William Freeman - Becoming a Legendary Teacher: A Guide to Inspiring and Excellence in the Classroom

Copyright 2009 by Corwin

First Skyhorse Publishing edition 2012

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN: 978-1-61608-586-5

eISBN: 978-1-62087-521-6

Printed in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to a true
classroom legend, my coauthor and
close personal friend, David Scheidecker.

During the writing of our book, David was
suddenly and unexpectedly taken from us to
be with our Lord. David had a passion for life.
He was a loving husband to his wife, Kathy, a
devoted father to his children Kelly and Damian,
an avid sports fan (loved his Chicago White Sox),
and a truly inspirational and motivating
classroom instructor.

This book is a window into Davids world of
educational brilliance. David Scheidecker
defined: an educational LEGEND.

Mark Truckenbrod

W hen I first entered the hallways of Reed-Custer High School and met the principal, Bill Freeman, I knew I was standing at the door of an opportunity. Just a few years out of college with a sincere desire to grow as an educator, I was fortunate to have this door opened for me in the fall of 1992. His words spoke of greatness: of who we were and what we were to become. From his interactions with students to the way he conducted parent meetings, one never doubted that the mission of the teachers in his school was to invent the future of education. As a new teacher, I was surrounded by professionals who embraced current research and applied best practice with a genuine enthusiasm that is rare in any group of employees, much less in the field of education. And with any world class faculty, you have leaders who inspire leaders.

As I prepared to begin teaching that first year, I soon learned that there was a legendary teacher who inspired this legendary leader. Dave Scheidecker led the English Department and chaired the Teacher Mentor Program in addition to leading a state powerhouse speech program. Dave also had a passion for baseball and fishing. The first passion saw him as a coach for the Reed-Custer Class A state championship baseball team and the latter was the second door that opened for me as an educator. I will forever cherish the days that Dave and I spent on the lake perfecting our casts while reflecting on the craft of teaching. I learned about his family, his joys, and his fears. I also learned that he and Bill were writing a book together. When Dave spoke of the book, Bringing Out the Best in Students, he would often reflect on former students and colleagues who helped him experience the joy of teaching. And no name came up more often than Bill Freemans. Their devotion to doing what was best for students was infectious and inspiring. And while I had the good fortune to work on Bill Freemans staff and spend those lazy Sunday afternoons on the lake, I learned about legendary teachers through firsthand experience. Dave Scheidecker and Bill Freeman were servant leaders who practiced the craft of teaching with high expectations for themselves and those whom they served. Our faculty meetings were rich with inspiration and creativity. Capitalizing on our inherent gifts, they modeled two of the most critical qualities an educator can possess: high standards and an equally high level of support.

As demonstrated by the authors through their many years of service to the field of education, I was made keenly aware that the skills possessed by the legendary teacher are effortless and impactful. In the pages of this book, Bill Freeman and David Scheidecker offer the practices that distinguished them as legends to the thousands of students and faculty who had the honor of participating in their rich learning environment. Current students of the education profession and experienced teachers and administrators alike can find inspiration in the ideas and strategies that these two authors share in this wonderful book. Whether you are a student of Madeline Hunter or Robert Marzano, or an evaluator utilizing the ideas from Charlotte Danielsons work, you will find the pages of this book to reveal a practical approach to implementing best practices in the classroom. And it is these best practices from which true legends are born. Without a doubt, your exploration of this book will leave you and your protgs with a wealth of material to invent your own future.

As the years passed, giving each of us new opportunities, I had the great fortune of continuing to see Bill and Daves impact on the educational community. Dave served as the Indian Prairie School District 204 advanced placement coordinator in addition to teaching advanced placement English and leading the speech program at Neuqua Valley High School. In addition, he opened the innovative 204 Frontier Campus, developing and administering a program that serves high school seniors. Bill continued his work at the college level, mentoring future educators at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. Upon the announcement of their second collaboration, Becoming a Legendary Teacher: To Instruct and Inspire, I knew the educational community was about to celebrate another resource that speaks to the heart of teaching.

When news traveled of Daves passing in December of 2006, one could only grieve at the loss of the legendary teacher. When Bill Freeman and the hundreds of colleagues, students, and friends gathered for Daves memorial, we shared our many legendary stories and were deeply awestruck at the great depth of impact he had on those who had the honor of knowing him and his work. Bill Freemans completion of the legendary work that he shared with his friend and colleague should become a part of any educators essential reading. May you be inspired and continue to inspire.

Mark Truckenbrod
Associate Principal
Neuqua Valley High School
Naperville, Illinois

Defining the Legend

Everyone knows a legendthe teacher who is successful at bringing out the best in students, regardless of the location of the school, the diversity of the students, the conditions of the facilities, or the availability of resources. At least one legend can be found in every school. This is a book about the characteristics that define the legendary teacher, about how you can recognize and acknowledge those characteristics in teachers, and about how you can foster the development of those characteristics in yourself and colleagues. Throughout the book, you will find hundreds of examples and strategies for becoming a better teacherfor being a legend.