Latest / New Teacher Talk / Ep 146: Think Big, Start Small: Building Your Teaching Vision with Todd Leban

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Ep 146: Think Big, Start Small: Building Your Teaching Vision with Todd Leban · New Teacher Talk

• Hello, and welcome to New Teacher Talk,
• where we bring you essential conversations and tips to
• support aspiring and early career teachers.
• Whether you teach in a big city, a small town,
• or anywhere in between,
• we're here to help you succeed in your classroom.
• My name is Todd Leban,
• and I am a middle-level art teacher in the suburbs of
• Chicago, Illinois.
• Today I'm going to examine the phrase, Think Big,
• Not Small.
• Although I spend my time in the visual arts discipline,
• I'm going to share some thoughts and ideas that are
• applicable to other subject areas.
• Saying Think Big,
• Not Small assumes that we are willing to develop a bold
• vision for student growth, classroom culture, equity,
• and a connection to the bigger picture.
• The phrase is not meant to overwhelm you or give you a
• sense that you are not doing enough.
• It is meant to empower you and give you clear purpose and
• drive.
• When you leave school at the end of the day,
• your physical and mental state should tell you that you are
• doing enough.
• Let's pause for a moment and touch briefly on that last
• sentence.
• When you leave school at the end of the day,
• your physical and mental state should indicate that you are
• doing enough.
• How many of you leave the building drained from the day's
• activities?
• How many of you focus on the negative things and not the
• wins?
• We get so caught up in our thoughts about what we have to
• prepare for tomorrow and the many other things that creep
• up on us that we often forget to shake hands with the
• triumphs we had on the fly.
• Or maybe you completely saved a lesson from drowning.
• The good is in there.
• It's just not always validated.
• Be cautious about letting too much negative seep in during
• the early years.
• Each day we wake up,
• we risk the chance of something going wrong.
• Most of us don't even think about that fact.
• It doesn't mean that we just give up.
• Just means we are human and that education, like life,
• can be messy.
• I remind my students of this when they hit a roadblock or
• are anxious to try something new.
• Helping students reduce the anxiety of messing something up
• gives them space to explore and react openly to the
• consequences of their actions with class content.
• That is why I don't ever use the word mistake.
• It has a negative feel to it.
• I don't believe in mistakes.
• I believe in experiences.
• I tell this to my students outright, Okay,
• I know I have a little more freedom in art because there is
• not always one right answer to a problem.
• However,
• if students know you are providing a safety net for
• discovery,
• they are more willing to dig in and be less fearful in
• their journey.
• This is a good life skill to help them develop.
• Okay, so let's get back to the phrase at hand.
• Think big, not small.
• Take a breath and think about what that phrase means to
• you.
• I'll give you a few seconds.
• When we are told to think big, not small,
• we are called to have a bold vision.
• Don't limit your ideas or goals by thinking too narrowly or
• safely.
• It encourages expansive, ambitious thinking.
• Now what if I change the word not in that phrase to start?
• How does this sound?
• Think big, start small.
• Does the phrase now seem more achievable and less
• overwhelming?
• It should.
• Think big, start small is not a contradiction.
• However, it's the next step.
• Big ideas need small strategic actions to become reality.
• What does this look like in the classroom?
• Let's explore it through the lens of our first topic,
• student growth.
• Thinking big and promoting student growth means believing
• that every student is capable of growth,
• even those labeled difficult or behind.
• It means that we envision students as future leaders,
• artists, scientists, or change makers.
• And although it doesn't always go as planned,
• we constantly try to design learning experiences that build
• confidence, independence, and purpose.
• Think about the ways you currently measure student success.
• Use a singular method or a variety of methods.
• In the beginning years, it's beneficial to keep it simple.
• Get your bearings and lean on your colleagues for support.
• After all, you are still getting to know the school,
• the students, and the protocols.
• To say there will be a lot going on is an understatement.
• This is a perfect time to think big and start small.
• Get command of the basics.
• And over time,
• steer things in the direction you want them to go.
• Customize your workflow by trying new things.
• If it doesn't work, move on.
• Or for you visual folks, if your horse dies, get off.
• Now on to our second topic, classroom culture.
• We should want to create spaces where every student feels
• seen, valued, and respected.
• We promote kindness, curiosity, creativity, and resilience,
• making the classroom a place where learning is safe and
• joyful.
• The first year I started teaching,
• I walked into a classroom where tools and materials were
• simply placed on shelves without any rhyme or reason.
• There was no time for me to do a complete makeover and
• still survive.
• I had to make do with what I had.
• But out of necessity and frustration,
• I slowly started to move things around and created
• designated spaces for what I had.
• Classic think big, start small energy.
• Use signs wherever possible,
• especially if your students rotate for their schedule.
• This will save you a lot of headaches having to repeat
• where things are,
• and it helps students be more independent.
• I also suggest that you reduce clutter wherever you can.
• This has a beneficial effect on your student's response to
• the environment and how they might treat shared materials.
• Also,
• if the walls are too busy or certain tables or stations are
• messy,
• students may respond to what they see and treat it differently
• than you had hoped.
• Think about the first dent that you get on your car.
• Makes it a little too easy to care less, right?
• One of my favorite upgrades is changing the color of your
• walls.
• I currently have two-tone blue throughout my room.
• Now I know this is not permissible in all schools and takes
• time and energy,
• but getting rid of drab tan and off-white colors can make
• the room feel different and can bring joy before you even
• have the kids walk in.
• A cheaper and simpler solution would obviously be to invest
• in posters of class content or of personal interest so kids
• can learn more about you.
• All right, let's think big and start small about equity.
• The big picture includes ensuring all students,
• regardless of background,
• have access to high-quality instruction and opportunities,
• to openly and collectively challenge systemic biases and
• work toward inclusive curriculum and practices,
• and to advocate for students whose voices may not always be
• heard.
• Those are some lofty goals.
• Especially for a new teacher.
• So let's start small.
• Although a daunting task,
• never underestimate the power of a good seating chart.
• For me,
• the best way to start the year is to have students arranged
• alphabetically.
• It sets a tone, shows that you care about order,
• and makes your life easier for attendance and getting the
• class going.
• Plus,
• they may already be used to sitting alphabetically in previous
• grades and may grown a little less because they expect it.
• As you get to know students,
• you can troubleshoot and move distractions or students with
• conflict.
• This seems obvious,
• but I've strayed and paid for doing it differently.
• Another great way to provide equity is to get to know your
• students.
• I use a Google Form at the beginning of the year that
• gauges student interest and comfortability with art making.
• I also ask them to list classmates they feel comfortable
• with, and I ask for their pronouns.
• Their pronouns are added to my class rosters for my benefit
• and so that a sub can be informed.
• The rest of the responses are printed and assembled in a
• binder that I can refer to during class.
• One of the more difficult roadblocks to equity is bias.
• We must remain aware of who gets called on,
• who is asked to help out, and who gets disciplined.
• Are our choices excluding certain students?
• Are we unfairly calling out behavior on a few and not to
• others?
• We need to be able to admit that we all have unconscious
• biases.
• Regular reflection on your expectations, interactions,
• and discipline practices can highlight areas that need to
• be addressed.
• Apply classroom rules fairly and consistently across all
• students.
• Another goal to work towards is develop levels for your
• assignments.
• The outcome or objective doesn't change,
• but the pathway or requirements do.
• For example,
• offering paper and digital versions of tasks or
• assignments.
• Lessen the amount of steps required for each level.
• Offer choice so that students can select their path based
• on their skill level and competence.
• Last but not least,
• let's think big and start small about mental health.
• For example, the think big idea.
• I want my students to feel safe and supported each day.
• The start small portion.
• Every Monday,
• we'll do a two-minute emotional check-in and ask,
• what do you need from me this week?
• This does not always have to be a discussion, though.
• In recent years,
• I have posted flyers in my room based on the flyers you may
• see on telephone poles and streetlights.
• You know the ones,
• they offer a service and they have tear-off pieces at the
• bottom with a phone number on them.
• I have created my own that say, take what you need.
• And on each piece of paper,
• there's an emotion such as patience, time, courage,
• comfort, and space.
• We don't always know what struggles our students may be
• dealing with.
• Building a classroom culture where students feel safe to
• express their emotions is critical.
• So is helping students develop lifelong coping and self
• -awareness skills.
• Start to notice when you see a student getting overwhelmed
• or one that is about to shut down.
• Look for signs of disengagement such as goofing off or
• staring out into space.
• Thinking big and starting small is a powerful mindset for
• teachers who want to make lasting, meaningful change.
• It reminds us to hold bold visions for equity,
• mental health, or student growth,
• while recognizing that real progress begins with small,
• intentional actions.
• By starting with simple shifts in our daily routines,
• language, or classroom culture,
• we can build momentum toward larger goals without becoming
• overwhelmed.
• It's not about doing everything at once.
• It's about doing the next right thing with purpose and
• trusting that those small steps will lead to a big impact
• over time.
• Thanks for spending part of your day with us on New Teacher
• Talk.
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• No matter what classroom you're in, we're here for you.