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Being a teacher in this tech savvy world has never been more exciting. Here is a list of interesting <keyword id="6354741" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Apps">apps</keyword> to make you an expert with all the tricks and tips of the trade at your fingertips. 
 
(Image credits: kidspedia)

5 Apps that will make learning a piece of cake!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Welcome back to our Saturday edition! They might not be able to throw stones, but these homeowners have no regrets about their glass house. They spent $900,000 to build the sprawling property in North Carolina. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-built-glass-house-airbnb-north-carolina-cost-process-2024-9">Take a look</a>.On the agenda:<ul><li>Fall is here. Time to shop <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fall-fashion-status-symbols-trends-2024-9">the season's hottest status symbols</a>.</li><li>Wealthy Americans are splurging on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-luxury-health-and-wellness-rooms-of-the-superrich-2024-9">luxury health and wellness rooms</a>.</li><li>The results are in: Firstborn daughters <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eldest-daughter-syndrome-big-sister-responsibility-siblings-babysitting-childcare-2024-9">really do have it the hardest</a>.</li><li>A boutique resort in Tulum shows that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tulum-mexico-la-valise-resort-review-photos-2024-9">peace and quiet are worth splurging on</a>.</li></ul>But first: Babies in business class.If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today-sunday-edition">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.insider.com/app">here.</a><h3 id="2d2d81c1-e984-4ab1-b11e-26ada0d3da0b">This week's dispatch</h3><div type="image" title="Boy watching TV in business class on plane" height="1298" width="1920" msid="113551306" hostid="261" sizebytes="62158"></div><h2 id="c0df5ff0-0e14-4166-ab1b-1ab667d432bb">Business-class kids</h2>Although the peak of summer travel has passed, there are still plenty of families taking advantage of better deals and smaller crowds for last-minute trips. For some, that might mean flying business class — and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-mom-flies-business-class-with-kids-2024-9">bringing their kiddos along, too</a>.Sara Arbelaez-Chujfi told Business Insider reporter Maria Noyen earlier this year that her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moms-fly-business-class-with-babies-2024-1">2-year-old had already flown 80 times</a>, half in business class.Arbelaez-Chujfi said there's more personalized attention in business class, from flight attendants babysitting her daughter when she has to use the restroom to holding the bathroom door open when she needs extra space to change her daughter.The extra attention, however, comes at an extra cost. According to travel company Going, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.going.com/glossary/business-class">price of a single business class ticket</a> typically ranges from $3,000 to $5,000. Now multiply that by all the kids in your family, and you're looking at quite the splurge.Still, some have managed to score more affordable business class flights in a few ways, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-business-class-is-like-how-bidding-for-it-works-2023-7">bidding on upgraded seats</a> or using points. That's what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/upgraded-kid-to-business-class-future-flights-ruined-2024-4">Jill Robbins</a> did when trekking from San Antonio, Texas to Tel Aviv, Israel with her 13-year-old son.Whether you splurge or find a deal, you shouldn't feel out of place bringing the kids along. Flight attendants told BI they don't mind having children in business class and will provide hands-on service regardless of the passengers' age."In business class, we have a lot less people to cater to and you are paying for more of an experience. So that's what we give," one American Airlines flight attendant said.<h2 id="cc30e20d-acf4-4a4e-ad8f-02c3a04a9dbb">Fall fashion must-haves</h2><div type="image" title="Woman surrounded by luxury items" height="1000" width="2000" msid="113551311" hostid="261" sizebytes="154020"></div>Was that a chill in the air?September is upon us, which means it's time to transition to cooler-weather wardrobes. This year, fall fashion is about comfort, style, and luxury. The season's biggest status symbols include an $850 suede coat and a pair of $168 men's clogs, which you can don as you crunch leaves beneath your feet and sip that Pumpkin Spice Latte.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fall-fashion-status-symbols-trends-2024-9">The season's seven status symbols</a>.Also read:<ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rimowa-aluminum-luggage-lvmh-quiet-status-symbol-wealthy-travelers-2024-9">This $1,400 luggage is the hottest quiet status symbol for celebrities and wealthy travelers. The more beat up it looks, the better</a>.</li></ul><div type="image" title="A waiting room with an abstract couch surrounded by glass treatment rooms.." height="2813" width="5000" msid="113551308" hostid="261" sizebytes="629040"></div><h2 id="f3efdf5d-fcfc-4813-9e6c-8e3b9040c25d">A little commotion for the spa</h2>Known for her elaborate wellness routines and products, it should come as no surprise that Gwyneth Paltrow has an extravagant at-home spa. But she's not the only one with luxurious health and wellness rooms.Around the country, architects are fielding requests from wealthy Americans wanting flashy new fitness dojos. From hyperbaric chambers to cold plunges, one residential architect shared some of the most lavish projects his team has worked on.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-luxury-health-and-wellness-rooms-of-the-superrich-2024-9">See the wildest in-home wellness rooms</a>.<h2 id="4e812ecf-a060-401e-9848-be206a63cddb">Big sisters actually have it the worst</h2>Science might finally prove what many women have known all along: Eldest-daughter syndrome is real.The premise relies on two core assumptions: Firstborn or only daughters are expected to be role models for their siblings, and are asked to take on more housework than their brothers. Studies show there are very real benefits for the parents and siblings of firstborn daughters. Whether that carries over to the daughters in question is a different story.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eldest-daughter-syndrome-big-sister-responsibility-siblings-babysitting-childcare-2024-9">W</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eldest-daughter-syndrome-big-sister-responsibility-siblings-babysitting-childcare-2024-9">hy you should thank your big sis</a>.<div type="image" title="La Valise pool" height="2016" width="1512" msid="113551307" hostid="261" sizebytes="662136"></div><h2 id="483172dd-9e06-415f-8357-1bdb6f813f7b">Tulum's quiet side</h2>For some travelers, Tulum feels like it's lost its appeal. But those people haven't stayed at La Valise, a small boutique resort located in the heart of the vacation destination's busy hotel zone.Widely considered one of Tulum's top resorts — it even has a perfect score on Tripadvisor — La Valise feels like stepping into a dream. Two nights at the boutique resort prove that tranquility is a luxury all its own.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tulum-mexico-la-valise-resort-review-photos-2024-9">See inside the resort</a>.<div type="image" title="Kathryn Hahn in AGATHA ALL ALONG." height="1500" width="2000" msid="113551310" hostid="261" sizebytes="166284"></div><h2 id="5fef756b-4b6b-4037-8f33-9635854b9d8b">What we're watching this weekend</h2><ul><li>"Agatha All Along": The highly anticipated "WandaVision" spinoff is the latest Marvel show to hit Disney+.</li><li>"The Golden Bachelorette": Joan Vassos, a fan-favorite from ABC's "The Golden Bachelor," is back and looking for true love. The premiere is now on Hulu.</li><li>"Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story": The second installment of Ryan Murphy's crime anthology series is streaming on Netflix.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-shows-movies-streaming-netflix-hulu-disney-plus-september-20-24">See the full list</a><div type="image" title="A red shopping bag surrounded by $100 bills." height="1500" width="2000" msid="113551303" hostid="261" sizebytes="244828"></div><h2 id="a09a70ef-5e7e-4bf4-80b2-3731f70bdc6e">Deals we love</h2><ul><li>For your gym playlist: We did the testing and consulted the experts to find the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/best-headphones-for-working-out">best headphones for working out</a>. These headphones have great audio and won't fall out of your ears, even if they get super sweaty during your next set.</li><li>Backpacks for commuters: Still carrying your laptop in a freebie tote? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/style/best-backpacks-work">These work backpacks</a> can fit your computer and lunch but are still comfortable and stylish. Our picks are also low-profile, so they can fit wherever your commute takes you.</li><li>Viral serum review: The Dieux Deliverance Serum aims to deliver your skin from dryness and irritation. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/beauty/dieux-deliverance-serum-review">We put it to the test</a>, and spoiler alert: It's worth the hype.</li></ul><h2 id="3a2e4b99-8063-4f80-8653-d1ec4a2af89a">More of this week's top reads:</h2><ul><li>Chefs share the best and worst things to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-things-to-get-at-seafood-restaurant-2021-8">order at a seafood restaurant</a>.</li><li>Mark Zuckerberg told his daughter she can't be Taylor Swift. A therapist said it's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-taylor-swift-daughter-parenting-lesson-2024-9">a great lesson for parents</a>.</li><li>A 30-year-old built muscle and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-build-muscle-and-burn-fat-faster-with-supersets-2024-9">burned fat with supersets</a>.</li><li>For a family of four, a meal at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/review-is-hooters-worth-it-for-family-2024-9">Hooters was actually a pretty good deal</a>.</li><li>See what it's like aboard <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/premium-alaska-railroad-train-review-goldstar-upgrade-worth-it-2024-9">Alaska Railroad's premium class</a>.</li><li>What to pack for a Caribbean vacation, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-pack-for-caribbean-vacation-according-to-frequent-traveler-2024-9">according to a frequent traveler</a>.</li><li>How "The White Lotus" actress Natasha Rothwell <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/natasha-rothwell-how-to-die-alone-white-lotus-interview-2024-9">wrote herself a starring role</a>.</li><li>Couples who recently got mortgage interest rates under 3% share <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bought-home-got-loan-with-low-interest-rate-assumable-mortgage-2024-9">how they did it</a>.</li><li>A nutrition coach for Olympians shares <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elite-nutrition-coach-longevity-staples-sleep-strength-training-healthy-community-2024-9">three things he does to boost his longevity</a>.</li><li>What to know before <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mistakes-african-safari-trip-first-time-lessons-learned-2024-9">embarking on an African safari</a>.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/jordan-parker-erb">Jordan Parker Erb</a>, editor, in New York. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lisa-ryan">Lisa Ryan</a>, executive editor, in New York. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/amanda-yen">Amanda Yen</a>, fellow, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago.

Insider Today: Eldest-daughter syndrome

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elementary school teacher Michelle Medintz spent thousands of dollars in 2022 on books and other items.</li><li>Medintz said it's her choice to spend her own money on her class and that this doesn't make her a better teacher than others.</li></ul>The "cozy corner" in Michelle Medintz's fourth-grade classroom is a book lover's dream. The corner not only includes her classroom library but cushions, a canopy, and stuffed animals."It's a calm down corner for the kids when they're overstimulated or just really emotional," Medintz told Business Insider.The corner is filled with items she bought herself.Medintz said she wants her classroom "to feel homey" for her students with books, math manipulatives, "and the necessary supplies needed for them to succeed." That means, she said, she has to spend her own money.<div type="image" title="A photo of the &quot;cozy corner&quot; in Michelle Medintz's classroom, which includes baskets of books on shelves, a canopy, cushions, and other items." height="360" width="480" msid="105496780" hostid="261"></div>"I just wish that those people who say we have it easy because we get summers off dipped into their own pockets to do the same," Medintz said.She has spent at least $5,000 in 2022 for her class, mainly on books, based on documentation shared with Business Insider.Medintz has been a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/school-substitute-teacher-pay-career-change-jobs-work-life-balance-2023-11">teacher</a> for over 20 years. She's at a new school for the 2023-2024 academic year after her previous school closed. She's still in the same school district in Colorado.She said it's her choice to spend money out of pocket. She said "you can be a highly effective teacher and not spend your own money.""That doesn't make me a better teacher than my colleagues," she said. "I'm not one to hold it above everyone else and say, 'I'm better than you because I'm spending money.'"A lot of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/school-classroom-spending-teacher-why-spend-own-money-2023-10">teachers spend money out of pocket</a> like Medintz.While Medintz said she wishes teachers didn't have to dip into their own pockets, she added "I know the reality is that there's never going to be enough money for us to be able to give our students everything that they need."New teachers should ask their school what supplies they can help out with and provide, Medintz suggested.She also noted: "what I feel is for those people who are first starting teaching, they have to outfit a classroom. And for those people who are first coming into the profession, there is no way that they're getting paid enough to start."Medintz said she does "make a good income" as she has many years of experience now and two master's degrees. She said she is "high up on the pay scale."Data from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_co.htm">Bureau of Labor Statistics</a> showed the average annual wage for elementary school teachers in Colorado was $59,170 in 2022.<h2>Book series, rewards, and other items Medintz has spent her money on</h2>Medintz said she probably hasn't spent as much in 2023 compared to 2022."I realized I really need to cut back a little bit," Medintz said, noting she could also reuse some of her previous items.Also, Medintz said she hasn't had to spend money on school supplies because the "school does have a lot of that stuff, and we got all of that stuff at the beginning of the year.""This school does give teachers if we ask for something, they do actually make sure they have the money for us to be able to get what it is that we need," she said.Medintz has spent lots of her own money buying books. Medintz said she studied children's literature in college and grad school. While she loves books, she said growing up she had a dislike for reading and didn't want to read "because there were never books in my school that I could read that I could access.""When I thought about myself as a reader and other students that I've taught as readers, I realized I want my students to be able to put — doesn't matter what level they're at — to be able to have a physical book in their hands," she said. "And so one of the things I do every year is I look at different series that have come out that will interest my kids. I always ask my kids every year, 'what books do you want to read?'"She then will buy books and fill baskets in her student library with them.<div type="image" title="A photo of the &quot;cozy corner&quot; in Michelle Medintz's classroom, which includes baskets of books on shelves, a rug, and other items." height="480" width="640" msid="105496785" hostid="261"></div>Medintz also has spent money on math manipulatives, which are tactile objects kids can use in math class to bring the lessons to life. She said math flash cards and fraction tiles are two math items she has bought last year."They need to be able to figure out how to do something rather than just pencil on paper," she said. "They need to move things around and figure out why something is."While Medintz has spent a lot of her own money on her stuff for her students, she said she has used donation site <a target="_blank" href="https://www.donorschoose.org/">DonorsChoose</a> too, where people can donate money toward "projects" like classroom supplies and other requested things. Medintz said she has posted projects, mainly for snacks, for this year but none have been funded yet.She also spends her own money on prizes like pencils and stress balls students can "buy" with points earned in class at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.classdojo.com/">ClassDojo</a> store she opens every two weeks. Medintz said her students can earn points "for positive behavior choices.""I have also created a Dojo menu that includes things like lunch with the teacher and ice cream sundae party for the whole class and so much more," she added.Medintz said she's not going to stop spending money on her students."Teaching is what gives me joy, even after a really long day," Medintz said.She especially enjoys seeing a previous student come visit her."They want to come back because they remember you and they remember how much impact you had, that's why I stay in what I do," she said.How much do you spend out of pocket as a teacher or in a different job? Reach out to this reporter to share at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:mhoff@businessinsider.com">mhoff@businessinsider.com</a>.

A teacher who spent more than $5,000 of her own money to make a cozy classroom explains why it helps kids learn

Williams syndrome is the genetic condition that makes people pathologically friendly &mdash; in a lonely world

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tech executives including Mark Zuckerberg and PayPal's Dan Schulman have taken up martial arts.</li><li>The combat techniques mirror the pace and intensity of the tech industry, one former exec said.</li></ul>Mark Zuckerberg is one of a wave of Big Tech leaders to have swapped the boardroom for the dojo, as the tech elite continue to search for ways to boost their efficiency while attempting to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-wealthiest-entrepreneurs-searching-for-the-secret-to-longevity-2023-1">crack the code of immortality</a>.The Meta CEO seems to have taken a particular shine to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/may/08/facebook-founder-mark-zuckerberg-jiu-jiutsu">winning gold and silver medals</a> in his first tournament in Redwood City, California. A report said Zuckerberg was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-was-choked-out-during-jiu-jitsu-tournament-2023-6">choked out</a> during the same fight – but that claim's since been firmly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckergberg-denies-getting-knocked-out-in-jui-jitsu-2023-6">denied by both the Facebook founder and his coach</a>. Zuckerberg is now sizing up Elon Musk as his latest opponent, as the pair agreed to go head-to-head in a cagefight. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-elon-musk-cage-match-send-location-jiu-jitsu-2023-6">Tesla CEO challenged Zuckerberg</a> to a showdown earlier in June, and he appeared to accept by writing "Send Me Location" on his Instagram story. The big tech chiefs' MMA skills will be put to the test in the fight, which the <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-and-elon-musk-dead-serious-about-cage-fight-says-ufc-boss-12908133" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boss of UFC claimed</a> the pair were "absolutely dead serious" about. Appearing on the "<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/51gxrAActH18RGhKNza598" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast</a>, Zuckerberg said he started his martial arts journey after looking for a sport that would develop both his focus and body."What's a thing that's both super engaging physically and also intellectually and where you can't afford to focus on something else?," he said."To some degree MMA is the perfect thing because if you stop paying attention for one second you're going to end up on the bottom."<h2>Martial arts mirror tech's dynamic, high-pressure industry</h2>Martial arts appear to have such a draw for tech workers because they mirror the pace and intensity of the tech industry, according to leadership coach and former tech executive Joris Merks-Benjaminsen, who has a black belt in judo and aikido, a Japanese martial art.An article in <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/03/18/16-skills-every-tech-exec-needs-as-their-role-evolves-and-expands/">Forbes</a> also highlights "adaptability" and "context switching," which it says is the ability to quickly shift mindset and refocus priorities, as key skills for tech executives."There's a fast pace, ambiguity, and pressures everywhere, and then somehow you need to do the right thing and invest in the thing that pays off in the long run," Merks-Benjaminsen said.Danny Zelig trains PayPal CEO Dan Schulman in Krav Maga, which was developed by the Israeli army.Zelig told Insider that he trained other high-profile CEOs and tech executives who were looking to build skills like problem solving and managing their responses in fast-paced environments, he said."Part of our training is to reprogram our brain to create a better response system that will give us time to make a better decision," he said. "For a person like Dan, who has this constant pressure and a changing environment, it's about how you can look into the eye of the storm and respond correctly."Zelig added that Krav Maga helped to build self-awareness, which is important when it comes to decision-making, especially under stress.The Krav Maga philosophy is rooted in self-reliance and shifting your mindset from passive to active, he said.Zelig said that in sparring sessions, Schulman would often wait to for him to strike, which let Zelig dictate the fight. He said that in his training he tried to reverse this thought process, teaching Schulman to act first and take control of the situation.<h2>They develop mental resilience — a key skill in big business</h2>Zelig added that he liked to expose the CEOs he trains to situations that they "cannot win," hoping to impart some lessons on how to deal with failure."What happens to our mind when we do everything correctly but we still fail? It's an amazing platform for self-growth and performance," he said.Joanna Pineda, CEO of Matrix Group International, said practicing taekwondo and hapkido, a Korean martial art, for more than a decade helped her develop "mental toughness."She said that while she initially took up the sports because she felt out of shape, she quickly became hooked by the sense of accomplishment. "It's the discipline, the training, the mindset that have been important to me, less so the ability to have beautiful kicks and forms."She added that the training helped her to focus on the present and develop distance from her work in her "own version of mindfulness."Bob Rosin, a partner at the venture-capital firm Defy, has trained in aikido for more than 15 years.He said it's been "invaluable" in helping him negotiate complex partnerships in his former business-development roles at LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Skype. He was also head of partnerships at the financial-services startup Stripe.Rosin said the classes helped him to clear his mind and free his body: "I would always emerge re-energized and ready to take on any new challenge."

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg's cage fight vow is the latest example of how martial arts are taking hold of Silicon Valley tech bros

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/image/4668300/2018-chicago-air-and-water-show">U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alexander Cook</a>F-35 over Lake Michigan at the Chicago Air and Water Show in Chicago, Illinois</div></div></div>Crowds of spectators recently had a rare opportunity to see America's advanced stealth fighter in action at the Chicago Air and Water Show, where the F-35 Heritage Flight Team put on an impressive show.The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, a fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin, is the most expensive weapons system ever built, but its superior capabilities supposedly make up for its soaring costs.The supersonic, multi-mission fighter, <a href="https://www.f35.com/about/capabilities">according</a> to the developer, features unmatched electronic warfare, air-to-surface, air-to-air, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and stealth capabilities designed to enhance the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The F-35 program has, however, faced many setbacks.During the recent airshow in Chicago, Airman 1st Class Alexander Cook captured several stunning photos of Capt. Andrew "Dojo" Olson, F-35 Heritage Flight Team pilot and commander, performing aerial maneuvers in an F-35A. The pictures were <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/image/4668253/2018-chicago-air-and-water-show">posted</a> online by the 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office.Check them out below...

Check out these incredible photos of an Air Force F-35 stealth fighter tearing across Lake Michigan

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This is a preview of The Internet of Things research report from Business Insider Intelligence.</li><li><a href="https://store.businessinsider.com/products/the-internet-of-things-report?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=report_teaser&amp;itm_content=full_report_text&amp;itm_term=store_text_link-iot-technology-education&amp;vertical=connectivity#!/">Purchase this report.</a></li><li><a href="https://store.businessinsider.com/products/connectivity-tech-pro-membership?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=report_teaser&amp;itm_content=top_text&amp;itm_term=bii_subscription_text_link-iot-technology-education">Business Insider Intelligence offers even more technology coverage with Connectivity &amp; Tech Pro. Subscribe today to receive industry-changing connectivity news and analysis to your inbox.</a></li></ul>The Internet of Things (IoT), the connection of devices - other than standard products such as computers and smartphones - to the Internet, is in the process of transforming numerous areas of our everyday lives. And while it might not seem like an obvious application of the IoT, education is on that list.The internet has deeply rooted itself into our schools, and e-learning has become common practice in the American school system. But the applications of the IoT in education are numerous, and the implications for this disruption are tremendous.The rise of mobile technology and the IoT allows schools to improve the safety of their campuses, keep track of key resources, and enhance access to information. Teachers can even use this technology to create "smart lesson plans," rather than the traditional stoic plans of yesteryear.Below, we've compiled a list of IoT education examples, including the uses of the IoT in higher education, the future of the internet in education, and examples of companies that are using the IoT to enter the education space.<h2>Impact of IoT &amp; Technology on Education</h2>According to an eMarketer <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/content/five-charts-understanding-gen-z-s-devices-and-digital-usage">estimate</a>, 83.2% of all 12- to 17-year-olds have a smartphone. Additionally, 73.0% of parents said their kids had a smartphone between ages 11 to 13, and 31.0% said their kids had one between ages 6 and 10.With that digitally native foundation upon which to build, it's easy to see how the Internet of Things is poised to radically transform education as we know it. Students who use their mobile devices in the classroom can automate tasks that they already do now, such as note-taking, schedule checking, and research.As for the schools, the greatest benefits would be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-utilities-water-electric-gas-2016-10">increased energy efficiency</a> and reduced operating costs. New Richmond schools in Tipp City, Ohio are saving approximately $128,000 each year by using a web-based system that controls all mechanical equipment inside the buildings.And the savings continue as schools invest in reusable resources, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. An average school spends about $200,000 on paper annually - adding up to about 10% of most schools' budget - but reusable tech would completely eliminate that cost.As more schools adopt this technology, expect to see more "smart schools" pop up throughout the U.S. until they are the standard for American education.<h2>Internet and Higher Education</h2>The IoT can begin disrupting the education process as early as kindergarten and can continue to do so through 12th grade, but perhaps the most profound effects occur in higher education.Students, particularly in college, are increasingly moving away from paper books toward tablets and laptops. With all of the necessary information at their fingertips, students can now learn at their own pace and have a nearly identical educational experience in their homes and in the classroom. And while this trend provides increased convenience for students, it also makes the teaching process more efficient for professors. The surge in connected technology means that instructors do not need to manually grade tests on paper or perform other routine tasks.Instead, professors can focus on the actual, personal instruction that is most valuable to their students. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-cloud-computing-2016-10">Devices connected to the cloud</a> allow professors to gather data on their students and then determine which ones need the most individual attention and care. These statistics also let teachers properly adjust their lesson plans for future classes.Outside of the classroom, universities can use connected devices to monitor their students, staff, and resources and equipment at a reduced operating cost, which saves everyone money. And these tracking capabilities should also lead to safer campuses. For example, students would be able to keep track of connected buses and adjust their schedules accordingly, which would prevent them from spending unnecessary time in potentially dangerous areas.<h2>IoT Applications in Education</h2>The foremost example of a tech company that has invaded schools is SMART, which pioneered the world's first interactive whiteboard in 1991. SMART boards changed the way teachers and students interacted in the classroom by moving lessons away from the dusty chalkboards that dominated education for decades.But SMART is far from the only company sinking its hooks into the U.S. school system. IPEVO has also manufactured a wireless interactive whiteboard - serving as a potential alternative to the SMART board. EdTech companies and startups are also developing services and applications to be used in the classroom. Ideapaint dove headlong into the IoT by developing an app called Bounce with the goal of bringing more of the educational experience online.Additionally, <a href="https://www.classdojo.com/">ClassDojo</a> - an education app available via the Apple Store and Google Play - allows parents to see student schoolwork via photos and videos. Class Dojo is used in 95% of all K-8 schools in the U.S. and 180 countries and messages can be translated into 35 languages automatically. <h2>More to Learn</h2>The Internet of Things (IoT) is powering transformation for enterprises, consumers, and governments. Emerging tools and technologies like smart speakers, machine learning, and 5G are enabling huge gains to efficiency and more control at home, in school, and in the workplace.The continued growth of the IoT industry is going to be a transformative force across all organizations. By integrating all of our modern day devices with internet connectivity, the IoT market is on pace to grow to over $3 trillion annually by 2026.Business Insider Intelligence's Internet of Things research report details the components that make up the IoT ecosystem while identifying key trends in the connected devices sector.Interested in getting the full report? 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Applications of Internet of Things technology in the education sector

<div type="image" title="The Director's Chair: 'Bullet Train' director David Leitch, and stars Brad Pitt and Bad Bunny" height="834" width="1668" msid="93118811" hostid="261" sizebytes="155592"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="14553806" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="david-leitch" source="Orion">David Leitch</keyword> is one of the biggest action directors in Hollywood.</li><li>He talks to Insider about his journey from stunt man to changing the genre with "John Wick."</li></ul>Just breathe. All you have to do is go through this wall and crash through a table. Just breathe.These were the thoughts going through David Leitch's head just moments before performing his first-ever stunt on a <keyword id="11897475" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="movie" source="Orion">movie</keyword> set.It's the late 1990s and Leitch is somewhere in Mexico. Leitch's good friend Chad Stahelski got him a stuntman gig on the B-movie "Perfect Target." Leitch has been given the task of taking a kick from the film's hero, played by Daniel Bernhardt, which is meant to be so powerful that it sends Leitch through a wall, crash landing on a table on the other side."They padded me on my belly because Daniel really kicked me and then I just flew backwards," Leitch recalled of the stunt while talking to Insider on the phone from Sydney, Australia.He pulled it off unscathed. And in one take. Well, Leitch admits it's hard to brag about that because the movie only had enough money to do the stunt once. But a stunt performer never forgets their first hit, and it changed his life forever.Once he got back to the midwest, the then-twentysomething Leitch quit teaching 2nd grade, packed his bags, and moved out to Los Angeles to live with Stahelski and a small rag-tag group of wannabe stuntmen.Leitch didn't know it yet, but it was his first step in a journey that would lead to redefining how the American action movie would be made.<div type="image" title="Deadpool standing next to David Leitch by a taxi cab" height="1000" width="1500" msid="93118813" hostid="261" sizebytes="182206"></div><h2>Leitch is one of the most sought-after action directors in Hollywood, thanks to <keyword id="11898343" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="movies" source="Orion">movies</keyword> like 'John Wick' and 'Deadpool 2'</h2>If Leitch's name doesn't ring a bell, the four movies he's directed will: "John Wick," "Atomic Blonde," "Deadpool 2," "Fast &amp; Furious: Hobbs &amp; Shaw."All of them found acclaim for their action and fight sequences, turning him into one of the perennial blockbuster directors working today. It also doesn't hurt that his directing efforts have earned a combined $2 billion at the worldwide box office to date.Now, Leitch, 46, is delivering another action-packed ride with "<keyword id="12904746" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bullet-train" source="Orion">Bullet Train</keyword>" (in theaters August 5), starring a bevy of big-name stars, including one he once stunt doubled for: <keyword id="12027462" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="brad-pitt" source="Orion">Brad Pitt</keyword>.Based on the Japanese novel "Maria Beetle" by Kōtarō Isaka, we follow Pitt as he plays an assassin named Ladybug who boards a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto with the orders to collect a briefcase onboard. What he doesn't know is there are also other killers — played by the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Bad Bunny, Joey King, and Zazie Beetz — who have been hired for the same job, leading to chaos and bloodshed.Like Leitch's previous movies, "Bullet Train" is thrilling, ultra-violent, and fun. But to deliver all of that takes painstaking expertise behind the scenes. And in an era where it seems every action movie is mind-numbingly the same, that's what makes his stand out.Nearly every fight in Leitch's movies isn't CGI-enhanced. Instead, he puts his actors through weeks of grueling training so they can do most of the fighting on camera themselves. <div type="image" title="David Leitch sitting in a chair" height="1503" width="2000" msid="93118815" hostid="261" sizebytes="93222"></div><h2>The journey from watching Kung-Fu movies to becoming a stuntman</h2>Born and raised in Kohler, Wisconsin — a town known best for sharing its name with a plumbing manufacturing giant — Leitch spent his formative years obsessing over Kung-Fu classics with his friends."I would watch Kung-Fu theater on Channel 13 at midnight on Saturdays with my friends and then we'd try to fake fight the next morning in my yard," he recalled.It got to the point where his home featured a makeshift dojo stacked with martial-arts-training books and a fighting dummy he made from PVC piping.But there weren't many outlets for him to expand his martial arts training in Kohler. With a high school graduating class of only 40 students, his extracurricular activities ranged from wrestling to theater."You had to be involved in things or they wouldn't have a program," he said. "So to come out of high school with this small town experience where you got to do everything is part of who I am as an artist."By the time he attended the University of Minnesota, Leitch was starving to learn more about martial arts beyond how-to books and late-night Kung-Fu marathons. He signed up to train at the Inosanto Academy, which was run by Dan Inosanto, Bruce Lee's training partner. And that's where he began running into fellow student Stahelski.But again came another roadblock: How could he use martial arts to make a living? With both parents being teachers, he went into the family trade. Until he got that call from Stahelski."When I got to set and saw the guys doing stunts the bells went off," Leitch said. "I was like, 'Oh my god, I can use this martial arts knowledge here.' It just seemed cool to create fight scenes, run, jump, and fall off stuff."The experience convinced him to go out to L.A."My parents still think I'm nuts for doing it," he said with a laugh. "They are constantly like, 'Are you ever going back to teaching?'"<div type="image" title="The Matrix" height="793" width="1129" msid="93118818" hostid="261" sizebytes="38448"></div><h2>Hustling in Hollywood led to Leitch stunt doubling for Brad Pitt and setting high goals after 'The Matrix'</h2>When Leitch, Stahelski, and his pals weren't practicing falling off scaffolding to lighting themselves on fire, they were trying to get noticed by Hollywood stunt coordinators, whose job it is to hire the stunt performers for movies."What it used to be like for stunt performers to get out there and get known was this discipline called 'hustling.'" Leitch explained. "It was a right of passage for all stunt performers.""When a stunt coordinator was working at a certain location he's expecting the young performers to sneak on the lot and give them a VHS tape with their demo and headshot," he continued. "And you had to kind of do it multiple times before you even got respect from a coordinator."Leitch said he and his friends found the best way to get on a lot was by using their friend's pickup truck. Once they pulled up to the gate, the driver would act like he was there for a delivery. But unbeknownst to the security guard, Leitch and his friends were hiding in the back. Once inside the gate, Leitch and others would jump out and set off to find the stunt coordinator."The fake delivery was always the best one," Leitch said.While earning money as a kickboxing teacher, Leitch began to catch some breaks. He stunt-doubled for Pitt in 1999's "Fight Club" (and went on to double him on movies like "The Mexican," " Ocean's Eleven," and "Mr. &amp; Mrs. Smith").He also landed a job as Jean-Claude Van Damme's stunt double. Suddenly, he was flying to Bulgaria, which had become the direct-to-DVD action-movie capital of the world, thanks to its enticing tax breaks. There, Leitch worked on movies with extremely talented stunt performers, despite being low budget."It was film school on steroids," he said. "I worked with Ringo Lam, this famous Hong Kong director, and he was influential on my directorial life." Lam, who directed several Van Damme movies before his death in 2018, took Leitch under his wing and allowed him to design the fights and action scenes in those movies.But then Stahelski tracked down Leitch for "The Matrix Reloaded." Stahelski was Keanu Reeves' stunt double in the first "Matrix" movie and became the martial arts stunt coordinator for the sequels.<div type="image" title="David Leitch sitting next to Chad Stahelski in a hotel room" height="2514" width="3936" msid="93118821" hostid="261" sizebytes="908456"></div>"With the experience that Chad had with 'The Matrix' and the experience I had working with Ringo, we went forward from that first 'Matrix' movie and began to build our style: doing Hong Kong action with an American style," Leitch said.Suddenly, all Hollywood wanted in action movies were fights with the high-flying wirework used to pull off the spectacular stunts in "The Matrix." Leitch and Stahelski were known around town as "the wire guys."The two elevated to stunt coordinating for movies like "Constantine" and "300," followed by <a href="https://filmlifestyle.com/what-is-a-second-unit-director/">second-unit directing</a> on "Conan the Barbarian" and "The Hunger Games."They landed jobs by taking a page from their hustling days looking for stunt work. They would film elaborate fight scenes, a method now called "fight-vis," which showed a complex fight sequence with close-up shots. They would then send them to studios as pitch material to land coordinator or second-unit jobs on upcoming blockbusters."That wasn't done before us," said Leitch speaking of fight-vis, which has since become commonplace in the stunt world. "And we shot and edited the footage for everything we did, nonstop ideas."It led to them doing second-unit work on movies like "Jurassic World" and "Captain America: Civil War."Eventually, Leitch and Stahelski launched 87eleven, a one-stop shop for all things action movies, complete with rentable stunt equipment and training for aspiring stunt performers. An enthusiastic manager named Kelly McCormick joined the team and began working on getting Leitch and Stahelski feature-directing opportunities."Honestly, in the beginning, I wasn't sure about him directing," McCormick said of Leitch, her now-husband and producing partner. "But he was cool and seemed to know what he was doing."Leitch got close to a gig. Around 2012, McCormick said he signed on to helm the Dwayne Johnson-led action drama <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/dan-mintnerbadass-hire-coming-together-newline-53411/">"Dan Mintner: Badass for Hire."</a> But it languished in development hell, clearing a path for him and Stahelski to go forward with a project their good friend from "The Matrix" movies, Keanu Reeves, agreed to be the star of: "John Wick."<div type="image" title="john wick keanu" height="2396" width="3600" msid="93118824" hostid="261" sizebytes="171916"></div><h2>How 'John Wick' changed everything</h2>The audience in the packed theater at Alamo Drafthouse's annual Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas couldn't get enough of it. A long-haired Reeves plays a man who stepped away from being a cold-blooded killer until a group of unwitting thugs killed his dog. Now he's back for revenge, and no one is safe.I was in the audience at the world premiere of "John Wick" in 2014 and can still remember the energy in the room. The action on-screen was unlike anything seen since "The Matrix." But instead of logic-defying fight moves dodging slo-mo bullets, Reeves was fighting in a practical, grounded way, and it was mesmerizing."We felt the same energy you felt," said Leitch who codirected "John Wick" with Stahelski, but due to DGA rules was not given a credit.Backstage at Fantastic Fest, Leitch recalled Stahelski, Reeves, and himself soaking it all in. At the time, Lionsgate only committed to releasing the movie internationally. Leitch remembers standing next to a Lionsgate executive who saw the initial Twitter reaction after the screening. He said to Leitch, "We're gonna have to release this movie!""He called me and was like, 'I think people like this thing! I think it's okay and we're going to have a career,'" McCormick recalled Leitch telling her over the phone that night.<div type="image" title="Chad Stahelski, David Leitch and Keanu Reeves in black suits standing next to each other" height="1993" width="3000" msid="93118826" hostid="261" sizebytes="130254"></div>The movie made Leitch and Stahelski the hottest action directors in the business. The <a href="https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-keanu-reeves-in-john-wick-1201331660/">review of the movie in Variety</a> put it best: "Whereas the tendency among many other helmers is to jostle the camera and cut frenetically in the misguided belief that visual confusion generates excitement, [Leitch and Stahelski] understand what a thrill well-choreographed action can be when we're actually able to make out what's happening."The movie was a box-office success and spawned two sequels with another coming out next year. As well as copycats like "Gunpowder Milkshake," "Kate," and "Clean," all trying to capture the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_fu">gun-fu</a>" magic of "John Wick."As Stahelski continued to helm the franchise, Leitch set out to forge his own path (though he's still a producer on the sequels).Leitch's follow-up, "Atomic Blonde," which features a badass Charlize Theron <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/atomic-blonde-fight-scene-david-leitch-charlize-theron-2017-7">pulling off an elaborate fight sequence in a single shot,</a> proved "John Wick" wasn't a fluke. He then took on two major blockbusters: "Deadpool 2" and "Hobbs &amp; Shaw." In the process, he successfully put his practical action stylings to the test in franchises that are very CG heavy.But with "Bullet Train," Leitch went back to basics. He had to because, when the pandemic hit, there was no other way to make the movie.<div type="image" title="Brad Pitt on a train" height="2267" width="3400" msid="93118828" hostid="261" sizebytes="538990"></div><h2>Due to the pandemic, Leitch made 'Bullet Train' on a studio lot using virtual sets</h2>In a world of spoilers and leaks, stunt performers are the last secret keepers in Hollywood. When your job is literally making it look like a movie star is doing all the spectacular things on the big screen, you have a knack for keeping things under wraps.That certainly has stayed with Leitch as he's transitioned from stunts to directing. Don't let the engaging personality and friendly grin fool you. The man is a vault.When asked about being a stunt double for Brad Pitt, he somehow couldn't recollect anything from that time in his life. When asked to address the <a href="https://ew.com/movies/bullet-train-lady-gaga-role-didnt-work-out/">reports that Lady Gaga was originally in "Bullet Train,"</a> he declined to comment.However, he did address the rumor that he was approached to take over the latest "Fast and Furious" movie <a href="https://www.insider.com/fast-and-furious-director-justin-lin-steps-down-2022-4">after Justin Lin left</a>. "That was never really a conversation I had," he said. <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/fast-x-director-louis-leterrier-justin-lin-1235254657/">"The Transporter" director Louis Leterrier replaced Lin</a> on the project.What Leitch loves to get into is the filmmaking craft. The word "bold" came up a lot in our chat. He thinks that way when developing an action sequence. He also thinks it when pulling off a surprising cameo, which has become a continuing element in Leitch's movies since "Deadpool 2" when Pitt suddenly appeared as Vanisher. (There's a doozy in "Bullet Train.")Leitch is always searching to make things outside the box. And a lot of that was needed for "Bullet Train."<div type="image" title="Brad Pitt holding suitcase to Bad Bunny's kneck" height="4000" width="6000" msid="93118831" hostid="261" sizebytes="4040890"></div>Shot during the height of the pandemic, "Bullet Train" is one of the rare movies these days to be made entirely on a studio lot. Made by Sony, its soundstages were home for the movie's production, which used LED virtual sets, <a href="https://www.insider.com/green-screen-virtual-sets-mandalorian-2020-4">made famous on "The Mandalorian."</a> Crews worked diligently overnight to switch soundstages, going from the interior of a Japanese bullet train one day to a flashback location the next.It also forced Leitch to alter how the fighting would be done in the movie."By design, the fights are different than 'John Wick' and 'Atomic Blonde,'" Leitch said of "Bullet Train." "They are by design smaller pieces."Because most of the movie takes place on a train, action sequences were broken up into condensed fights for the actors to pull off. Leitch compared it to a Jackie Chan movie, with lots of quick jabs and kicks.For Leitch making the movie was a full circle moment, especially with Pitt as his lead. "When he came on this, he seemed to respect me already as a director," Leitch said of Pitt. "Obviously we worked a little on 'Deadpool 2.' We fell into this great friend rapport that we had in the years we spent together. But I was just blown away by him embracing me as the director and leaning into my ideas." <div type="image" title="David Leitch standing next to Kelly McCormick" height="3712" width="4949" msid="93118833" hostid="261" sizebytes="559728"></div>Despite now also producing movies alongside McCormick, like the Bob Odenkirk-starrer "Nobody" and the upcoming action comedy "Violent Night," Leitch said directing is his primary focus for the foreseeable future.During Insider's interview, Leitch was out in Sydney, Australia doing prep for his next directing gig, "The Fall Guy," which will be a modern take on the classic 1980s TV show and star Ryan Gosling.For a guy who has the physical scars to prove how far he's gotten in the business, Leitch doesn't seem ready to let up just yet."I don't want to slow down," he said. "There are a lot of stories I want to tell and there's a lot of creativity still in me and I don't take this opportunity lightly. I try to make the most of it every day. So I think we just found the path to make fun, creative, bold movies."

'Bullet Train' director David Leitch went from slugging it out as a stuntman to creating beloved action movies like 'John Wick' and 'Deadpool 2.' Here's how he did it.

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Armed with a bachelors degree in mathematical economics and practical teaching experience in his arsenal, Welsh-born Sam Chaudhary came to Palo Alto on a tourist visa in the summer of 2011 to launch an ed tech startup.But the pesky issue of exactly what that startup would resemble remained elusive.So he and co-founder Liam Don started from scratch."Our first week in California we started reaching out to teachers," Chaudhary told Business Insider. "We were in this little room in Palo Alto, and we were sleeping and working in opposite corners of the same room."After 90 days and an expired visa, the duo went back to the United Kingdom, but they kept asking their most important question to educators: "What's the worst part of teaching?"<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Now, five years later, the teaching community has embraced their startup, ClassDojo, and rewarded it with extraordinary growth.The app, available via the Apple Store and Google Play, functions like a social media community where parents can see student school work through the photos and videos teachers upload.Millions of users worldwide have downloaded the platform, according to&#xa0;Lindsay McKinley, head of communications at ClassDojo,&#xa0;although she declined to give specific numbers, citing competitive advantages.ClassDojo's premise may sound simple: The app allows teacher, parents, and students to connect within the classroom - but for many, it's transformed the teaching experience.The platform is used in two-thirds of all schools - public, private, and charter - across the nation and in 90% of school districts.&#xa0;It's also used in 180 countries globally, according to McKinley.Last summer, McKinley&#xa0;says more&#xa0;than 500,000 people download the app everyday. That's more than mobile app behemoths Yelp and Tinder, she claims.In late 2015, the&#xa0;company raised $21 million in a Series B round of venture funding, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/04/15/classdojo-raises-21-million-for-app-to-make-parent-teacher-meetings-obsolete/">according to TechCrunch.</a> It had previously raised&#xa0;$8.5 million during its&#xa0;first institutional funding in 2013, and $1.6 million in seed funding&#xa0;in 2012, <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/03/03/classdojo-raises-8-5m-to-put-digital-gold-stars-on-your-kids-digital-folder/">according to VentureBeat.</a><div><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:calc(100% / 1.78)"></div></div>At its core, the app creates a shared classroom experience between parents, teachers, and students.&#xa0;Teachers upload photos, videos, and classwork&#xa0;to their private classroom groups which parents can view and "like."&#xa0;They can also privately message teachers and monitor how their children are doing in their classrooms through the behavior tracking aspect of the app. In the behavior tracking portion of the app, teachers give or take away points based on performance or conduct.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>ClassDojo fosters an atmosphere of collaboration and support, essentially removing the invisible barrier that often exists between the home and classroom. Now, parents need not wait for their once-a-quarter parent-teacher conferences but can have daily dialogues about their children.The aspect of the platform that seems to receive the most criticism, however, is the behavioral tracking element.Students, each identified by a cutesy "monster"&#xa0;avatar, receive points for points for positive behavior. Similarly, they lose points for bad behavior. And parents can see all of this activity."This app is nothing more than a public shaming tool for teachers and an added stress for parents," a review in the Apple store reads. It's similar to other criticism ClassDojo has received over the past few years. "This is just a flashy digital update of programs that have long been used to treat children like pets, bribing or threatening them into compliance," <a href="http://www.alfiekohn.org/index.php" title="Mr. Kohn's site.">Alfie Kohn, the author</a> of "The Myth of the Spoiled Child," <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/technology/privacy-concerns-for-classdojo-and-other-tracking-apps-for-schoolchildren.html">told The New York Times in 2014.</a> At least in the Apple store, however, the positive reviews far outweigh the negatives."I have always wanted more communication &amp; to be more involved when it comes to knowing how my kids are doing on a daily basis...and now with Dojo, I am!," a review in the Apple store reads.Similarly, parents and teachers have taken to Twitter to share their appreciation for the app.<div></div>&#xa0;<div></div>"We had a very non-Silicon Valley thesis," Chaudhary explained about creating ClassDojo. "It wasn't, 'here's the technology that's going to replace you,' it was, 'how can we use technology to enable you to do all the good things you already want to do?" he said.That mentality, it seems, has paid off. ClassDojo hasn't spent a dime on marketing. Any growth that's happened has happened by word-of-mouth, with principals and teachers sharing it from one colleague to the next.Still, when starting the company five years ago Chaudhary said that he never imagined it would be the successful technology it is today."I'm always very wary of the Silicon Valley hubris: 'We saw the future and built it,'" he said, explaining that he didn't hatch some master plan. "We're going to be the company who really listens to teacher and parents and kids." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boarding-school-princeton-college-education-2015-11">Former Ivy League admissions director reveals why expensive boarding schools may not be worth it</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="9sbGUzeTrTGYIa1MyHyMN6e1jZl9v_Q1" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

This startup with a 'very non-Silicon Valley thesis' is going viral among teachers and parents

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Cagefighting firm Bellator is expanding outside the United States.</li><li>The company's president Scott Coker told Business Insider that its latest innovation, the European Series, looks to capitalize on the growing talent in the UK, Ireland, and the entire continent.</li><li>As the UFC only comes to England once a year and currently has no plans to return to Ireland in 2019, Coker believes there's a "business opportunity that UFC is not taking advantage of."</li><li>Bellator's relationship with John Kavanagh, famous for nurturing Conor McGregor's talent, is key to the growth.</li><li>Kavanagh told Business Insider that Bellator has been "life-changing" for him.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Combat sport isn't just about knockouts, it's also about power - and who wields it.This isn't the type of power that sees the UFC fighter Francis Ngannou separate his opponents from their senses, but the power to make big things happen behind the scenes, to strike <a href="http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/bellator-dazn-nine-figure-global-streaming-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars</a>, and potentially change the game forever.Athletes like Ngannou have scary, concussive power, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-francis-ngannou-beats-junior-dos-santos-in-71-seconds-2019-6?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it's true</a>. But in Hollywood boardrooms there are executives in suits who have been delivering "a one-two punch" in the industry, and they want you to know all about it.Scott Coker, the president of the cagefighting firm Bellator MMA, has been trying to topple the market-leading mixed martial arts company UFC ever since he joined the Viacom-owned business in 2014. He shared <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scott-coker-bellator-ufc-mma-2017-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the secrets to his success in building Bellator with Business Insider</a> two years ago, explaining how he planned to close the gap between his brand and the UFC.Business Insider most recently caught up with South Korea-born Coker at the ODEON Luxe cinema in London, ahead of one of the American's fight events in the capital in June.One of his newest innovations is the Bellator MMA European Series, which sees six events held every year in the UK, Ireland, and other big European cities like Milan. While Bellator has already held events in England three times in 2019, and will be at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland in September, the UFC has held just one show in England this year, and currently has no plans for Ireland. It is a stark contrast.For Coker, UFC's apparent neglect of these territories presents a "business opportunity that UFC is not taking advantage of.""That's the same all over the world for them," he told Business Insider. "They go to Japan like once a year, then they leave. They go to Croatia once a year, then leave. Their business has been to build US pay-per-view, which has been a great business for them. Ours is completely different."We want to come into the market, grow the business inside the marketplace, look for local talent, do it in a timezone that works for the local population, and make it a localized event with the opportunity to be part of this global, big infrastructure."David Green, Head of Bellator Europe and former CEO of the UK-based MMA firm BAMMA, told Business Insider: "As a territory, Europe is actually underserved by a quality MMA production. But the talent in Europe is fantastic. We've got great fighters, great gyms, and fans who are very knowledgable and have a great appetite for the sport."Green said the whole point of the European Series is to serve the UK, Ireland, and Europe with big events that finally focuses on homegrown athletes.<h2>Bellator wants to develop the next Conor McGregor</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>There is no European fighter more famous right now than Conor McGregor, even though he seldom fights and has not won a bout since 2016.McGregor's captivating trash-talk, his status as a two-weight champion in Cage Warriors and the UFC, combined with the headlines generated from his unsuccessful professional boxing debut against unbeaten all-time great Floyd Mayweather, created an athlete as famous as Mayweather himself.For Coker, Bellator wants to develop "the next Conor McGregor."He said: "There's so much talent here in this territory and throughout Europe. We want to grow it, build it, and really nurture the next round of superstars for Bellator."To do that, its unique relationship with McGregor's coach John Kavanagh, who runs the Straight Blast Gym (SBG) fight club in Dublin, Ireland will be key."He's got the special sauce," Coker joked, describing Kavanagh's success with fighters like McGregor, Artem Lobov, Frans Mlambo, Gunnar Nelson, Dillon Danis, Charlie Ward, and James Gallagher.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bellator-223-results-james-gallagher-paul-daley-2019-6?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Gallagher earns decision win at Bellator 223 … just don't ask him about his Straight Blast Gym teammate Conor McGregor like we did</a>"He's a great coach and they're not easy to find. There's probably 80% of the MMA talent coming out of four gyms. AKA in San Jose is one. Jackson Wink in Albuquerque, two. American Top Team, in Florida. There's three. And Kavanagh is one of those guys who is producing, and will continue to produce, world class talent."Green added that Kavanagh is "a very big friend of the brand," and said there's a "perfect storm" involving Kavanagh and McGregor, who "captured the national imagination in Ireland." On McGregor specifically, Green said: "He made people realize MMA was a sport you could be successful in and a sport you could earn a living from. You could be a star."That, with John, with the SBG in Dublin, creates a lot of young prospects … people keen to get into the sport and maybe decide to get into it rather than get into rugby, boxing, or Gaelic football."One of our first moves with Bellator Europe was to use that relationship with John. You see it with the likes of James Gallagher. And the Irish fans are fantastic. Dublin itself has this brilliant arena that's right on the river, fairly central to town, and it's just this really loud ampitheater."Green told Business Insider he wants Bellator to be in Dublin at least twice a year. The first show in 2019 lands in September and will involve Gallagher as one of the headline attractions, fighting Cal Ellenor in a bantamweight bout.But Gallagher is just one of many fighters Kavanagh will represent at the show.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Kavanagh told Business Insider he has "a lot of fighters" involved with Bellator, who he says is "making an impact in Europe" with its European Series."Without being overly dramatic, it has been really life-changing for me and the team," he said. "There's never before been this number of big shows around Europe. The UFC was great when it came into town but it was fairly irregular whereas now, in Ireland, we have two guaranteed cards a year, then we have a bunch of cards in the UK, and also around the rest of Europe."So for Europe-based fighters, the only chance they really had of making a career out of fighting was having to travel to the US all the time. Whereas now they can get enough fights to be kept busy on the European circuit."He added: "I'm very grateful [that] I can have a few fights where I'm on the same timezone at home without having to adjust all the time going to the States. It's been a great relationship so far and I hope it continues."And if a young, gifted fighter walked into SBG tomorrow, would Kavanagh advise him or her to sign with Bellator?"Now you're trying to get me in trouble," he said."Different fighters have different needs and different wants. Some fighters are adamant that they want to be in Bellator, others are adamant that they want to be in UFC. That's not really my role."I have plenty of guys in the UFC roster … yeah, I have to tread this line a little bit carefully about my employer somewhat. I enjoy working with both. I have a helluva lot more fighters with Bellator, more connection with Bellator. But I do have good relationships with the UFC and have some good fighters on their cards."When you speak to Kavanagh, 42, it is clear he is one part mixed martial arts and one part philosophy. In the 11 to 12 years after he founded SBG in 2002, he said the team had been "working hard in the background, getting our skill-level up" because "luck is where opportunity meets preparation."An opportunity came along in 2013 "so we got lucky," Kavanagh said. That opportunity was McGregor's UFC debut.It was a clear milestone for Kavanagh and his SBG fight club, as McGregor took just 77 seconds to obliterate Marcus Brimage at a UFC on Fuel TV event in Stockholm, Sweden.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>"Conor, as he says himself, kicked the door in and opened up a lot of opportunities for all of the Ireland-based fighters, whether that was on UFC or Bellator, in shows around the world. He was such a big persona, personality, and inspiration for a lot of fighters," he said.That win for McGregor, for Kavanagh, and for the SBG team changed Kavanagh's life and career for the better. "I compare it to the Cambrian evolution explosion," he said, laughing, referencing an event approximately 541 million years ago when most of the major groups of animals began to appear in the fossil record.That night in Sweden was the catalyst for a new lease of life in his gym. Suddenly, SBG was brimming with activity. "I went from having a very small number of fighters that were fighting and being paid as professional fighters, to having a fairly large gang of 35-40 fighters between UFC and Bellator," he said.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>For Green, before Bellator came along with its European Series, there was no "focus on these talent pools in Europe."Now there is, Green said. And as well as Kavanagh's SBG, Green is excited to unearth more talent from London Shootfighters, home to current Bellator star Michael "Venom" Page, and Nottingham's Spirit Dojo, owned by battle-hardened veteran Paul Daley."There's gyms all over Europe, as well as UK and Ireland, where the talent is exceptional and getting better all the time," Green said."Stockholm has one of the biggest concentrations of MMA gyms in the world. Sweden has huge amateur success and the country excels and punches above its weight. So you've got places like that. You've obviously got Holland."Green also said "there's some killers" in Russia, too. But while Russia is not in the company's short-term plan, "our movement into Europe will undoubtedly creep in that direction sooner or later."It all creates a "fully rounded MMA scene," Green said.It is a scene where the top talents can be provided with a platform that, for Coker, is the best in the entire business.Bellator has distribution deals with Paramount and DAZN in the US, and Channel 5 and Sky Sports in the UK. The Sky Sports agreement means fighters will not only be showcasing their skills on fight night, but will also be present during segments on the Sky Sports News channel, and be written about on the broadcaster's website SkySports.com"The distribution between Sky Sports and Channel 5 in the UK and the Virgin deal in Ireland means we have the best distribution in all MMA of any MMA company in this territory," Coker told Business Insider. "No one has a better distribution deal, not even the UFC."To be on terrestrial television and Sky Sports … we have a one-two punch right now, and it's a good feeling."Green added that Bellator's presence on Sky Sports brings legitimacy to the brand and to the sport, as they had not previously embraced MMA. "We're about building the sport as well as building Bellator," he said.Bellator's next event is the Bellator 225 show scheduled for August 24 in Connecticut, but returns to Europe the following month with its Irish extravaganza.Coker said: "If you look at the commitment to growing the fanbase, we're here for the long haul. Come watch our shows. It's a completely different and great fan experience. And if you can't come in, watch on TV. Bellator is here to stay."

Cagefighting firm Bellator wants to exploit a market which has been largely neglected by the UFC, and Conor McGregor's coach John Kavanagh is a crucial part of the plan

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Kayla Harrison, a two-time gold medal Olympic judoka, is a 5-0 mixed martial artist in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), on the cusp of stardom and a $1 million payday.</li><li>Her dominance is attracting comparisons to another former judoka and mixed martial artist, Ronda Rousey.</li><li>However, Harrison says her accomplishments in the sport outweigh what Rousey ever achieved. Now, she&#xa0;wants to achieve more than Rousey in MMA, too.</li><li>Harrison doesn't want to use her fame to promote herself, however.</li><li>When Harrison was a young teenager, she says she was groomed and abused by her judo coach, who was <a href="https://www.whio.com/news/judo-instructor-gets-years-underage-sex-case/0wrLX7NPDPntnLefIFAAIP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted of illicit sexual conduct</a>&#xa0;and sent to prison for a decade.</li><li>She now wants to help children, adults, and parents identify signs of grooming, and has set up a charity&#xa0;aimed to "enrich the lives of sexual abuse survivors through education and sport."</li><li>Harrison is one fight away from a world title shot, and is determined to win in style when she is next in action on October 7 at the PFL 7 show in Las Vegas.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Kayla Harrison is on the cusp of stardom in mixed martial arts.She is already the postergirl for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), competing as a lightweight "which is essentially the heavyweight division for women," <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/mma/story/_/id/26703078/meet-kayla-harrison-olympic-gold-medalist-face-pfl-mma-next-star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN recently said</a>.Harrison, an athlete with a powerful upper body who fights on solid legs, is a head-kicking, judo-throwing, armbar-submitting badass from Ohio who fights out of the famed American Top Team in Florida.As a former judoka who transitioned into MMA, comparisons to Ronda Rousey were perhaps inevitable.However, Harrison now laughs them off because she says she is the far more accomplished judoka out of them both. And, judging by the way she talks, she wants to eclipse Rousey's achievements in MMA, too."For me, the comparisons are like, okay, we both did judo and we both have blonde hair," Harrison told Business Insider. "But, really, when you look at it, I'm not trying to talk down, at all, but Ronda won a silver medal at the world championships and she won bronze at the Olympics."Me … I've won every single tournament there is to win, twice. I won the Olympics, twice. I won the world championships. I was number one for six years, or something ridiculous. I'm the most decorated athlete that the US has ever seen in the sport of judo, and I'm one of the most decorated in the world."So when you compare us in judo, it … tickles me a little bit," Harrison said. "It's like the number 10 player to Serena Williams or something, and I don't even mean it in a cocky way."She retired from judo very early to pursue MMA and she went on to be so successful. I'm not on her level yet in MMA, when every fight ends in 10 seconds. I haven't been that dominant."But I don't think we're the same in our mentality, or the way we carry ourselves."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Harrison credits Rousey for being so good at mixed martial arts that it provided a platform for future female athletes to compete in the UFC, as Dana <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4X6cUOQv6w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White once said he'd never promote women's fighting</a> but changed his mind once he saw Rousey."For sure, Ronda blazed that trail," Harrison told Business Insider. "She was so good they couldn't ignore her! Are you kidding? It takes a very special person to do that. She was the perfect person at the right time to make that happen."Women's MMA is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world now and I'm lucky I fight in an organization [PFL] that has total equality. The women get paid the same as the men. If you keep winning, everyone walks away on New Year's Eve with a million dollars."With a PFL finals win and a $1 million paycheck, Harrison would see her status worldwide raised considerably. However, regardless of whether that fame eclipses Rousey's or not, one thing she would do with that platform is raise awareness for a cause that means more to her than fighting - child sex abuse.When Harrison was a young teenager, she was groomed and abused by her judo coach, who was <a href="https://www.whio.com/news/judo-instructor-gets-years-underage-sex-case/0wrLX7NPDPntnLefIFAAIP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted of illicit sexual conduct</a>&#xa0;and sent to prison for a decade.Through her exposure in the sport, Harrison hopes to promote the charity, Fearless Foundation, which she launched in 2012 in an effort to enrich the lives of sexual abuse survivors through sport.<h2>Reaching for a $1 million paycheck</h2>The PFL is different to other MMA organizations like the UFC, Bellator, and ONE FC.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bellator-exploiting-market-seemingly-neglected-by-the-ufc-2019-7?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA firm Bellator wants to exploit a market that has been largely neglected by the UFC, and Conor McGregor's coach John Kavanagh is a crucial part of the plan</a>Those MMA firms are based on a rankings system, meaning that if you keep winning, you keep climbing the rankings until you eventually challenge the champion for that organization's world title.PFL, while still an events company in the MMA landscape, operates more like traditional American sports like NFL, NBA, and the MLS. There is a normal league season, playoffs, and then a championship match.Harrison kicked ass in the regular season in 2019. She beat Larissa Pacheco by decision in her opening bout of the calendar year, before submitting Morgan Frier with a key lock at a PFL event in July.Watch Harrison get a first round finish against Frier here:Kayla Harrison's next bout is on October 11 in Las Vegas, a playoffs fight against Genah Fabian. Harrison vs. Fabian is the classic style match-up of grappler against striker, and it is a battle Harrison's team is relishing."I think my coaches are all pumped for it. They're excited for it because it's like the old school MMA thing of a striker versus grapple and groundwork type of fight. She's a southpaw, strong, it's great … I'm excited."Should Harrison beat Fabian, it sets up a final $1 million prize against probable opponent Sarah Kaufman, in what would be one of the biggest women's fights of the year.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-is-ukraine-lomachenko-usyk-so-good-at-boxing-2019-8?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One of the world's best boxers is trying to sabotage his rivals by jokingly telling us to spread the word that the secret of his success is pork fat</a>Is it that stage Harrison hoped to compete on when she left judo behind? "Oh my God, yeah, are you kidding me? How lucky am I, to be six fights into my career by the time it'd be the PFL final, fighting for a world title."And I think it's amazing. This journey has been so exciting. I'm so ready. I want to keep building this momentum. I'm not overlooking Fabian. You got to take it one fight at a time, one round at a time, and one breath at a time. But my goal is to be PFL world champion."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Because of Harrison's pedigree as a gold medal magnet in judo, she was considered a hot commodity when word spread she might be looking to turn pro in mixed martial arts. "I was in talks with different organizations," she told us.But ultimately, she picked PFL because she didn't like the rankings system at other fight firms and didn't want to have to "talk s---, be a supermodel, or be a sex symbol."She wanted to be marketed properly - as an athlete with a story."I don't like the entertainment aspect of MMA. I hate that you have to be a s--- talker or if the boss likes you, you get a better deal. That's stupid."<h2>Harrison is an athlete with a story</h2>Harrison has always been an accomplished athlete, ever since she saw karate on TV and started running around the house, trying to break boards in front of her mother, going "Hi-yah!"After her mother took a self-defense class in judo, Harrison followed, and from there a passion was born."I was a wild child, a real hellion," she told us. "My mom took me to the local dojo and … boom, the rest is history. From a young age I didn't want to be a doctor, a lawyer, or a singer … I wanted to throw people, and I wanted to be the best in the world at it."Harrison began judo age 6, and was winning national championships by the time she was 13.But at 16, Harrison <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/judo/9444577/London-2012-Olympics-US-Judoka-Kayla-Harrison-overcomes-horror-of-sexual-abuse-to-aim-for-gold.html">revealed she'd been sexually abused for years by her judo coach</a>. It had left her "crying her eyes out," contemplating suicide.Harrison wanted to tell her story because of how appalled she was by the reaction to the Jerry Sandusky scandal.Sandusky, an American football coach at Pennsylvania State University, was <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2012/06/jerry_sandusky_verdict_complet.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted in 2012 of 45 counts of sexual abuse of young boys</a> from 1994 to 2009."I got into this huge fight with my best friend because she was like posting about Joe Paterno, who was the head coach of that organization, getting fired, because he knew stuff and didn't do anything to stop it," Harrison said."And all these people were online debating about it, all these college kids were rioting, flipping cars, and storming the streets because a football coach lost his job. But not one f------ person was rioting for the victims, whose lives had been changed forever. No one said s---."And I was like, 'Why? Why are my peers like this? Why is my society like this?' And I realized it's because people are like, 'I'm not Catholic, so that doesn't happen to me,' or, 'I'm rich, white, a guy … that doesn't happen to me.'"But it's not true. It happens everywhere. <a href="https://www.d2l.org/the-issue/prevalence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One in six boys and one in four girls will be sexually abused</a> in some way, shape, or form by the time they are 18. And those are just the kids who say something. Most kids, people, go their entire life without sharing a secret, and let it eat them alive inside. And that's why I started talking. So … yeah."Harrison kept a diary throughout those years. She returned to the diary to turn it into a book which is part-guide, part-memoir, designed to help children, teenagers, and parents alike identify predatory behavior. It was published last year.Harrison hopes her book will be able to show:<ul><li>What grooming looks like</li><li>Why kids stay silent and are afraid to speak out</li><li>What a child may be feeling</li><li>How you talk to your child about what's going on</li><li>The court process</li></ul>Harrison endured it all, and by providing testimony, her abuser was <a href="https://www.whio.com/news/judo-instructor-gets-years-underage-sex-case/0wrLX7NPDPntnLefIFAAIP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted in 2008</a> of <a href="https://www.whio.com/news/judo-instructor-gets-years-underage-sex-case/0wrLX7NPDPntnLefIFAAIP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illicit sexual conduct</a> and sent to prison for a 10-year sentence.Her abuser has now served his time. He was released in 2016."The letter went to my mom's house, my old house in Ohio, literally right before the 2016 Olympics," Harrison said."And so my mom waited to tell me until after I won. But … I'm okay with it. There's obviously some fear. And a little bit of anxiety. But for the most part, I've come to peace with it. I forgive him. I've moved on. Everything happens for a reason. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But I know this happened to me because I'm going to be able to have the voice, the platform, and make a change in the world."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Harrison first started making those changes in 2012, when she set up <a href="https://www.kaylaharrison.com/fearless-foundation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her Fearless Foundation</a>.She also wrote wrote her book "Fighting Back: What an Olympic Champion's story can teach us about recognizing and preventing child sexual abuse - and helping kids recover."Harrison said: "To write about that stuff, to go back and be that 13-year-old suicidal girl again was really hard. And to share that with the world is even harder. But … I can't tell you how many emails, letters, and notes I get saying, 'Oh my God. Thank you so much for writing this. I'm going to talk to my daughter tonight. I think I've seen some signs.'"Or, 'Something similar happened to me and after reading your book it has given me hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There is a shiny gold medal. I just have to take a step.'"So … that's really my purpose in life."Harrison now sees sport, MMA in particular, as a vehicle to spread her message and to provide education and awareness on the signs of grooming and child sex abuse."I want to go talk to congress and have this in every seventh grade health class. I want there to be a curriculum on it. I want people to talk about it and donate. One day at a time I want to change the world. And leave it better than I found it."A gold medal is great in the Olympics, you get your 15 minutes of fame, but nobody really cares, especially in judo," Harrison told Business Insider. "But if I become the best MMA fighter in the world, imagine the reach I will have."And I'm not going to use that reach to promote myself and talk about, y'know, how amazing I am and to be on the cover of magazines. I'm going to use that opportunity to say, hey, look, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Back-Recognizing-Preventing-Abuse/dp/1462532977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this book ["Fighting Back"] is on Amazon</a>."Harrison's next step to gaining that platform she craves is to continue evolving as a fighter.Over the last three years, Harrison has been evolving her combat style from a single discipline martial artist in judo, to a more well-rounded fighter capable of competing standing up, or on the mat. To date, she has proven to be a highly-skilled martial artist, edging closer to the PFL finals, a $1 million paycheck, and a status that could see her heralded as one of the most dominant female fighters on the planet.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aviv-gozali-was-always-targeting-bellator-record-2019-8?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The 18-year-old Israeli MMA fighter who secured an 11-second submission win says he was targeting the record before the bout had even begun</a>But her strive for perfection, something she had ever since she was the kid who brought judo to the playgrounds at school, has sometimes gotten the best of her, as she told Business Insider she sat victorious yet frustrated in a locker room after a fight in July, feeling like her striking hadn't developed to a point that it was useful.That's when the former six-time UFC champion Randy Couture, now a color commentator with the Professional Fighters League, told her four words that she carries with her today.<h2>"F--- perfection, be effective"</h2>"I talked to Randy Couture after the last fight as I didn't feel like I spent enough time fighting on my feet. And he said, 'Let me tell you something. I know that you want to be perfect. But f--- perfection, be effective.'"I was like, 'Oh my God.' My brain exploded. Holy s---. 'F--- perfection, be effective.' It clicked. I don't need to be the world's best striker. I just need good defense. Get to the clinch safely. And once I get there, no one's going to outgrapple me. No one's going to be able stop my takedowns. That's never going to happen. That girl does not exist in this world."I am still working on my striking but it's basic. I'm not trying to be fancy, cool, or hit flying knees like Jorge Masvidal. I'm just trying to be effective. That's it."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ufc-boss-dana-white-is-down-with-nate-diaz-vs-jorge-masvidal-2019-8?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal 'for the baddest mother------- in the game belt' is a bout Dana White wants, but it leaves Conor McGregor in the cold</a>She went on: "I'm still a baby. I'm still learning. I had my debut in June, last year. I've got time. It's scary. But every day I learn something new, every day I get a little bit better, and every day I get more confident. I'm going to keep evolving, more well-rounded, and become a dominant force in this sport."I have a goal in front of me. I focus on that goal. And I want to be the best."Harrison fights Fabian in the playoffs of the PFL 7 event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on October 11. The 2019 finals take place on December 31.<div></div><div> </div>

A fighter being hailed as the next Ronda Rousey says the comparison is unfair because she's actually way better

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="Heath Padgett, 23, will work 50 jobs in 50 states." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54628b846bb3f74f05bc743f-960/heath-padgett-6.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettHeath Padgett, 23, will work 50 jobs in 50 states.</div></div>Hourly workers make up almost three-fourths of the US workforce - yet certain stigmas associated with these workers still exist, and they don't always get the recognition they deserve, says Heath Padgett, a 23-year-old recent college graduate.
To explore the world of hourly work, break those stigmas, and shed light on the importance of these under-appreciated employees, Padgett and his wife, Alyssa, decided to embark on a seven-month, cross-country journey in their RV. On the trip, he's trying out 50 jobs in 50 states for his upcoming documentary, "<a href="http://www.hourlyamerica.com/">Hourly America</a>."
The newlyweds, who are on what's been called an "<a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/25411418/epic-honeymoon/">epic honeymoon</a>," left their hometown of Austin, Texas, on June 1 - just a week after their wedding. So far, they've visited 38 states.
Padgett and Alyssa, his videographer, have found most of the 38 hourly gigs he's worked through <a href="http://www.snagajob.com/">Snagajob.com</a>, America's largest network for hourly employment.

Padgett, who graduated from Concordia University Texas with a major in business and entrepreneurship in 2013, recently spoke to Business Insider about his favorite moments, his biggest challenges, and the best and worst jobs he's worked throughout his "Hourly America" journey.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. 
Business Insider: Can you tell me what inspired you to embark on this "50 jobs in 50 states" journey? 
Heath Padgett: After college I took a sales job with a software company and quickly realized that I wasn't built for sitting in an office all day. I wanted to do more meaningful, creative work and figure out what kind of work made me happy. I've always had a desire to travel and the idea of pursuing a mission along with traveling intrigued me. I decided to make this more of a quest and work a job in all 50 states so I could learn more about different kinds of work and meet a lot of people along the way.
BI: Can you walk us through how this all works?
HP: On average I work two to three different jobs per week. I show up and work for one day in each different place. I obviously don't become a pro at these jobs - I'm more concerned with getting to know my coworkers, interviewing them about their job and their overall philosophy on work. Why do they do what they do? What do they love most about being a bartender, cook, electrician, etc.?
<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="Padgett in front of Bob's Clam Hut in Maine, where he worked as a fish fryer." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/546288ba6bb3f75a78bc743f-960/bobs-2.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettPadgett in front of Bob's Clam Hut in Maine, where he worked as a fish fryer.</div></div>I've worked everything from a martial arts assistant to a pizza delivery guy, and even had short stints on a couple different farms.
A lot of my jobs have been in the service industry, as I'm particularly interested in learning more about how to fill the void between employees and customers. I want to find more ways for customers to acknowledge and recognize service industry workers outside of purely tipping them. 
I've found most of my jobs through Snagajob.com. I reached out to them before my trip begun with a crazy idea of working a different job in every state, and I asked if they would help me find jobs along the way. They've opened the doors to a lot of the bigger companies for me, where as it might have been a lot more difficult for some random guy to come in for the day. 
BI: Where are you now, and and how many jobs have you done so far?
HP: As of today I've worked 38 jobs in 38 states. I'm in Kentucky, and today I worked at a KOA campsite. My wife and I made this trip in our 1994 Coachmen Class C motorhome, and we've attracted a lot of attention from fellow RVers who find these 23-year-old newlyweds pretty fascinating. So today we took their advice and spent a day working at a KOA, cleaning bathrooms and all that good stuff. 
BI: Did you plan ahead of time which jobs you'd have in each state? Or do you figure it out as you go? 
HP: We fly by the seat of our pants. For instance, I called KOA yesterday along with several other companies. I give them my pitch, tell them why I'm doing what I'm doing, and if they understand or believe in my mission then they let me come in and work for the day alongside their employees. 
BI: What's been your favorite job, and why?
HP: One of my favorite jobs was working for the Inland Empire 66ers. They are a minor league baseball team in Los Angeles. I spent all day outside working in the bleachers and cleaning the locker room. I played college baseball at Concordia University Texas, and spending a day outside working on a field was the dream. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="Padgett working for the Inland Empire 66ers." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54628998ecad04e016049b4a-960/heath-padgett.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettPadgett working for the Inland Empire 66ers.</div></div></div>
BI: What's been the worst, or hardest job, and why?
HP: Well two days ago I was "fired" from a job. I wasn't really fired, but there was a miscommunication between the manager who I spoke with on the phone and the other manager working the day I came in. Apparently, she had no idea I was going to actually work there and wasn't the kind of person who was flexible to curveballs being thrown at her. 
Two hours into my shift I received a call from the owner saying that she also didn't know I was going to be working there that day. They thought I was going to get in the way, and I honestly don't think they had done any research on our "Hourly America" project, nor did they know our mission.
It was a little bit embarrassing having to leave halfway through a shift. But on the other side of things it was a valuable lesson - a lot of people aren't going to believe in what you're doing, especially when it breaks the norm. Leaving that job and still having a firm faith in this project to make a difference in the world was affirming to say the least because it showed me how strongly I believe in our mission of sharing stories from everyday workers.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="Padgett and his wife/videographer, Alyssa." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/546289f669bedd1c77c57849-960/heath-padgett-1.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettPadgett and his wife/videographer, Alyssa.</div></div></div>BI: What's been the best moment of this experience so far?
HP: There have been a few different moments along our trip where someone I'm working with looks at me and just says, "Thank you." Maybe these are the people who understand that we are here because we want to show the people from the other side of the counter's point of view. It feels really good to know your mission has inspired someone in some way.
BI: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced?
HP: Traveling the country in a 20-year-old motorhome in the first year of marriage while working a job in every single state is a huge undertaking. We've broken down, had fights when the GPS gets us lost, and experienced so much of the world at a rapid pace. But I would say the biggest challenges are sticking to this project when our RV keeps breaking down.
We don't have a ton of money, and early on, there was no telling if anything positive was going to come from "Hourly America." Would anyone ever care what we are doing? Does this work matter? It was the internal battle, which was the hardest. I've never been a full-time RVer, writer, or filmmaker. All these things are new to me, but going from the unknown to a place of feeling confident in my skills was a huge undertaking.
It helps to realize that most people aren't entirely sure of themselves no matter what it is they are doing, we are all learning. If you meet a person who "has it all together," then they're the smartest person I've ever met or a really good actor. Life is about practice, not perfection. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="The newlyweds." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/546292486bb3f7a81cdc66e0-960/heath-padgett-7.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettThe newlyweds.</div></div>BI: What has surprised you most?
HP: People's openness. It's been incredibly easy to find businesses that are willing to let me come in for the day. A lot of businesses have said yes before even taking a look at our website or media coverage. Some places think we are just crazy kids who are trying to do something meaningful with their lives, and they would be right. 
However, it just proves there are a lot of people out in the world who will accept you if you're willing to take a few blows in the process. A good friend of mine always says, "Once you open yourself up to the world, the world opens itself up to you." I now know that statement to be very true. 
BI: What's the biggest lesson you've learned??
HP: Being able to effectively communicate a simple idea is a learned and valuable skill set. It's one that I am still working on. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="Padgett, right, working in a kitchen." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5462930469bedd3623dc66db-960/heath-padgett-8.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettPadgett, right, working in a kitchen.</div></div></div>
BI: What do you plan to do when this journey concludes?
HP: We will release the film in August 2015, and until then I'm going to be working part time consulting with Jia Jiang, who is an author with an upcoming book launch in April 2015. Jia is a mentor who first gave me the idea to work a different job in every state. He looked me up several months after we talked about it over coffee and realized I had taken his advice and pursued this quest. He then offered me a job because he said that he had received hundreds of inquiries of people asking for guidance, but only a few people had actually taken action from those meetings. I was one of them.
BI: Anything else you want to share about your experience? 
HP: Don't let people tell you there is a set way to go about your career. I've found that the safe and normal way rarely yields the results of stepping outside of the box. I had so many people tell me I was crazy for pursuing this 50-state-50-job quest, however, I've had more opportunities open up because of it then I would have ever had if I'd stayed in my office job back in Texas.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Heath Padgett" title_caption="Padgett and the RV." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54628942eab8ea8d54af342c-960/heath-padget.jpg"></a>Heath PadgettPadgett and the RV.</div></div>
Here are all the jobs Padgett has worked so far: 
Job #1: Project Dojo, Martial Arts Instructor Job #2: Buffalo Wild Wings, Server Job #3: Habitat ReStore, Paint Mixer Job #4: American Red Cross, Lifeguard Job #5: Inland Empire 66ers Baseball Stadium, Cleaning Crew Member Job #6: Domino's Pizza, Delivery guy and Pizza Maker Job #7: Portland Art Museum, Security Guard Job #8: Downtown Missoula Association, City Ambassador Job #9: Mike's Music Shop, Sales Associate Job #10: Persephone Bakery, Bread Baker Job #11: La Vita Bella, Barista Job #12: Oh My Cupcakes! &amp; Shop Dog Boutique, Cupcake Ninja &amp; Cashier Job #13: Würst Bier Hall, Line Cook Job #14: Carlos Creek Winery, Wine Pourer Job #15: Hinchley's Dairy Farm Tours, Dairy Farmer Job #16: Pizza Rustica Chicago, Busboy Job #17: Hog Stop BBQ, Meat Handler Job #18: Lucky Bucket Brewing Company, Vodka Bottler Job #19: Schlegel's Bicycles, Bicycle Mechanic Job #20: Kansas Humane Society, Poop Scooper Job #21: The Fountain on Locust, Waiter<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FountainOnLocust"> </a>Job #22: The Fountain Square Brewing, Keg Filler Job #23: Ann Arbor Tees, T-Shirt Printer Job #24: Society Lounge, Bar Back Job #25: Shelburne Orchards, Apple Picker Job #26: The Juicery, Juice Master Job #27: Bob's Clam Hut, Fish Fryer Job #28: The General Store, Event Staff Job #29: TEN31 Productions, Costumer Job #30: Downtown Yoga Studio, Mat Cleaner Job #31: The Vitamin Shoppe, Health Enthusiast Job #32: White Castle, Grill Master Job #33: Fuel After School, After School Counselor Job #34: Hagley Museum and Library, Electrician Job #35: Six Flags America, Zombie Job #36: Lumber Liquidators, Warehouse Assistant Job #37: Stardust Cafe, Dishwasher Job #38: KOA, Janitor

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