Becoming a Legendary Teacher

William Freeman was a middle school social studies teacher for 11 years and a high school principal for 22 years. During his tenure as principal, he taught classes in philosophy to high school students and instructed as an adjunct professor in the educational, administrative, and business master's degree programs for Aurora University and Olivet Nazarene University. Having retired in 2006 from the public sector of education, Freeman continues to work as an educational consultant, an adjunct professor, and holds the position of professional development specialist for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies at Olivet Nazarene University. In addition to his background in instruction and administration, he has been a North-Central Accreditation facilitator and a trained administrative analyst. His special area of expertise is in effective instructional techniques and strategies. He has written curriculum for gifted students at the middle school level, created a philosophy curriculum for high school students, and has written several instructional modules at the university level to improve classroom instruction and administrative performance. He is a frequent motivational and educational speaker at leadership conferences and instructional workshops. In addition, he has been a baseball, basketball, and track coach, as well as an athletic director, class sponsor, and student council advisor. He was selected as the outstanding administrator in the state of Illinois, recognized as an "Administrator of Merit" by the Illinois State Board of Education, honored as an Illinois Lincolnland Legend, and was awarded the Willis E. Snowbarger Award for Teaching Excellence by Olivet Nazarene University. David Scheidecker had been a high school English teacher for 27 years, with 20 of them as the head of an English department. His professional activities included serving as a reader for the Advanced Placement English literature and Composition exam, acting as a consultant to the college board, curriculum design, and miscellaneous instructional concerns. Scheidecker had worked extensively in curriculum design and revision at his own high school. He aslo was recognized as a "Teacher of Merit" by the state school board of Illinois.

Foreword by Mark Truckenbrod Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Piecing Together the Personality Puzzle 2. Nothing Succeeds Like Success 3. Establishing High Expectations 4. Practicing Skillful Communication 5. Defining Instructional Protocol 6. Winning the Crowd 7. Understanding Practices and Assessments 8. Motivation 9. Motivating High Student Achievement 10. Recognizing and Promoting Excellence 11. Developing Powerful Classroom Management Skills 12. Epilogue: Becoming a Legend Appendix I: Practical Instructional Advice Appendix II: Homework Points to Remember Appendix III: Create Your Own Personal Icon Appendix IV: One Final Story Index

"Freeman and Scheidecker are truly legendary teachers! Every word in their book is embedded in their lives and teaching. I have used this book in my university teaching and shared it with numerous colleagues, teacher friends, and family. Hopefully you will find the wisdom in this book to bring out the best in your students." -- Ruth Reynolds, Teacher, Bradley Elementary School District, IL "Focuses explicitly on creating an environment that exudes high expectations for achievement and behavior. These authors have captured what it takes to have a dynamic school building and truly be a legendary teacher. This book is an excellent reflection of what can actually occur in classrooms across America." -- A. Donald Hendricks, Superintendent "The authors, truly master teachers themselves, have written this book to be informative and applicable. Not only do they give specific examples, but they also give meaningful tips and ideas to use in the classroom." -- Jamie Meyr, Elementary Instructor "This text will help all teachers evaluate themselves, reflect on their performance, and adjust." -- Buck Wall, AP US History and Department Chair "This is a book that I hope the teachers of my own children will read. It offers practical insight on how to inspire and create a truly proven atmosphere of learning for all students. The authors' documented experience and success will ignite a passion for teaching within you." -- Susan M. Chasteen, Art Instructor