading:

Social Networks and Workplace Risk: Classroom Scenarios from a U.S. and EU Perspective

Top Takeways: Success in the College Classroom

TOP TAKEAWAYS:  SUCCESS IN THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM

-  Seek out a friend in every class you take, so you can share lecture notes and maybe even study together.

-  Develop and stick to a firm studying schedule.  Procrastinators often claim to be self-motivators and need to consider working like structure people.

-  Your professors are rooting for you to succeed.  Ask them how they would study for their own exams.  Request practice quizzes, with the answers explained in class.

PERSONAL MOTIVATOR GOALS

Based on Motivators 34-66, list three specific goals you will work on this year.

1.

  

2.

 3.

Conference Paper on Using Classroom Response Systems to Teach Ethics

I'm presenting this paper in the next few months...

The Intersection of Ethical Decision-Making Modules and

Classroom Response Systems in Business Education

Perry Binder, J.D.

Assistant Professor of Legal Studies

J. Mack Robinson College of Business

Georgia State University

Abstract

I would trade all of my technology for an afternoon with Socrates. Steve Jobs, 2001

This paper supports the idea that cutting-edge classroom technology tools can blend seamlessly with “old school” teaching techniques, and produce a higher quality of student learning.  More specifically, it discusses how Classroom Response Systems (CRS) provide the crucial classroom ingredient for frank ethical discussions in business courses: Anonymity.  To teach ethics in business, I use a module entitled Ethical Decision-Making in Contract Negotiations (business scenarios fraught with ethical dilemmas), and ask questions which challenge students’ moral codes and levels of empathy.  With an old school “raise your hand” feedback method, there is a high probability that students will not provide candid responses (or they may not respond at all), for fear of what peers and/or the professor may think.  Alternatively, by utilizing CRS, I get anonymous feedback and 100% class participation.  However, there is an ongoing debate in academia on whether Clicker (Hardware) Technologies should be utilized or the emerging Free Application Technologies.  The former is an effective tool, yet it is expensive for students to purchase and their professors may use different devices in class.  On the other hand, all of my students bring a smartphone, tablet, or laptop to class, thus permitting the use of free CRS apps. These apps are easy to use and are equipped with multiple choice, short answer, and true/false questions/polling features.  The results of each question are instantly viewable by students on the classroom projection screen, whether the professor uses a computer or a document camera to project data from a smartphone or tablet.  In sum, this paper details my model to teach ethics, which is adaptable across the curriculum.  The model is divided into three sections: (1) CRS student reaction multiple choice questions on ethics, leverage, and empathy, prior to discussing the Ethical Decision-Making in Contract Negotiations module; (2) Introduction and discussion of the module; and (3) CRS post-module reinforcement multiple choice questions which assess what students learned about themselves.  Finally, this paper addresses the classroom limitations of merging traditional teaching methods with app technology, most particularly when the technology fails.

99 Motivators - Top Takeaways for Success in Picking a Major or Career Path

TOP TAKEAWAYS:  SUCCESS IN PICKING A MAJOR OR CAREER PATH

-  The media shapes our impressions of what different careers are like.  Research the benefits and challenges of your major and career path by interviewing people who work in that industry, and by securing an internship in that field.

-  Keep an open mind when choosing a major or career path.  Base these decisions on your likes, dislikes, personality, and work style, rather than on the expectations placed on you by family and peers.

-  Don’t let anyone crush your dreams.  However, the riskier your dream, the better your backup plan must be.

PERSONAL MOTIVATOR GOALS

Based on College Success Motivators 1-33, list three specific goals you will work on this year.

1.

2.

3.

College Success Motivator #10 - Do what you love but don’t let your career choices jeopardize...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#10

Do what you love but don’t let your career choices jeopardize anyone you love.  Including yourself.  Translation: Take care of others but don’t forget to take care of yourself, sometimes before others.  Listen to our airline flight attendants: “Put your own oxygen mask on first before assisting others with their masks.”

College Success Motivator #9 - Sometimes, doing the things your family or friends expect you to...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#9

Sometimes, doing the things your family or friends expect you to achieve in your career might be the wrong path for you.

College Success Motivator #8 - The most important thing for deciding on a major or career path is to...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#8

The most important thing for deciding on a major or career path is to get out of the classroom and into an internship which exposes you to the day-to-day ups and downs of that profession.  Learning by doing will give you a better appreciation of the job than learning through textbooks.

College Success Motivator #7 - Make sure your dream job is not an avocation...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#7

Make sure your dream job is not an avocation. (a hobby)  An avocation is a vacation from a vocation, because the pay ranges from little to nothing.

College Success Motivator #6 - There is a huge difference between a childhood dream and a dream job...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#6

There is a huge difference between a childhood dream and a dream job.  If you dreamed of being a lawyer since the age of twelve, you better make sure you know exactly what attorneys do on a given twelve hour work day.

Did You Know… In a 2007 survey of 800 attorneys, only 55 percent reported being satisfied with their career.

College Success Motivator #5 - If you have no backup plan in a career...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#5

If you have no backup plan in a career like acting, you not only need a fervent belief in your talent – you better have the talent to stay on a tight rope with no safety net beneath you.  For more traditional fields, you will likely have an easier time transitioning into your dream job. (For example, Chemistry majors who didn’t get accepted into a medical school can hopefully work for a year in that field and reapply to medical schools the following year.)

College Success Motivator #4 - Don’t let anyone crush your dreams. However...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#4

Don’t let anyone crush your dreams.  However, the riskier your dream, the better your backup plan must be.

College Success Motivator #3 - Every Career has an Arc

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#3

Every career has an arc, and you are at the beginning of the curve.  Don’t be surprised if your career direction changes significantly a few times before and after you reach the peak.

Did You Know… The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has not attempted to estimate the number of times people change careers in the course of their working lives.  However, in September 2010, the Bureau found that from age 18 to age 44, individuals held an average of 11 jobs. 

College Success Motivator #2 - Picking a career path

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#2

Picking a career path boils down to a cost benefit analysis and a gut check.  It is a game of reality versus passion, and hopefully you can start blazing a meaningful path in college.  Check your gut instinct first and then assess your career options.

College Success Motivator #1 - As a Freshman...

COLLEGE SUCCESS MOTIVATOR

#1

As a Freshman, it is not only okay to have no idea what to major in, it’s also a sign of an open mind to the diverse menu that college has to offer.  Choose classes which seem interesting to you rather than classes that parents or peers say you have to take immediately.

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied in Jesse Friedman case

It is now almost three months since my story appeared about the Friedman case.  No details have been released on when a panel recommendation will be made to the Nassau DA's Office.  Jesse Friedman served thirteen years in prison for crimes he claims that he did not commit.  He is presently registered as a Level 3 sex offender.

Is Actual Innocence “Capturing the Friedmans,” 25 Years Later?
by Perry Binder
The Huffington Post 

On November 25, 1987, I was sprawled out on my parents’ couch, when my favorite high school teacher appeared on the TV news.  Arnold Friedman was a retired NYC instructor who taught computer classes in his home for local kids.  I watched as he and his 17-year old son, Jesse, were handcuffed and hauled away for horrific child molestation crimes occurring in their basement.  I fell off that couch in disbelief.
Continued below...

Bayside High School yearbook picture of Arnold Friedman

(Perry Binder, student, is pictured in the background, on the left)

The author took Organic Chemistry and Nuclear Chemistry high school courses with Arnold Friedman.  The latter class included a discussion of the effects of radiation on human and animal life.  With that fact in mind, Mr. Friedman wrote the following beside the above yearbook photo:

Article continued:

Arnold and Jesse Friedman each pled guilty to avoid a trial, and Jesse learned of his father’s prison suicide in 1995.  Since his release in 2001, Jesse has attempted to clear his name, so he no longer must register as a Level 3 violent sexual predator.  In 2003, new facts about his case emerged in the Oscar-nominated documentary, Capturing the Friedmans, which examined the evidence against the Friedmans and questioned whether any of the allegations against them were truthful.

On August 16, 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit found "a reasonable likelihood that Jesse Friedman was wrongfully convicted" and that "the police, prosecutors and the [trial] judge did everything they could to coerce a guilty plea and avoid a trial."  That November, the Nassau County District Attorney appointed a panel of four experts to review the evidence against Jesse.  To date, the panel has not released its findings.  On November 18, 2012, a Great Neck, N.Y. town hall was convened to present a 75-minute new evidence reel, with Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling, director and producer respectively of Capturing the Friedmans, civil rights attorney Ronald Kuby, and Jesse Friedman in attendance.  (I previewed the video for this article.)

Continue Reading in The Huffington Post:

Is Actual Innocence “Capturing the Friedmans,” 25 Years Later?
by Perry Binder

Exclusive discount for TPT members: 99 Motivators for College Success

$4.99 Digital Download 

($6.99 on Amazon Kindle)

Click here to purchase on Teachers Pay Teachers site

This book is for high school students and guidance counselors, and for entering college freshmen.

In 99 Motivators for College Success, Perry Binder is one part professor, one part career mentor, and one part classroom cheerleader. His Motivators, insightful stories, and takeaways are presented in bite-sized tips and quotes on college success in class, in career choices, and in life. Perry gives away all of his teaching secrets, including advice on how to study for multiple choice exams and how to write model essay exam answers.

FROM PERRY's FORMER STUDENTS

Mr. Binder is the Michael Jordan of teaching! Harlem Duru

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 Binder was not only a Professor, but a Mentor. His classes were not about memorizing material, but taking it and applying to real-life scenarios. Lizette Olaechea

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. Kevin Crayon

Click here to purchase on Teachers Pay Teachers site

$4.99 Digital Download 

Five Ways to Ace College Exams in 2013

As the new semester rolls around, here's my take on how to ace college exams

Five Ways to Ace College Exams in 2013

Wouldn't it be great if college classes were pass/fail, and students could focus on learning rather than competing for grades? Let's get back to the real world for a second, as I propose what I would do as a student to prepare for college exams:

1- Ask your professors to give practice quizzes. Each semester is a feeling out process for students to figure out what types of exams a professor gives. Practice quizzes, with no attached grade, can relieve stress and reveal a lot about upcoming exams. I give a ten question practice quiz prior to the first and second tests so students can see my style and tricks. While my exams are "closed book," I give students the option of taking the practices quizzes with or without notes, with the belief that students haven't fully studied at this point. After the quiz, we go over the answers together.

2- On essay exams, ask your professor if you can write answers in an outline format. It is a difficult task for professors to write objective essay exam questions. Except on open-ended questions, they are usually looking for some specific responses. Why make that professor search all throughout your flowery paragraphs for those answers? Organize responses in an outline form and underline key terms. This method will make grading faster for the professor, and thus you have a happier grader.

3- Prepare flashcards for straightforward multiple choice exam questions. Make a flashcard for each term or concept discussed in class. Put the term on the front, with a definition and example applying the term on the back. For example: the legal term, Duty to Trespassers goes on the front of an index card. On the back: In general, homeowners may be liable for creating dangerous instrumentalities on the property. E.g., Jane surrounds her home with a mote filled with water and alligators to make sure Tom stays off that freshly cut lawn. Make sure to study the flashcards in reverse. (look at the back of the card to see if you can identify the term on the front) Sample easy exam question:

Harold's home was broken into three times this year. So he dug a huge hole on his lawn near the window that robbers seek entry. Then he placed a bear trap at the bottom of the hole and cleverly covered it with small branches and leaves. One night while sneaking up to Harold's window, Tim the Robber fell in, got caught in the bear trap, and was seriously injured. The next morning, Harold went out for the newspaper and to see what he'd caught. Tim screamed: "My leg. I'm hurt!" In Tim's lawsuit for injuries, Harold will likely: a. win because Tim was a trespasser and landowners owe no duty to trespassers. b. lose because landowners owe a duty to keep the premises free from unreasonable dangers they create for trespassers.

I know which answer you'd like to pick. Choose the other one for exam purposes.

4- For "application" multiple choice questions, talk the material out with a study friend. A well written college exam will make you go beyond the mere memorization of material. Another sample exam question:

This morning on the way to our exam, Marcel purchased coffee at the drive-through window of a local burger establishment. With the car stopped, he placed the cup between his knees and opened the lid to add cream. Accidentally, he knocked the contents of the cup onto his lap, and hot coffee soaked through his sweat pants. He screamed: "Help me, I'm burning, and I've got a test in 20 minutes!" After completing his exam, Marcel headed straight to the hospital, where doctors treated his third degree burns. He then sued the burger joint for failing to warn him that extremely hot coffee can rip through flesh. A jury awarded Marcel $100,000 in damages, but also found him to be 75% responsible and the defendant 25% responsible for the accident. How much money would Marcel be permitted to recover if the defendant does not appeal this verdict? a. $100,000 b. $75,000 c. $25,000 d. $0

If you chose letter "c," then you understand the legal concept of comparative negligence. In most states, a plaintiff's award is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned by the jury for an accident. However, in my state, if a plaintiff is found to be 50% or more responsible, then that plaintiff would recover nothing from the $100,000 verdict. Thus, the correct response would be letter "d."

5- On take-home exams or term papers, your computer's Spell Check is not the same as proofreading. True story: In a legal document, an attorney asked the judge for a delay in his case because he was undergoing a delicate medical procedure on his back: Disk surgery. However, he mistakenly typed a different four letter word that looked like DISK, inserting an unfortunate "C" rather than the needed "S." Spell check didn't pick up the error, since the word was spelled correctly. The take-away: Please proof your take-home exams and papers!

Pace yourself on game day. Flip through the exam before starting, to see what you've gotten yourself into. But before taking that test, try to get on the same page with your professor, because s/he really wants you to succeed.

This article is an excerpt from 99 Motivators for College Success and appeared in The Huffington Post.