New Teacher Mindset Practical and Innovative Strategies to Be Different from Day One

A refreshing and hopeful guide to help new and veteran teachers thrive in our ever-changing world

New Teacher Mindset is all about creating successful systems, practices, and protocols that make sense for today's teachers. To be the best teacher you can be, you need to understand how new technologies and a changing societal landscape have altered the needs of students?and how to modify your teaching approach accordingly. This book gives you a fresh take on topics like classroom management, project-based learning, group collaboration, increasing buy-in, and partnering with parents. The book is research-backed and provides concrete practices that have proven effective in real world classrooms. Each chapter includes a story to illustrate the topic of the chapter, followed by strategies, research, and practical activities that you can implement immediately to refresh your mindset and your classroom.

• Get fresh, modern ideas for elevating your classroom and teaching style
• Build on traditional teaching practices with new techniques designed for today's fast-paced, tech-driven world
• Use practical activities and reader reflection questions to transform your practice right away
• Learn how to revitalize your teaching by focusing on the classroom as a whole, the individual student, and the teacher

This is an invaluable resource for K-12 educators and others working in the K-12 setting, all of whom need to learn to adapt and adjust to the constant shifting of the outside world. New Teacher Mindset is a roadmap for doing just that.

Introduction vii

Chapter 1 Building Relationships from Day One 1

Chapter 2 Proactive Classroom Management: A Preventative Approach to Behavioral Issues 15

Chapter 3 Nurturing an Ecosystem Students Actually Want to Learn In 29

Chapter 4 Classroom Culture and Unifying Your Students 49

Chapter 5 Classroom Rituals for Self-Directed Students 61

Chapter 6 Classroom Space: Designing with Empathy and Intentionality 77

Chapter 7 Organization: Designing Systems to Avoid the Chaos 91

Chapter 8 The Counterintuitive Art of Student Engagement 101

Chapter 9 Make Learning Authentic 125

Chapter 10 Navigating the Constantly Evolving Technological Landscape 145

Chapter 11 Differentiated Instruction for Every Student 159

Chapter 12 Assessment Is More Than Grades 175

Chapter 13 You're Not a Superhero (And That’s a Good Thing) 193

Chapter 14 Self-Care: Teacher Care Is Student Care 209

Chapter 15 The Public Side of Teaching 227

Conclusion 243

Acknowledgments 247

About the Authors 249

Index 251

Trevor Muir has taught at the middle and high school levels, and currently teaches at Grand Valley State University. He has written two other books and is the founder of The Epic Classroom and Epic PBL. Trevor’s videos have been viewed by millions of educators and he is a sought-after speaker.

John Spencer is a former middle school teacher and current professor at George Fox University. He hosts The Creative Classroom Podcast, has written four books, and developed LAUNCH Cycle, a design thinking framework for K-12 students. A popular speaker, Spencer has presented at venues around the world, including the White House.