Wednesday, May 1, 2019

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

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Great Time Speaking with 8th Graders / After School All Stars Atlanta


We did a simulated First Day of Class in College.  After going over the syllabus, we covered:


LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS – First Day of Class

Theme 1: The Consequences of Winding up in Court
Theme 2: How to Protect Your Business Before Its Formation
Theme 3: Knowing Your Individual Legal Rights

Civil and Criminal Cases

Example of Civil Case: Negligence

1-      Does the defendant owe a duty to plaintiff?
2-     Did defendant breach that duty? ...
3-     By proximately causing …
4-     Damages

Palsgraf case and Proximate Cause
a-     Were the events foreseeable? or …
b-     Did the series of events break the chain of causation?

Example of Criminal Case: 4th Amendment

Warrant to search home - Police need probable cause, based on “objective, articulated facts.”

What is suppressed evidence?
-          It depends – Were the police lawfully present?

Exclusionary rule
-          Fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine


Sunday, April 7, 2019

Speaking with 8th Graders on Success in College (April 2019)




June 2018 event
Looking forward to speaking again with After-School All-Stars students in Atlanta.  This time, we will focus on the importance of the first day of class (with a simulated class), study tips, and the importance of working hard and having fun.

Very Kind Book Review: 99 Motivators for College Success



"Great College Prep Read - Perry Binder's 99 Motivators for College Success is a fantastic read for anyone in college. It makes a particularly great gift for high school seniors preparing to start their first year of college or even just considering it. The book is easy to read and humorous, while providing incredibly accurate and valuable advice for how to make the most of attending college."
Click Here to Read

Monday, March 11, 2019

Guest Speaker: Technology Law for Entrepreneurs class


 
Great speaker today: My former student, Luis Ferrer-Labarca / Co-founder of BitcraftCrypto. Proud teacher moment! 



Technology Law for
Entrepreneurs class


Thursday, February 7, 2019

Perry’s L.I.G.H.T. B.U.L.B. Moments for Teachers



Perry’s L.I.G.H.T. B.U.L.B. Moments for Teachers 


L. isten to all learners 
I. nspire them with real world discussions 
G. ive hope to everyone 
H. eap compliments on students for quality work 
T. each to your strengths 


B. e available at all times, whether in person or electronically 
U. nderstand that students lack your life experience or knowledge 
L. earn from your learners 
B. e willing to walk in your students’ shoes 


Have you found your light bulb moment? 


Excerpt: #99Motivators for #CollegeSuccess 


Monday, January 28, 2019

Social Media Article Approaches 3,500 Views


This was a fun article to write:
SMH! I Got Fired 4 FB Posts On My Device And Off Company Time? GTG #YOLO

Warren Buffett said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” People worldwide affirm that statement daily with ill-advised social media posts in their professional and personal lives.
In 2007, the infancy of social media, I opened a Facebook account. With a bit of trepidation, I asked my students to add me as a “friend,” find inappropriate online content written by griping employees, post it to my wall and discuss it in class. Since then, I created several projects to educate students on appropriate uses of social media. Recently, I published these activities in a journal article, titled “Creating Social Media Law Projects to Sensitize Business Students to Appropriate Digital Conduct.
The article describes how social media promotes “instantaneous dissemination of thought, oftentimes without filter or reflection,” in “a participatory forum of real time information clutter.” My interactive projects are designed for students to recognize good from bad digital behavior and become 24/7 brand ambassadors for wherever they work, as well as for themselves.



Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Free Teacher Guide on Legal Underdog Lessons (50 pages)


1- Teachers on the TpT website: Start 2019 by bringing my lessons of justice into your classrooms.
Free Teacher Guide on Legal Underdog Lessons.

2- Student reading is available to everyone at Justice Cases for the Classroom.

INTRODUCTION - Unlike Hollywood law dramas, which neatly wrap up cases in an hour or two, achieving actual justice through the legal system is often slow, frustrating, and requires patience and persistence. This Teacher Guide demystifies that unrealistic version of “justice achieved.” It provides teachers with an opportunity to engage students in meaningful classroom discussions of real “David v. Goliath” justice cases, with mixed results for David. It is designed for students to appreciate and critically discuss what it takes to achieve true justice in the criminal and civil law systems.
Below are cases that I have studied, written about, and in some instances, maintained contact with the legal underdogs involved. Each case has deeply personal significance to me for different reasons, and thus I write about them in the first person. My hope is that if teachers and students experience my passion and engagement, they may be inspired to follow a local, national, or international issue and choose to participate as a voice of change, whether through social media or some other avenue.


Thursday, December 13, 2018

10 Motivators for Professional Success



Article posted to Linkedin - Motivation for the New Year.