A Young Business Owners Donation to Education

A good education is an asset that will stay with a student long after they graduate. Schools should focus on building character, teaching students how to grow into their own, so they can continue succeeding in their lives, no matter where life takes them. Teachers should inspire students with the practical skills necessary to be successful in the real world. This is the principle that led Mottie Wiener, CEO of DailySteals.com to sponsor the awards for teachers who participated in the first successful year of Menachem Education Foundation’s Data Driven Instruction program.

“Children need active recognition” says Wiener. “The same rule applies to adults; people perform best when they are shown their work matters.” Wiener hopes the awards will further the idea of goal-centered education in addition to acknowledging the efforts of hard-working teachers. “This program focuses on developing standards and goal oriented progress,” says Wiener. “The recognition prizes motivate people to push themselves and develop ambition for teaching and learning, even after the prizes stop.”

Wiener uses his own education to exemplify the importance of standards and goals in education. “In school, I fell through the cracks,” says Wiener. “I was never taught proper learning skills. Teachers at that time had no way to gauge where I was holding.” Wiener acknowledges that despite his personal success, he laments what could have been had he received a more pointed education. “With this program, we can make sure kids don’t have that issue anymore. They’ll have a better chance at succeeding both during school and beyond.”

Wiener based his company on this same concept. “Our whole business is based on giving back to people,” he says. “We give away prizes regularly on our Facebook page because we realize that reinforcement fosters motivation and, in turn, better communication.” DailySteals.com is an online bargain site that offers 1 item per day in 5 categories for 24 hours. The deal is launched at midnight and is available the entire day or until sold out. With this model, DailySteals is able to feature the items at prices 70%-90% off. Items such as iPads, video game consoles and HDTVs are raffled off each week.“Many of my employees have limited educational experience or felt short of success while in the school system,” says Wiener. “We frequently hire people from Crown Heights, providing opportunities for people to prove themselves and grow in the process.” Wiener is committed to helping those who didn’t receive the best education, but his ultimate goal is prevention through supporting education he hopes provides kids with the tools for future success.

Inspired by Norman Atkins, co-founder and CEO of Teacher U, the Menachem Education Foundation created their Data Driven Instruction program, which emphasizes student learning. Frequent tests and periodical assessments are used to gather data and ensure students are absorbing the class material. The program was implemented in the first grades of four schools in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh; it is now on the verge of completing its inaugural year.

“I thank Mottie for believing in education,” says Rabbi Zalman Shneur, director of Menachem Education Foundation. “The most important thing we can do is invest in education and teachers. It’s amazing to work with Mottie because it’s clear to him that we must put all our energy and resources into education. Only through education will other problems be solved.”