Deadline in Less Than 7 Hours - An Important Bribe (Plus: Happiness Research for Economic Crashes) 163 Comments
Take 10 seconds today to fill up your karmic bank account. (photo: woodleywonderworks)
Part 1 - The Favor and Bribe
This two-part post is interrelated, so I recommend you read both sections. If you take 10 seconds to do the first part, it should — based on the research — make you a happier person.
The first part is simple. I want to give ten of you $150. More on this a little later…
There are less than 7 hours left to help 100,000 public school students get $1.5 million dollars in much-needed funding for their educations. A single click here is all I ask of you, and I sweeten the pot with a bribe below…
First, from the woman who convinced me to put up this post:
Where you grow up shouldn’t determine the quality of the education you receive. To help level the playing field, I propose giving 100,000 children in low-income communities the books, technology, and other materials that they need for a proper education.
The non-profit Donorschoose (who appear on the dedication page of 4HWW) only need 3,000-4,000 more votes to reach first place and receive $1.5 million dollars from American Express. As few as 500 more votes could lock them in for $500,000 (that means each vote is worth $1,000).
Earn some serious good karma and use this as your moment of Zen today.
You can make a difference in 100,000 lives with the click of a button. Please take these three simple steps to move from spectator to player in creating the world you want:
1. Vote here. If you don’t have an American Express Card, please forward this post to a friend and ask them to vote on your behalf.
2. Update your Facebook status, blog, twitter, e-mail or IM your friends either of these URLs:
http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/V8EWJV
http://snipurl.com/3zbdi (Same URL shortened)
A short message like this should do the trick:
“One click here today can give 100,000 students $1.5 million for education. No joke and no exaggeration. Take a second and earn some karma!”
The Bribe
Just do the following no later than midnight EST tonight:
1) Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you spread the word on the Donorschoose voting.
For bonus points:
2) Describe in the same comment which teacher, class, or school project had the biggest impact on your life and why.
Prize 1: Next Monday, I and several judges will pick the the 10 best comment give each person a $150 gift certificate to Donorschoose. The staff at Donorschoose can pick projects for you, if you’d like, and you’ll receive handwritten thank-you notes and photographs from every classroom you help. How cool is that?!
Prize 2: I will also invite the 10 winners to a private 30-60-minute call where you can ask me anything in the world that you like.
If you need some more solid reasons…
So why DonorsChoose?
Many non-profits sound great on paper and then fail in execution.
I’ve seen inside DonorsChoose, read their financials, and known the CEO for 15 years. They are streamlined like a Silicon Valley start-up, have helped more than 600,000 students with almost no resources, and they have superstars guiding them, including the Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures, the founder of NetFlix, the co-founder of Yahoo, and Bill Bradley, among many others. Their corporate partners include Crate and Barrel and Yahoo. The Omidyar Foundation helped finance them. It goes on and on.
Why education?
Education is, after much research, what I believe has the greatest long-term potential to solve all of our problems: potable water, AIDS, malaria, racial discrimination, unfair trade agreements for developing countries, and all of the rest. DonorsChoose isn’t just about colored pencils — they’ve already directly helped in preventing teen pregnancies and getting future leaders out of low-income housing and on the path to college.
Adding people without adding the tools — education and confidence — can create more problems than it solves. Increased disease, famine, and war are just three examples. The US, for example, has no problem multiplying its population; it’s training those people to get along and build a better future that’s the challenge.
With $1.5 million, DonorsChoose can change the future of US education. I’ve seen them execute.
I don’t expect them to get everyone’s vote, but they get mine. Get involved and vote, whichever direction you go!
To reiterate:
Earn some serious good karma and use this as your moment of Zen today.
You can make a difference in tens of thousands of lives with the click of a button. Please take these three simple steps to move from spectator to player in creating the world you want:
1. Vote here. If you don’t have an American Express Card, please forward this post to a friend and ask them to vote on your behalf.
2. Update your Facebook status, blog, twitter, e-mail or IM your friends either of these URL:
http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/V8EWJV
http://snipurl.com/3zbdi (Same URL shortened)
A short message like this should do the trick:
“One click here today can give 100,000 students $1.5 million for education. No joke and no exaggeration. Take a second and earn some karma!”
Let us bring power to the people, but let us also recognize that power begins with one simple tool: education.
Arm the masses. Click here.
Part 2 - The Latest Happiness Research - How to Smile During an Economic Crash
Psychologist Martin Seligman came at “happiness” (a problematic term that nonetheless fascinates me) from an unusual source: he’d previously studied depression and learned helplessness.
I came across some of his latest findings — all scientifically verified — in the most recent issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly:
There are three levels to happiness: pleasure, the delight you get from chocolate, fast cards, and sex; engagement, the feeling of “flow” you get when you’re doing something you’re good at; and meaning, the fulfillment you get from being engaged in an effort greater than yourself. Pleasure is ephemeral and contributes very little to real happiness… but meaningful engagement brings lasting contentment.
For classmates who are headed towards retirement, Seligman offers the following tip: “Material objects have almost no role in positive emotion. As you organize your retirement, spend it on meaningful engagement. Don’t squander your savings on boats and houses.”
It’s pretty simple, actually. Figure out what you’re good at. And then apply your strengths to a greater purpose. And don’t forget to cultivate optimism along the way.
More coming on investment soon…
Posted on October 13th, 2008
- Subscribe and get the latest
- Save this page
- Stumble It
- Email to a Friend
- Print it
- Leave a comment
163 Responses to “Deadline in Less Than 7 Hours - An Important Bribe (Plus: Happiness Research for Economic Crashes)”
2:02 pm
Tim, thanks for sharing this. I have retweeted to raise some awareness amongst my us networks. Quality education needs to be an assumption not a want.
2:02 pm
Hey Tim,
Jet Set Life has got you covered. Updating my Facebook status as we speak and encouraging all our Jet Setters to do the same! Good luck and we’re all proud of you and the work your doing!
Best,
Rob and Kim
2:17 pm
Hi Tim, great cause, great initiative well executed as usual.
I would have to acknowledge you as a great teacher and the lesson I believe most is to set unreasonable goals but plan small. Working hard to get that one right.
However I don’t think that is what you are after.
My greatest teacher was Mrs Newborn.
Mrs Newborn taught us English and Drama, but she taught us all a lot about life.
She taught us to step out and be vulnerable, no knocking, to cheer for others because it feels great when that happens for you. She taught us to honour creativity, that diversity was important, but above she taught us that life was a wonderful gift and how much you enjoyed depended on how much you lived it.
No AMEX card but I did tweet your donor message.
All the best, Dean.
2:20 pm
hi tim, great cause! i’ve spread the word via http://ping.fm to my twitter, facebook, etc: http://twitter.com/rdyson
most inspiring teacher: mrs gonzalez in 7th and 8th grade. she was so passionate about teaching that every one of her students was into the material. as US-born cuban she wanted to make sure we understood the ramifications of communism and dictatorships.
2:24 pm
Hey Tim,
I’m doing a Friendfeed now to update a multitude of Web 2.0 listings. Thanks for your Great work.
With Passion and Purpose!
-Joseph
2:25 pm
Hey there Tim! Another aspiring Four Hour-er here! The more I read your book the more I get amped up for the possibilities of finding my own muse and achieving my dreams! So, thanks a lot for your hard work and willingness to show others the way!
I have retweeted on my own network, and attempted to have my sister Felicia Day (of The Guild internet series fame) raise awareness on her own blog and twitter feeds (no guarantees though!), which get much more visibility than my own! This is such a good charity. As I worked all the way through school, I know how hard it is to get a decent education when you don’t come from the most affluent roots.
Although my degree itself was in Computer Science (UT Austin), I initially entered as a history major, completing my Senior Thesis on the Mongol Military system, before falling into the “You can’t make money with that crap” trap, and stumbling into an all-to-comfortable tech job.
My Senior Thesis advisor, Dr. Lamphear, was and is an incredible man, and his guidance on my thesis was invaluable in showing me how to tap my inner creativity, work against deadlines, and from personal example, how to live a good life (as an Africanist, he was involved in many peace talks and political movements across Africa). Although he’s now retired from teaching, I do try and keep in touch with him from time to time.
Cheers!
Ryon D.
2:28 pm
I Buzzed & Dugg & Pounced & Tweeted and Facebooked it. :) Great cause! Thanks Tim.
2:29 pm
Hey Tim!
Decided that this was too good an offer (to help and be helped) to pass up. My Facebook status has been updated (visible to over 1900 individuals) and I tweeted about it (visible to much less). There’s also a Facebook note in the works…
As for the teacher that most impacted my life, I’ve got far too many to mention (my life’s gone down a number of different paths already, and I’m only 20). The one who most influenced the path I’m on now, though, is Charlie Keil, my first-year Cinema Studies professor. I joined the class on the recommendation of a friend, hoping to add “watching movies, especially film noir” to my otherwise more typical-Psychology-student life at U of T. But this prof was incredible — energetic, passionate, motivated (and motivating) — he led me to see films in a different light. He’s the only professor I’ve actually cared to reach out to during my three years at U of T, and I’m deeply thankful for how he opened my eyes to a “brand new” art form (which, ironically, has been a part of my life since before my earliest memories).
Good luck, Donors Choose!
2:35 pm
Done. Tweeted to all my friends.
Educations biggest impact on my life: College.
It didn’t necessarily change my thinking academically or instill me with life changing knowledge. But the environment of free thinking and socializing with people that were interested in learning fundamentally changed me.
Questions were answered and answers were questioned.
It was beautiful to see the flow of information not be bottlenecked by closed mindedness. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn in that kind of environment.
Everyone should be able to ask the question: Why?
Everyone should have access to the world’s knowledge.
2:38 pm
Tim,
I have been a strong believer in Donorschoose and while i am not a cardmember because I am a poor starving student who has stayed debt free, I do have several friends who read my blog and should GOTV for donorschoose. I also updated my facebook status with the Karma line and have had two friends already comment and vote on it.
Sincerely,
David Baker
2:42 pm
Hi Tim!
This is a good initiative, I didn`t see it before now!!!
We don`t have American Express cards here in Norway.
Still, I will do EVERYTHING I can in making a viral impact on this, it seems very likely to be meeting these goals by doing an Effort!
I will push this forward to all the people i met at FoWA past week as well as social medias, hope it makes a difference!
By the way, the “Future of web apps” event hosted by Carsonified in London the past Week was Amazing! and heavy on startups. But still i thought it Lacked your presence / T4HWW mentality presented on stage with an important message to all the startups. Don`t get me wrong, the speakers were excellent as well as the event…just missing some elements.
We`ll see you there next time right? :)
Best wishes.
Bendik L.
2:43 pm
Tim, I am amazed in the differences in quality of public edu. available even in the small town where I live. I sure hope this word gets out. I updated my twitter status (which updates my facebook status) Great. Idea!
One teacher, Mrs Geary, in my High School changed my life through her encouragement and belief in my talents as an artist. I would not be who I am today without her impact on my life.
John
twitter account http://www.twitter.com/johnflurry
2:46 pm
Hi Tim,
I took a minute and posted on twitter and facebook. Hopefully it’ll pull in a couple more votes. Every little bit helps, right?
Cheers,
Patryk
2:46 pm
Hi Tim,
I had already voted in the American Express Member Project, and this post persuaded me to change my vote (I previously agonized over which of the final 5 would provide the greatest and longest lasting benefit). I agree with you that education may be the best way to permanently change the course of the future for the better, and I have passed the word on to all of my friends.
The single greatest impact that education has had in my own life has been the guitar lessons that my grandmother paid for when I was young. It could have very easily been a passing fancy for me, but she always believed in my ability. To this day, it continues to be a source of spiritual strength, creative exchange, and an instrument of social change for me.
2:48 pm
I have added the link to both my business and personal Twitter account, as well as my Facebook and Myspace profiles.
I would have to say the teacher that has impacted me the most was a college professor of Media Philosophy at RIT named John A. Ciampa. Quite often, the lecture would take place with the 10 or so students (very low enrollment for the class) walking through the woods, or over a beer or two at a local bar. The class would begin with a question, and John would allow the students to debate back and forth what the best resolution would be. Answers were generally never wrong, because the best answer may come from two or three off the wall ideas. John would only chime in when he thought the discussion was moving too far from the central theme. At the end of class, he would neatly sum up what we discussed, and then give his opinion on what he thought the best answer to the question would be.
I believe John impacted me most by showing that answers are never concrete. What may have worked in the past may not work at this point in time, or in the future. Fluidity must be accepted in thought and decision at all times. A very hard lesson to teach, and one I have to constantly remind myself of.
2:48 pm
Hi Tim,
Done, done, and done. Glad to help out! I voted on the Amex site as well as updated my LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter profiles, that’s notice to somewhere around 900 or so people. . .yeah!
Biggest educational impact of my life? Well, there are two actually. . .and since you didn’t specifically say which “single” experience, and neither were my teachers, I’m gonna run with it. . .both play into one another, though as you’ll see. . .
The first impactful event took place when I was a freshman at Southern Illinois University. For whatever reason, a number of us freshman were crammed in the basement of our dining hall to hear a few folks give us the low-down on what life was going to be like in our new home of Carbondale, Illinois. Several people spoke that day. . .but I remember only one.
He was a tall, and powerful lookin’ guy. . .someone you knew you wouldn’t want to mess with. . .and someone who looked even more menacing from my seated position on the floor, kinking my neck to get a good look at this man that was well over 6 feet tall. He was also wearing a suit — when we were all mostly clad in shorts due to the August heat in Carbondale — he was definitely a “presence”.
I don’t recall his whole talk, but one aspect of a story he relayed to us changed my life forever. He mentioned that when he was a student himself some decades earlier, he got a bit sidetracked at one point, had a bit too much fun, and found himself on the opposing end of the university’s Registrar. In other words, he was asked to leave school for awhile to sort things out. . .
. . .and yet while this disappointment was embarrassing, and no doubt, a blow to his ego, it gave him the greater resolve to come back and finish his education. And he did just that. He finished. AND, he finished with Dean’s list honors on top of it.
However, despite this achievement, that’s not really the highlight. Nope. The highlight is that this towering gentleman many years my senior, decked out to the hills, and noticeable successful, was now an administrator at the same school that asked him to leave many years earlier. Wow, talk about a turn of events.
Now, I can’t remember exactly his position, but my fuzzy memory has always put him near the top. . .a board member. . .or someone in the President’s office. . .something like that. I can’t recall exactly, but he was. . .SOMEONE. . .and he was telling us to never give up. To never surrender our dreams, and to never let anyone else tell us we cannot accomplish something we set out to accomplish.
It was one of the most amazing lessons I ever learned, and I really wish I knew the name of this gentleman so I could thank him for influencing my life in the way he did.
The irony, and second part of this story, is that when I too faced this same problem, not too many years after that little lecture in the basement of our dining hall, I remembered his words, and they stuck with me. So when I met with my adviser on my way out the proverbial door of the university, she turned to me at one point and said directly: “I don’t think you’ll be back”. I have never forgotten those words, and I THANK her every day of my life for saying them to me.
I’m not sure whether she really thought I wouldn’t be back, or whether she was trying to light a fire under my rear, but I saw it as a spark and it ignited in me the wake-up call I needed to turn things around.
So when I did get that chance to redeem myself not long after that fateful meeting, I too performed much better, graduated, and later went on to get a second degree (go figure) from the University of Minnesota where I scored a number of Dean’s list recognitions of my own and. . .GET THIS. . .even went on to become an academic adviser, sharing with panicked students also in the last weeks of their tenure as official students and soon-to-be “probationers” my story about what really matters: dusting yourself off and getting back on the horse.
I loved sharing that lesson in humility with students, and now (gulp!) many more, and it made me as their adviser much more human as a result.
Even the great Michael Jordan has acknowledged that without failing he could never succeed in the way he does. What a great lesson.
Good luck with the attention-getting fund drive!
Cheers,
Doc
2:53 pm
Hey Tim!
Updated my Facebook and Twitter accounts. This is a great project, I hope it wins!
Mr. Malone was the one teacher that stands above the rest. He was my first teacher in America at Jupiter Elementary School. He helped me with my english and overall confidence. I will always be thankful for the great job that he did.
Best,
Janis
P.S. After reading your book, I was inspired to start Elementz Nutrition, I look forward to sending you some product! We’re launching in January.
2:54 pm
First, this is an awesome project! My mother is a completely creative public school teacher and she has spent so much of her income to make learning interesting. Can you believe the only supplies she was given one year was 1000 sheets of copy paper!
I posted this on my facebook status, because word of mouth from a person you trust is always the best way to get people to take something seriously. I live in the south where this still works:)
I have had a number of amazing learning experiences but one of the best was in the class of Robert Gallagher. He changed the way I thought about how a class could be taught. I think he had ADD and he had to sustain his interest which sustained ours. First. he never lectured for more that 10 minutes and he let you know exactly how long he would so we could concentrate on his efficient lecturing style. Second. He made us apply everything we learned in the lecture immediately through group work. It could be a discussion, it could be artistic, dramatic, pretty much any way to make us meditate on the ideas. Third. He put every worksheet or reading we were going to need for the entire class in one book. What a fantastic idea because he and we always had everything we would ever need for any activity with us–super efficient. Third. We were always rewarded with a party. Even if it is 10 minutes in 50 you will work really hard for 50 minutes for 10 minutes of fun!
2:55 pm
I clicked, I contacted my colleagues (who all carry firm sponsored AMEX cards) and asked them to spread the word. Even a small % take-up of a 60,000+ firm should make a difference.
3:06 pm
Hi Tim!
Thanks for posting that - I updated my facebook status, tweeted all my friends and sent an email round, all of us Sydney-siders are just waking up : )
Hmm the teacher who influenced my life the most is not a college professor nor was she probably a certified teacher, but she made such a massive impact I will never forget it.
My family and I ran away from Russia during the fall of the soviet union in 1991, I was about 5 and did not speak a word of English when we landed in NYC. The first school I went to was a tiny brick mess of a school in Brooklyn, there an elderly teacher/aid took me under her wing.
While all of my designated teachers where mean and frustrated by me smiling and nodding at everything they said, she would sit with me in an empty classroom for hours teaching me English and comforting me. She also sparked an intense love of reading and writing in me that has never left to this day! Though I left the school after 3 years I will never ever forget her.
Everybody deserves to have a teachers like her - somebody who believes and supports you no matter what, and no matter the resources or the frustration doesn’t give up on you.
I hope this project wins, no child should ever be denied knowledge and resources.
G
3:10 pm
Thanks for spreading the word about this Tim. What a great cause. For my part, I tweeted and encouraged people to vote. If you pick me to win the $150, please donate it to a underprivileged private school near you, so they can share some of the benefit too. Thanks!
3:19 pm
Hey Tim, would need to acknowledge you as a great teacher. The best lesson would be to choose unreasonable goals and plan small.
Mrs Newborn was my best teacher.
She taught us English and Drama, but she also taught us to step out and be vulnerable, to value the contribution of others (no knocking), to cheer for others because it lifted people up. But above all she taught us that life was a gift and enjoying it required declaring yourself in and going for it.
Don’t have an AMEX card but did tweet yr request @eco2oh
Great cause, great initiative and as usual excellent execution.
Dean
3:20 pm
I’m an AMEX Member so I voted right away. I’m sure you’ll get enough votes with how many people read your blog.
3:22 pm
Tim,
Great post today. This is my first time commenting on your blog, but I’ve been reading your blog (and book) for about a year or so.
Is there any way for me to read the entirety of the article you quote in part 2 of your post today?
3:38 pm
Hi Tim.
Thanks for putting out the call to action! What a great way to really get the word out for a very necessary cause. I have updated my Facebook status, wrote a note and put it on Twitter. Then I asked everyone to pass it on.
I really believe in education and wish that more people would make it a priority because funding America’s education today means a better future for EVERYONE!
I had an amazing teacher who started me out right in 1st and 2nd grade - Mrs. S. When people comment on something as simple as my handwriting, I give her all of the credit. She taught me that I could do anything and I still believe that today.
I later had a phenomenal experience in high school that stays with me to this day. It was a high school volunteer trip to Mexico that enabled us to go and build 2 homes for 2 families there. What a huge honor it was to provide homes for these families. That experience really just expanded my heart on a global scale.
And finally, I just recently started volunteering once a week in a underprivileged neighborhood school to help those children who struggle to meet grade level of children their same age. I have been able to arrange my time and schedule to allow me to take time to do something to make a difference for someone else.
So I’ve had amazing teachers and experiences in schools, now it’s my turn to give back to them.
THANKS AGAIN TIM!
3:38 pm
Charles here from DonorsChoose.org, just wanting to thank each of you for taking a moment to vote for “Help 100,000 Children Thrive in the Classroom.” As soon as Tim published this post and you accepted his call to action, we moved a lot closer to grabbing a huge chunk of AmEx funding. 100% of those funds will go to classroom requests in low-income communities, requests that have been posted by our most dedicated public school teachers–the kind profiled by you!
Thank you again for coming to the aid of students in need!
-Charles Best
Founder & CEO
DonorsChoose.org
3:42 pm
Hi Tim.
Thanks for putting out the call to action! What a great way to really get the word out for
a very necessary cause. I have updated my Facebook status, wrote a note and put it on
Twitter. Then I asked everyone to pass it on.
I really believe in education and wish that more people would make it a priority because
funding America’s education today means a better future for EVERYONE!
I had an amazing teacher who started me out right in 1st and 2nd grade - Mrs. S. When
people comment on something as simple as my handwriting, I give her all of the credit. She
taught me that I could do anything and I still believe that today.
I later had a phenomenal experience in high school that stays with me to this day. It was a
high school volunteer trip to Mexico that enabled us to go and build 2 homes for 2 families
there. What a huge honor it was to provide homes for these families. That experience
really just expanded my heart on a global scale.
And finally, I just recently started volunteering once a week in a underprivileged
neighborhood school to help those children who struggle to meet grade level of children
their same age. I have been able to arrange my time and schedule to allow me to take time
to do something to make a difference for someone else.
So I’ve had amazing teachers and experiences in schools, now it’s my turn to give back to
them.
THANKS AGAIN TIM!
3:43 pm
Hey Tim,
Ok, so I posted the note and URL in my Facebook update, tweeted about it, put it in a forum post on MocoSpace (a mobile social network), put it in my status on Gmail so anyone in my network who is logged in will see it, and I did an old-fashioned email blast to my friends who tolerate that sort of thing.
As far as my most influential teachers, I’d have to say my parents and I mean that literally. Before retiring both my parents were educators and at one time I had both of them as teachers in elementary school. Both gave me a love of learning that has served me very well over the years. My mother is a product of the 60’s so I also learned from her to care about what’s going on in the world at large and to resist the nonsense that’s going on here.
Cheers,
Ben
3:49 pm
Voted!
Updated Facebook and Twitter!
I had a number of incredible teachers growing up. Surprising considering I grew up in a town of 4k. The most influential and amazing of my teachers turned out to be my high school music teacher and choir director (due to the size of the school system, she taught music to both Jr. High and High School, and even grade school for awhile), Roz Strange (pronounced “Strang”). She could make the most rigorous of vocal exercises interesting or fun. She taught us the “why” behind the methods we use to create the sounds we did (good and bad). She wasn’t afraid to make mistakes, and assured us the same was ok of us as well.
She took what kids she could (there were no try-outs) and transformed us into something amazing conquering Handel’s “Messiah” (Hallelujah Chorus).
“Everyone can sing”, she’d say.
I still think of her when I sing these days, even when it’s just to sing my little girl to sleep.
3:56 pm
Hello Tim,
Thanks for the reminder…. I saw it a couple weeks ago from a teacher friend of mine in Queens, NY and just posted it to my facebook.
Also, my dad is a site supervisor on construction projects. He just had open-heart surgery on Thursday and won’t be working for a while. I sent him your book. He’ll have time to read it, and hopefully he’ll be able to create a healthy, enjoyable life.
Hugs
Erin
4:10 pm
I tweeted, voted with my AmEx card, Dugg it, posted about it on a popular forum, emailed it, and signed up for Stutter and Stutter’d it.
I absolutely love causes that have to do with education. Just like Tim said, education is the answer to every other problem.
Interestingly, I don’t have a favorite teacher/class/school project - and that’s one reason I’m so passionate about this cause. I always did well in school, but I did well because I’m naturally competitive - not because I was ever motivated by a teacher.
One of my good friends and I got to talking and somehow the subject of science came up. I told him I never cared much for science, and he said if I’d learned it “the right way” I’d love it. I asked him what he meant, and he told me about a friend he has who runs her own charter school.
His friend hired an expert to come in one day and give an exciting day-long science lesson on many scientific fundamentals. The expert did it in a fun way, and people could leave the course answering questions such as “What methodology do scientists use to answer questions?” or “How can I prove theories and equations that up until now I’ve only memorized?”
The class was set up to be FUN. It was set to make students understand - deeply and profoundly- what goes on underneath those formulas and equations that other students have to memorize and spit out.
Even though the course was given to 6th and 7th graders, Chad told me I should get a copy of the DVDs that this particular man sells because I’d be able to get just as much out of them as he did (and he’s a very intelligent 31 year old).
Now, Chad and I are not necessarily typical people - we’re constantly reading and trying to learn more. But what about the “average” adult? (I’ve read statistics saying that over 40% of adults don’t pick up another book once they leave college - I know how statistical validity goes, so I’m also basing this on my own personal experience - it seems to be accurate.)
THIS is why I’m so passionate about education. I mean, think about it. These 6th and 7th graders were given ONE COURSE that forever changed the way they see the world. They look at television screens and understand how images come up. They really understand what happened when an apple fell on Newton’s head. You learn things like that and you can’t possibly see the world the same as you did before. This one day… one course… altered the lives of this woman’s students forever. It’s HUGE!
I was going through DonorsChoose and looking at some of the projects, and I was blown away by how plain awesome the teachers were. One particular one that I had to donate to was one in which the teacher wanted to buy visual flash cards for her students because she discovered how well they retained information by using them. I just read a book on superlearning which confirmed that our subconscious filters everything via visuals, and I thought it was SO GREAT that this teacher made that realization and felt it important to bring it to her students.
That’s the kind of stuff I’m talking about - it’s teachers like that who alter people’s lives permanently. This post has gotten so long that I won’t start to get into the benefits of how phenomenal education is for less privileged people - but MAN… this is just such a freaking awesome cause, I love it!
4:13 pm
I tweeted (and got friends to tweet), voted with my AmEx card, Dugg it, posted about it on a popular forum, emailed it, and signed up for Stutter and Stutter’d it.
I absolutely love causes that have to do with education. Just like Tim said, education is the answer to every other problem.
Interestingly, I don’t have a favorite teacher/class/school project - and that’s one reason I’m so passionate about this cause. I always did well in school, but I did well because I’m naturally competitive - not because I was ever motivated by a teacher.
One of my good friends and I got to talking and somehow the subject of science came up. I told him I never cared much for science, and he said if I’d learned it “the right way” I’d love it. I asked him what he meant, and he told me about a friend he has who runs her own charter school.
His friend hired an expert to come in one day and give an exciting day-long science lesson on many scientific fundamentals. The expert did it in a fun way, and people could leave the course answering questions such as “What methodology do scientists use to answer questions?” or “How can I prove theories and equations that up until now I’ve only memorized?”
The class was set up to be FUN. It was set to make students understand - deeply and profoundly- what goes on underneath those formulas and equations that other students have to memorize and spit out.
Even though the course was given to 6th and 7th graders, Chad told me I should get a copy of the DVDs that this particular man sells because I’d be able to get just as much out of them as he did (and he’s a very intelligent 31 year old).
Now, Chad and I are not necessarily typical people - we’re constantly reading and trying to learn more. But what about the “average” adult? (I’ve read statistics saying that over 40% of adults don’t pick up another book once they leave college - I know how statistical validity goes, so I’m also basing this on my own personal experience - it seems to be accurate.)
THIS is why I’m so passionate about education. I mean, think about it. These 6th and 7th graders were given ONE COURSE that forever changed the way they see the world. They look at television screens and understand how images come up. They really understand what happened when an apple fell on Newton’s head. You learn things like that and you can’t possibly see the world the same as you did before. This one day… one course… altered the lives of this woman’s students forever. It’s HUGE!
I was going through DonorsChoose and looking at some of the projects, and I was blown away by how plain awesome the teachers were. One particular one that I had to donate to was one in which the teacher wanted to buy visual flash cards for her students because she discovered how well they retained information by using them. I just read a book on superlearning which confirmed that our subconscious filters everything via visuals, and I thought it was SO GREAT that this teacher made that realization and felt it important to bring it to her students.
That’s the kind of stuff I’m talking about - it’s teachers like that who alter people’s lives permanently. This post has gotten so long that I won’t start to get into the benefits of how phenomenal education is for less privileged people - but MAN… this is just such a freaking awesome cause, I love it!
4:17 pm
Tim, your blog is quickly becoming a source of stuff I always want to forward to everyone I know! (Oh no I don’t want to be thought of as one of those spammers! But your stuff is always so important I just HAVE to share it!)
Unfortunately, I’m not an AMEX owner, but I Dugg and Stumbled this, added your recommended message to my Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace status messages, and even wrote a personal email to about a dozen family and biz colleagues.
The teacher who has been most influential on my life was my high school French professor, Alec Hodgins. I was in his classes 3 out of 4 years and became pretty close. His teaching helped give me an appreciation for a foreign culture that much of our country is afraid of for some reason. He was an early source of great world music, literature, and life philosophy, and also provided a great deal of travel inspiration for me, just as you have. I was lucky enough to have my first trip abroad on one of his class trips—spending a week with a host family in Cannes and a few days in Paris with classmates. The travel seed was sown! My interest in Thailand was first stoked when he shared about his experience taking his family there for an extended vacation. That interest was reinforced by your advice about geo-arbitrage, the positive experiences of dozens of other friends, and now I’m making it real and going to live abroad in Southeast Asia for the year ahead!
4:20 pm
Tim, your blog is quickly becoming a source of stuff I always want to forward to everyone I know! (Oh no I don’t want to be thought of as one of those spammers! But your stuff is always so important I just HAVE to share it!)
Unfortunately, I’m not an AMEX owner, but I Dugg and Stumbled this, added your recommended message to my Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace status messages, and even wrote a personal email to about a dozen family and biz colleagues.
The teacher who has been most influential on my life was my high school French professor, Alec Hodgins. I was in his classes 3 out of 4 years and became pretty close. His teaching helped give me an appreciation for a foreign culture that much of our country is afraid of for some reason. He was an early source of great world music, literature, and life philosophy, and also provided a great deal of travel inspiration for me, just as you have. I was lucky enough to have my first trip abroad on one of his class trips—spending a week with a host family in Cannes and a few days in Paris with classmates. The travel seed was sown! My interest in Thailand was first stoked when he shared about his experience taking his family there for an extended vacation. That interest was reinforced by your advice about geo-arbitrage, the positive experiences of dozens of other friends, and now I’m making it real and going to live abroad in Southeast Asia for the year ahead!
4:20 pm
Hi Tim,
Done! Voted, Tweeted, and Facebooked.
Thanks for bringing this cause to the attention of your enlightened readership.
The class that was most inspiring for me came after college. I had the opportunity to teach English at a small rural university in the mountains of Haiti… but truth be told, I was woefully unprepared!
Rather than give up on me… my students helped me improve my Creole, so we could better converse and learn together.
Through a year of teaching, I had only one student absent from one class. Students were up studying by candlelight before dawn to cram for finals… just like in the US I guess, with less Dr. Pepper and pizza.
I’m now on a “mini retirement” in Rio… look forward to comparing notes soon.
Take care,
Brian
4:23 pm
Hey Tim, thanks for the post–I updated my Facebook status. It’s amazing how many good deeds require just a tiny bit more effort than doing nothing!
By far, my most inspirational teacher was Mr. Whitney in 6th grade. I have to credit a good friend I met in class for introducing me to electronics and computers, but Mr. Whitney, when he learned of our interest, gave us almost free rein to follow our passion. This was the “old days”, so we learned morse code and got our amateur radio licenses at age 12, built a little single-board computer, experimented, blew out a lot of LEDs and transistors, and sealed our fate as “makers” for life.
Mr. Whitney showed a willingness to bend the rules and ignore the small issues for the greater good. I hope there are some teachers these days who are allowed to do the same.
4:27 pm
Hi Tim,
Long time fan of the 4HWW. I’m continually impressed by how effectively you use your high profile on the web to impact important causes. Let’s get this done.
I signed up on AMEX as a guest, and blasted facebook and twitter to try to get the vote out.
Here’s my thoughts on my education:
Sure, it’s a cliche, but education truly is a lifelong journey. The lessons that I learned from high school teachers almost ten years ago are increasingly clear (and applicable!) as I encounter new experiences and obstacles. I can’t remember a single thing about biology, but my 10th grade science teacher taught me a ton about the right way to conduct myself in the world.
A teacher’s impact isn’t in the material that he or she presents; instead, they act as an incubator for ideas, morals, etc. Aside from (and in concert with) your parents, teachers are the main influence in a young person’s life. Even when you take into account how our crazy society awards risk rather than honest hard work and dedication, it’s still ridiculous that teachers make so little. Not to get into politics, but hopefully that’s something that will change in the next administration.
4:35 pm
Timbo-
1. got the link up on my Facebook, as well as a blog post on my blog, see the latest here:
http://archipreneur.blogspot.com
2. the teacher who had the most impact on me was a high school PE teacher. She was also the gymnastics teacher. I was a fat kid and she talked me into joining the team, after which I promptly lost ~40 lbs in a few months, became lean, and in return my confidence gre strong, and I’ve been able to accomplish the things I’ve wanted to, have the balls to meet and network with people, and try things I normally wouldn’t. She gave me the fuel to light my ‘life fire’, and I’ve lived MUCH better since.
I’d also benefit greatly from a 30-60 minute phone call with you. I’ve purchased your book twice and given them both away to friends I would think it would benefit.
4:36 pm
Hi Tim,
Your challenge prodded me to take action where otherwise I wouldn’t have. So I thank you for that. I just sent an email to 35 of my biggest spheres of influence asking them to vote. I shared my passion for education and how easy it is to make a world of a difference. I posted the link on Facebook and added it to my Facebook status.
Father Malo. Yes, he was a priest. As an incoming freshman to my Catholic high school, Father Malo greeted me with a huge smile and an exuberant personality. His class soon became the favorite part of an otherwise painful freshman year. What truly separated this jovial, middle aged celibate priest apart from my other teachers occured during one 10 minute “lesson”. I remember it vividly to this day. He called on a student in the class and had him sit on a stool in the front of the room. Out of nowhere, Father Malo began to call him names, bully him, and physicall abuse him. Me and my classmates sat there while tears beginning to role down the student’s face. No one in the class knew what was going on. My love towards my teacher were being twisted…I didn’t know what to do, feel, or what the heck was happening. I looked around the class to see what others did as Father Malo called him every bad name in the book. And then my teacher spit on this classmates face. I wanted to melt in my seat out of fear…what should I do, I thought? Then Father Malo turned around to witness a group of shocked faces and told the class that this will be a common scene in high school. He explained that we need to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves. He said that we cannot let bad things happen in front of us, such as what had just occured. In that 5 minute lesson, he taught me more about honor and justice than I have ever experienced thereafter. Father Malo was an example of bravery, passion, and intensity. I still look back on that moment and admire him for his intense desire to teach us, despite breaking every rule in the book. He was a maverick and a leader. He led by example and through experience. I love him for that and will never forget him.
4:37 pm
Timbo-
1. got the link up on my Facebook, as well as a blog post on my blog, see the my website link.
2. the teacher who had the most impact on me was a high school PE teacher. She was also the gymnastics teacher. I was a fat kid and she talked me into joining the team, after which I promptly lost ~40 lbs in a few months, became lean, and in return my confidence grew strong and I’ve been able to accomplish the things I’ve wanted to, have the balls to meet and network with people, and try things I normally wouldn’t. She gave me the fuel to light my ‘life fire’, and I’ve lived MUCH better since.
I’d also benefit greatly from a 30-60 minute phone call with you. I’ve purchased your book twice and given them both away to friends I would think it would benefit.
4:41 pm
Done. Tweeted, seeded all over Facebook via status and personal messages, text-messaged, emailed, and even got a friend to post a noticeable announcement on his site (www.enterandexcel.com - mine’s a work in progress at the moment). So glad to be able to help make greater opportunities available to kids!
My best teacher was my piano teacher. When I was much younger, my parents worried that I wasn’t practicing the assigned pieces enough. When they asked her about it, she just asked, “Is he playing?” “Well, yeah - he plays all the time.” “Then it’s fine. The important thing is that he’s playing.”
I didn’t find out about that until I was in college, but it was still one of the most profound lessons I have ever been taught - that I don’t have to follow the pack, that it’s okay to find my own way. She taught me to find what is unique to me. As a result, I have performed in such varied places as Milan, Glasgow, Mexico, Los Angeles, and New York. I thank her to this day.
4:44 pm
Done. Tweeted, on Facebook via status and messages, sms-ed, emailed, and even got a friend to post a noticeable announcement on his site (www.enterandexcel.com - mine’s a work in progress at the moment). So glad to be able to help make greater opportunities available to kids!
My best teacher was my piano teacher. When I was much younger, my parents worried that I wasn’t practicing the assigned pieces enough. When they asked her about it, she just asked, “Is he playing?” “Well, yeah - he plays all the time.” “Then it’s fine. The important thing is that he’s playing.”
I didn’t find out about that until I was in college, but it was still one of the most profound lessons I have ever been taught - that I don’t have to follow the pack, that it’s okay to find my own way. She taught me to do what I love & find what is unique to me. As a result, I have performed in such varied places as Milan, Glasgow, Mexico, Los Angeles, and New York. I thank her to this day.
4:44 pm
Tim -
Vote complete, and I’ve posted the link to my LinkedIn profile that has these statistics:
Your trusted friends and colleagues - 673
Two degrees away - 109,700+
Three degrees away - 5,161,200+
I would like to dedicate my vote to my high school business law teacher; Gene Longinetti. He was a true NR before his time. He had made millions in real estate (and continues to do so) and became a high school teacher to fulfill a passion he had to share his experiences. I will never forget rolling past the teacher’s parking lot full of beat up Oldsmobiles and Chevrolets and one bad ass Mercedes S-Class. I knew exactly who’s car that was. He wasn’t the 50 year old with a red BMW - he was using techniques of the NR to make coin in real estate while teaching us 16 year old brats. Those were the days of Bud Fox and Gordon Gekko - Mr. Longinetti didn’t need more yachts to water ski behind - he spent his time and energy enabling a new crop of successful students - I was lucky enough to be one of them.
He not only taught us about the law - he taught us the importance of doing what you have a passion for and not wasting time doing work for work’s sake. He ran his classroom that way - I learned the ways of the NR in the 1980’s and have benefited ever since.
Here’s to you, Mr Longinetti - I salute you.
Rob C.
4:47 pm
Done. Tweeted, on Facebook via status and messages, sms-ed, emailed, recruited a Montessori teacher friend to help spread the word both in her classes & with the parents at her school, and even got a friend to post a noticeable announcement on his web site. So glad to be able to help make greater opportunities available to kids!
My best teacher was my piano teacher. When I was much younger, my parents worried that I wasn’t practicing the assigned pieces enough. When they asked her about it, she just asked, “Is he playing?” “Well, yeah - he plays all the time.” “Then it’s fine. The important thing is that he’s playing.”
I didn’t find out about that until I was in college, but it was still one of the most profound lessons I have ever been taught - that I don’t have to follow the pack, that it’s okay to find my own way. She taught me to do what I love & find what is unique to me. As a result, I have performed in such varied places as Milan, Glasgow, Mexico, Los Angeles, and New York. I thank her to this day.
4:47 pm
I am going to send this to all the people in my address book and posted it on my linkedin group…As well as call some people on the telephone as this is mission critical and time is short…I grew up in the projects in NYC and went to public school…if it were not for “Free” lunch I wouldn’t have eaten. If it were not for a caring Guidance Counselor who always went above and beyond many times I would not have been able to get home on public transportation. The Guidance Counselor also made sure I knew that I was talented and gifted and I had a great future ahead of me. As a result I graduated ranked #1 in my class of over 1000 students. I was also nominated for a United Federation of Teacher’s scholarship that helped fund my undergraduate college education at Dartmouth. I am eternally grateful for all the support and love and when you support this, you support other people just like me, talented and gifted whose lives will be forever changed. Thank you !
4:50 pm
Got it on Facebook via status and messages, Tweeted, SMS’d, emailed, recruited a Montessori teacher friend to help spread the word both in her classes and with the parents at her school, and even got a friend to post a noticeable announcement on his web site. So glad to be able to help make greater opportunities available to kids!
My best teacher was my piano teacher. When I was much younger, my parents worried that I wasn’t practicing the assigned pieces enough. When they asked her about it, she just asked, “Is he playing?” “Well, yeah - he plays all the time.” “Then it’s fine. The important thing is that he’s playing.”
I didn’t find out about that until I was in college, but it was still one of the most profound lessons I have ever been taught - that I don’t have to follow the pack, that it’s okay to find my own way. She taught me to do what I love & find what is unique to me. As a result, I have performed in such varied places as Milan, Glasgow, Mexico, Los Angeles, and New York. I thank her to this day.
4:53 pm
No Amex so no vote from me, but I Tweeted so a few more folks should get the message.
My favorite teacher… that’s a tough one. I’d have to say the one I haven’t met yet because I’m not prepared enough. I’m just trying to learn this life’s lessons so I don’t have to repeat any.
4:53 pm
Great post, Tim. Thanks.
MySpace Blogged:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&Mytoken=C1F04C3B-1FAD-4525-85BE39474F85557174330033
FaceBook Updates:
http://profile.to/chucklasker/
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/chucklasker
LinkedIn “What are you doing now” update:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/doubleplus
Teacher Story: My first grade teacher, Mrs. Massaro, and I did not get along. It was a miserable year. To my shock on entering my first day of second grade, Mrs. Massaro was my teacher. Before I could scream and cry, she explained that she changed grades just to be my teacher again so she could figure out how to get along better. We ended up great friends and she inspired me to see school as valuable. She passed away a few years ago, but her teachings are a part of who I am and always will be.
5:00 pm
Hey Tim-
Did the usual facebook, myspace, etc. Also sent a mass email out to family members seeing as they are the most affluent people I know and the ones most likely to carry an AMEX card.
I am currently an ESL teacher in Taiwan, and this has inspired me to challenge some of my adult students to participate in this project. Although many people in Asia don’t use credit cards, I believe it will start an interesting dialogue about education in the world. Thanks for spreading the word!
5:01 pm
1) I have publicized the voting via links in my twitter status & facebook status.
2) Entrepreneurship teacher. He provided a coherent framework of what Web 2.0 was and is. He inspired me to actually start a startup–and I’m absolutely glad I did. I’ll never be the same again.
5:01 pm
Hey Tim-
Did the usual facebook, myspace, etc. Also sent a mass email out to family members seeing as they are the most affluent people I know and the ones most likely to carry an AMEX card.