25 Years of Gratitude: Energized and Excited for a New Academic Year

 Epilogue - Innovative College Teaching: Tips & Insights from 14 Master Teachers

“I live by two words: tenacity and gratitude.” —Henry Winkler

From time to time, I reflect on my teaching career, looking to capture my sentiment in the moment in one word. Recently, I watched an interview with Henry Winkler as he discussed the ups and many downs of his acting career after the hit television show, Happy Days, ended in 1984. The word that stuck with me was that he was grateful for everything. Grateful. Work hard and be grateful. During the ups and the downs. Appreciate current and former students and colleagues, and all of the people you’ve met along the way.

I am grateful to the professors interviewed for this book. Unknown to them, they elevated my game as I edited their chapters. When students ask me about time management techniques, I tell them to be strategic and efficient with their time. To learn how and when to say no. But if I listened to my own advice, I likely would’ve passed on a great opportunity. As I was re-reading about the amazing work these Master Teachers are doing with their students, I was inspired to say yes.

This led me to take on the task of recruiting and coaching a team of three students to compete in a three-day international mediation competition hosted by a neighboring university. These students weren’t in my Consumer Law class, had zero exposure to mediation training, and went up against many students who were Conflict Resolution majors. They had five weeks to learn how to mediate a dispute and switch roles from mediator to advocate to client in mock mediation sessions. The same amount of training time that Rocky had to fight world champion, Apollo Creed. The students worked hard and performed admirably. They demonstrated skill, patience, empathy, and poise under pressure, and articulated reflective insights.

          Author Dan Millman once said: “The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination.” I am grateful to the students who sacrificed their time during this adventure to learn and experience something new. In turn, these types of interactions facilitate my growth as a professor and person. All of which motivates me to seek out my next quest.

 Click here for Innovative College Teaching

© 2024 Perry Binder

Perry Binder is a Clinical Associate Professor of Legal Studies, entering his 25th year at Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business. He is the author of several books, including Innovative College Teaching (2024), Classroom LIGHTBULBS for College Professors (2023), and 99 Motivators for College Success (2012).

 

Goal for 2025 - Going Abroad

 

Before the pandemic,  I taught or presented abroad nine out of ten years since 2010. It's about time to find a new international adventure.

2010 - Taught in Paderno del Grappa, Italy for a month

2011 - Presented at a conference in Trento, Italy

2012 - Taught in Florence, Italy for a month https://perrybinder.blogspot.com 

2013 - Presented at a conference in Florence

2014 - Closing speaker at the same conference in Florence

2015 - Presented at a conference in Athens, Greece

2016 - Taught in Austria, Greece, and Hungary for two weeks

2017 - Presented at a conference in Toronto, Canada

2019 - Closing speaker at the conference in Florence

 

Winner, International Book Awards in Education/Academic category (June 2024)

Good news...

Winner, International Book Awards in Education/Academic category (June 2024)

Innovative College Teaching: Tips & Insights from 14 Master Teachers by Perry Binder

There were 7 finalists in the category and 1 winner.

About the Book:

- #1 Best Seller in Teacher & Student Mentoring

- #1 New Release in Teacher & Student Mentoring

- #2 New Release in Pedagogy

(Amazon, January/February/March 2024)

Ideal High School Graduation Gift Book - 99 Motivators for College Success

If you're looking for a gift idea for a recent graduate, this book has been a popular item over the years.

Amazon:  99 Motivators for College Success

Amazon now displays AI-generated text of customer reviews

For Innovative College Teaching:

Customers say

Customers find the book full of practical, accessible ideas and helpful interviews with teachers. They also describe the author as funny, engaging, and informative.

7 customers mention "Content" 7 positive 0 negative

Customers find the book full of practical and accessible ideas that can be put to work. They also appreciate the interviews with teachers and gems. Customers say the book makes teaching more fun and effective.

"...of keen experience offered here make teaching both more fun and more effective, for both the student and the instructor...." Read more

"...with “master teachers” are interesting and more engaging and useful than anticipated...." Read more

"...Though the book provides a salad of advice rather than a system, it has many gems. I plan to use some of the ideas in my class." Read more

"...The Appendix has useful anecdotes, pedagogy information, and sample classroom materials...." Read more

3 customers mention "Story" 3 positive 0 negative

Customers find the story engaging and informative.

"...The interviews with “master teachers” are interesting and more engaging and useful than anticipated...." Read more

"...than a teacher Perry may have more to offer as a writer who is funny, engaging, and informative. Or maybe the two are related. Who knows?" Read more

"A great way to reinject enthusiasm and fun into courses..." Read more

Motivational Graduation Speech for High School and College Graduates

 Your Graduation Inspires Me

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

Another Kind Review of Innovative College Teaching

 

5.0 out of 5 stars A great way to reinject enthusiasm and fun into courses

Verified Purchase

As a Ph.D. researcher and instructor (in many classes, labs, work, and conferences) I really appreciate what’s here in abundance: a true enthusiasm for not just exciting students but engaging them in their own instruction. This isn’t the easiest way to teach. It’s much easier to pull out a long-written lecture, lecture it, give tests, and walk away to repeat boringly until retirement. But the unique examples and nuggets of keen experience offered here make teaching both more fun and more effective, for both the student and the instructor. I particularly liked the parts that dealt with the following topics: using abstract cartoons; unexpected icebreakers; extra credit projects that can’t be accepted; why not to use PowerPoint; how to do open-note exams; and the “last bits of wisdom” which are often profound. For anyone who is going to take on the responsibilities and duties of an instructor, this short book is a “must read.” Highly recommended!

Another Kind Amazon Review of Innovative College Teaching Book

5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous and informative pedagogy book

Although aimed at educators looking for “outside-of-the-box ideas” teaching college students, parents who want to inspire their children to enjoy higher education can benefit from it as well. As Perry Binder stated “Most of the books on college teaching are loaded with advice that tells you how to teach (Be passionate; Be flexible; Be yourself!), rather than show you by example how to teach.”

This book is presented in two parts: innovative teaching techniques and innovative master teachers. First, Binder (a licensed attorney who teaches law and business ethics to college students) discussed his teaching philosophy, online classes, artificial intelligence, exam prep, student engagement, and his college professor journey. Next he interviewed thirteen professors in the Education, Entrepreneurship, Law, Science, Technical Education, and Business departments.

The Appendix has useful anecdotes, pedagogy information, and sample classroom materials. The “Using AI to Develop Classroom Modules” highlights how the author uses his teaching method on emerging technologies.

 

Finishing My 24th Year at GSU

 

As students requested, I changed my Twitter profile pic to our mascot Pounce and me for the last week of class in Legal & Ethical Environment of Business.

Student Presentations on AI

Wrapping up the semester in Internet Law with presentations on how AI is changing various professions for the better and worse.