If this hasn’t been made apparent to you yet, one of my interests lies in finance. I love the stuff, which is quite shocking considering if you had known me ten years ago. I was absolutely reckless with my money. We’re talking about putting a whopping $0 into my future savings. I was clearing each paycheck as if there was no tomorrow. I was even late on my rent one month and asked a great buddy of mine to spot me with a $850 check - thanks, Tommy.

I was indulging myself in a YouTube video in the background from one of my favorite YouTubers, Tae Kim. This video was called 12 Signs You’ve Taken Frugality Too Far.

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. However, besides the absolute bombshells of wisdom nuggets Kim drops, I appreciated his thoughts on the ‘Broken Windows Theory.’

The Broken Windows Theory claims that if an area or neighborhood is littered with buildings with a bunch of broken windows, graffiti, and visible signs that it’s been unkept, this psychologically produces, or even promotes, an atmosphere of neglect for those who are walking through.

It’s like ‘monkey see, monkey do.’

Personally, I find this relatable when I visit restrooms in different parts of the city. When I’m in the clean ones at the nicer restaurants, hotels, and airports, I try to make as little of a mess as possible. But sometimes when I’m at the rinky-dink ones at gas stations or fast food restaurants, sometimes I ask myself, “Why bother?”

Imagine you’re strolling through this part of the city. Just got done drinking and sporting your electrolytes-jam-packed BODYARMOR sports drink? I’m sure no one will really notice if you leave it on the side of the curb next to the trash can. It’s a bit of a hyperbole, of course, but you get the point.

Actually, what is the point? As a professional so infatuated with the education field, I wanted to deliberately connect this concept to how we are reflected within the classroom.

Just think of your classroom desk. Is it riddled with written assignments, turned-in tests, and permission slips? Or is it organized so exquisitely that you’ve been labeled as ‘that kind of teacher?’ I jest of course.

What about the overall aesthetic appeal of your classroom? Is it well put together and absolutely glowing with pride? Or does it resemble the epitome of procrastination by demonstrating the thought of ‘getting to it’ tomorrow?

Lastly, let’s think of how our classroom culture is. We can easily clean up both a desk and classroom but the class environment is a bit trickier. It always starts with us. Are we taking our daily interactions with our students into consideration or are we just simply getting through the day? I love sarcasm as if it’s another language but are we using it too much in the classroom where it might encourage others to use it as a social weapon rather than a social tool?

This is just a quick bit on my take on the Broken Windows Theory and how we can relate it to the classroom so we can get just an ounce better today. Again, it starts with us. It always starts with us.