A Fresh Perspective for the New Year: how to change a classroom as a substitute teacher

I spent the better part of the last decade teaching at CSUF and most of my students were in the program to be teachers someday. I can’t tell you the number of times I had to remind students to turn assignments in on time or to check them for spelling/grammar mistakes before submitting them. We would talk at length about classroom management and yet, guess how many times I had to remind students to reduce the volume of side conversations during the lecture, or to put their cell phones away? I would sometimes say directly, “You all want to be teacher’s someday, but it seems like following the basic tenants of a classroom is a challenge today.” Usually that was enough to get everyone back on track. This little reminder was that they are there to be taught. This is something we can all try to remember: there is always an opportunity to learn. We never know all the things. Classrooms change because teachers are willing to change. It doesn’t matter if you have been doing this for decades and decades or you’re just getting started. Always be willing to learn and be willing to be taught. By whom? Well, by anyone or anything. A coworker, a student, the classroom itself. Your willingness to change and to be taught will lead to a classroom that embodies a growth mindset. It starts with you.