Jeff Hunsaker
Is this you? Claim Profile »
1 year ago
in 10 Things They Need To Teach In Highschool on Instigator Blog
Good parallel article over at Zen Habits
27 Skills Your Child Needs to Know That She’s Not Getting In School
Jeff...
27 Skills Your Child Needs to Know That She’s Not Getting In School
Jeff...
1 year ago
in Standout Jobs is Hiring a Ruby Guru on Instigator Blog
I know you're looking for a full-time person but Peter Cooper has an interesting post entitled Rails Developers I'd Recommend For Your Projects
Jeff...
Jeff...
1 year ago
in 10 Things They Need To Teach In Highschool on Instigator Blog
@Aniela - Good one, although I'd propose some sort of training/habit which encourages life-long fitness and nutrition. When you get out of school, these are typically the times when our health deteriorates (work, long hours, family, etc.). Fitness and nutrition seem like some of the first to go. And, if it's not a habit before exiting school, it's much tougher to develop and less likely to stick. (teach a person to fish...and all that)
Fortunately, my folks got me into sports in grade school and now I just naturally work out a few times a week. Sports and athletic participation has also helped me make friends over the years and find a group to fit in with.
Fortunately, my folks got me into sports in grade school and now I just naturally work out a few times a week. Sports and athletic participation has also helped me make friends over the years and find a group to fit in with.
1 year ago
in 10 Things They Need To Teach In Highschool on Instigator Blog
I love this topic...it's one I've given a lot of thought to since we added kids to our family.
Ben, these are excellent thoughts and I think your list is spot on. However, I would change two things: rename the post to "10 Things Parents Need to Teach Their Children" and urge/advocate a re-focusing of public/mainstream education on the basics: reading, writing, arithmetic, and the sciences.
At least in the U.S., the education system is modeled to churn out workers to plug into the corporate enterprise ("knowledge workers"). It has been this way for decades...probably since WWII when the economy shifted from an agrarian to an industrial society.
In the information age, this education system is ineffective. Our children need to learn how to think critically and creatively, how to innovate, and how to survive without a corporate entity as a 3rd (or 2nd) parent/crutch (i.e. entrepreneurialism).
However, public schools (at least in the U.S.) by their very charter, cater to the masses. They can't specialize due to the sheer number of students. They cannot provide the level of attention our children need in these very abstract areas of learning.
As a result, I believe schools should stop trying to field everything and focus on doing 3-4 things with greatness: reading, writing, arithmetic, and the sciences.
Outside of the classroom, I feel it's the parent's responsibility to teach their children life's lessons: cooperation, teamwork, morals, faith, critical/creative thinking, emotional intelligence, giving, technology, personal finance, the arts, physical fitness and nutrition, etc.
Would you, as a parent, leave this important job to an underpaid and under-appreciated instructor whose attention is torn across 30+ other children? I wouldn't.
Ben, these are excellent thoughts and I think your list is spot on. However, I would change two things: rename the post to "10 Things Parents Need to Teach Their Children" and urge/advocate a re-focusing of public/mainstream education on the basics: reading, writing, arithmetic, and the sciences.
At least in the U.S., the education system is modeled to churn out workers to plug into the corporate enterprise ("knowledge workers"). It has been this way for decades...probably since WWII when the economy shifted from an agrarian to an industrial society.
In the information age, this education system is ineffective. Our children need to learn how to think critically and creatively, how to innovate, and how to survive without a corporate entity as a 3rd (or 2nd) parent/crutch (i.e. entrepreneurialism).
However, public schools (at least in the U.S.) by their very charter, cater to the masses. They can't specialize due to the sheer number of students. They cannot provide the level of attention our children need in these very abstract areas of learning.
As a result, I believe schools should stop trying to field everything and focus on doing 3-4 things with greatness: reading, writing, arithmetic, and the sciences.
Outside of the classroom, I feel it's the parent's responsibility to teach their children life's lessons: cooperation, teamwork, morals, faith, critical/creative thinking, emotional intelligence, giving, technology, personal finance, the arts, physical fitness and nutrition, etc.
Would you, as a parent, leave this important job to an underpaid and under-appreciated instructor whose attention is torn across 30+ other children? I wouldn't.
1 year ago
in What Don’t You Need To Start A Business? on Instigator Blog
@Tariq - Just to clarify, she had/has a $2MM personal liability policy and the family has a $1MM umbrella policy. I've urged her to incorporate for some time but I think she wanted to make sure she would/could "make it" prior to incurring a lot of expense.
1 year ago
in What Don’t You Need To Start A Business? on Instigator Blog
I remember reading this when Dane first published the list. I went home and told my wife (who started a fitness and personal training business last year), "hey, I read this list and you're doing great!"
She's just now, after 24 months, incorporating (LLC), acquiring an attorney/accountant, getting a web site, business insurance, and a separate bank account for the business. I think she was very smart and frugal about starting smart with the least risk possible.
In contrast, my mom purchased a recruiting franchise a few years back that went bust in about 24 months. The franchise required a substantial (upper 5-figures) loan for the fee as well as infrastructure. She (sorry mom) made the mistake of submitting to the "requirements" of the franchise and leased office space, bought new computers, a PBX, and everything one needs in an office (desks, filing cabinets, etc.) We all cringed at the expense but wished her well and tried to provide support whenever possible.
I suppose hindsight is 20/20 but she should have passed on the franchise, purchased a professional Monster.com (or other(s)) subscription, and gotten on the phone calling folks. There was nothing she gained from the franchise she couldn't have read in a book/blog and nothing she gained from the office superior to her kitchen table, a Vonage account, and her old computer.
My advice from witnessing these experiences: bootstrap for as long as possible. My wife was a sole proprietorship for 24 months before she even considered an LLC, business insurance, etc.
However, at this point, she's beginning to take on contractors, the taxes got too complicated for me to field, and we wanted to insulate the family finances from any suits against the business. It's time.
She's just now, after 24 months, incorporating (LLC), acquiring an attorney/accountant, getting a web site, business insurance, and a separate bank account for the business. I think she was very smart and frugal about starting smart with the least risk possible.
In contrast, my mom purchased a recruiting franchise a few years back that went bust in about 24 months. The franchise required a substantial (upper 5-figures) loan for the fee as well as infrastructure. She (sorry mom) made the mistake of submitting to the "requirements" of the franchise and leased office space, bought new computers, a PBX, and everything one needs in an office (desks, filing cabinets, etc.) We all cringed at the expense but wished her well and tried to provide support whenever possible.
I suppose hindsight is 20/20 but she should have passed on the franchise, purchased a professional Monster.com (or other(s)) subscription, and gotten on the phone calling folks. There was nothing she gained from the franchise she couldn't have read in a book/blog and nothing she gained from the office superior to her kitchen table, a Vonage account, and her old computer.
My advice from witnessing these experiences: bootstrap for as long as possible. My wife was a sole proprietorship for 24 months before she even considered an LLC, business insurance, etc.
However, at this point, she's beginning to take on contractors, the taxes got too complicated for me to field, and we wanted to insulate the family finances from any suits against the business. It's time.