Perry Binder's Blog, page 7

Innovative College Teaching Key Takeaway from Perry Binder

Me: Make your classes interactive with activities solving real world problems.Encourage students to be confident in their fact-based opinions and continuallychallenge or “teach the teacher.” For example, in my Internet Law class,students know more than me about emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, crypto, and NFTs.While I can teach the legal limits of technology, it is the energy of studentswhich carries this class, as they educate me. This shift in roles grew my skills as a collegeprofessor. Ultimately,I want my classes to not only be student-centered but life-centered as well.

Innovative College Teaching Key Takeaway from Master Teacher Laura Meyers

LauraE. Meyers: “Unlearn. We need to deconstruct whatwe know and consider how we learned this and who it favors. Unlearning is oneway to reduce bias and, in turn, harm. Unlearning can lead to allyship (andmore) which is beneficial to our students (and us) in ‘becoming’ educators.Aren’t we always growing and becoming?”

Innovative College Teaching Key Takeaway from Master Teacher Leila Lawlor

Leila Lawlor: “If you have chosen toteach, you have chosen to place students at the center of your professionaluniverse. Tell them. They will appreciate knowing how much you want them tothrive, to enjoy your teaching, and to meet their academic and professionalgoals. As you get to know your students, they will surely appreciate yourinterest in their lives and goals.”

Innovative College Teaching Key Takeaway from Master Teacher Jody Blanke (Mercer University)

Jody Blanke: “I like to teach by example. I think it is much easier tounderstand an idea if you can see it in action, rather than merely in theabstract. Quite often you can discuss the nuances of the topic by simplyvarying the facts of the example.”

 

Gratitude for People You Work With

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

From time to time, I reflect on my law andteaching 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 andmany downs of his acting career after the hit television show, Happy Days, endedin 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. Appreciatecurrent and former colleagues, mentors and mentees, and all of the peopleyou’ve met along the way.

I am grateful to the professors interviewed for myrecent 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 bestrategic and efficient with their time. To learn how and when to say no. Butif I listened to my own advice, I likely would’ve passed on a greatopportunity. As I was re-reading about the amazing work these Master Teachersare doing with their students, I was inspired to say yes.

This led me to take on the task of recruiting andcoaching a team of three students to compete in a three-day internationalmediation competition hosted by a neighboring university. These studentsweren’t in my Consumer Law class, had zero exposure to mediation training, andwent up against many students who were Conflict Resolution majors. They hadfive weeks to learn how to mediate a dispute and switch roles from mediator toadvocate to client in mock mediation sessions. The same amount of training timethat Rocky had to fight world champion, Apollo Creed. The students worked hardand performed admirably. They demonstrated skill, patience, empathy, and poiseunder pressure, and articulated reflective insights. (And if I’m permitted tobeam proudly here, they reached the semi-finals with a collective mediatorscore ranking 5th in a 22-team field.)

Author Dan Millman wrote: “The journey is what brings us happiness, not thedestination.” I am grateful to thestudents who sacrificed their time during this adventure to learn and experiencesomething new. In turn, these types of interactions facilitate my personal growth. All of which motivates me to seek out my nextquest.

Pleasetake a moment in your busy lives to express gratitude to the people you workwith. Continuously. Even if (Especially if?) your workdaysometimes feels like the movie, Groundhog Day.

Excerpt, Innovative College Teaching (2024)

#1Amazon BEST SELLER and #1 NEW RELEASE in Teacher & Student Mentoring (Jan./Feb.2024)

c 2024 Perry Binder 

 

Amazon #1 Best Seller in Teacher & Student Mentoring: Innovative College Teaching

Some of my favorite books are in this category, including Tuesdays with Morrie and The Happy Teacher Habits

Innovative College Teaching Key Takeaway from Master Teacher Evaristo Fernando Doria

EvaristoFernando Doria:“I am enthusiastic about expanding my effortsto create more cross-border interdisciplinary learning experiences. Suchexperiences not only prompt participants to critically analyze novel ideas andchallenges but also encourage them to delve into the intricate intersections ofvarious fields of study while developing their global mindset.”

Speaking on Novel Teaching Techniques @ Transforming the Teaching & Learning Environment conference

I'll be presenting takeaways from the Classroom LIGHTBULBS book as well as "How to Teach with AI" from Innovative College Teaching.  

Innovative College Teaching Key Takeaway from Yelena Abalmazova Chan, Esq.

Yelena Abalmazova Chan: “Encourage students to explore all careers, classes,and topics that interest them. I really believe it’s a duty we have asinstructors. I see some students tied to a major just because that’s what theychose based on pretty much no research or experience, and they clearly have nopassion for it. There is nothing wrong with majoring in accounting but considerinterning at a bakery if that’s something that piques their interest. Sometimeshearing that from an authority figure like a college professor is encouragingand gives students the permission to explore outside the box.”  

Master Teacher Diana Barber's Key Takeaway: Innovative College Teaching

Diana S. Barber, J.D.'s Key Takeaway: “I use numerous techniques to stay engaged with students,including intelligent agents that will automatically send email messages tostudents if they miss a quiz or assignment, as a reminder that I am availableto assist and that their success is important to me.”