Defining Teaching Excellence: The Characteristics, Practices and Experiences of Highly Effective Teachers

Common practices, techniques, strategies and wisdom of extraordinary teachers are revealed, discussed and summarized in their own words. The complete interviews of ten highly effective teachers are included along with chapters summarizing common themes. In it, these selected teachers discuss how they plan lessons, organize their classrooms, assess for mastery, manage student behavior, facilitate student-centered classrooms, guide students towards high order questioning / thinking and more.

"In a way, reading "Defining Teaching Excellence" is like learning about a group of Olympic gold medalists. It's intriguing to read about how people who are the absolute best at what they do actually think and work. With it's inspiring insights and practical ideas, this book has the potential to be immensely helpful to both novice and experienced teachers. It's possible it will also give parents of students a new appreciation for what these professionals make happen each day in their children's classrooms." - Donna Price, Lake Charles American Press

Dr. Keith E. Leger earned his Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Lamar University in 2014. He received both his Master of Education degree (1997) and Education Specialist degree in Administration and Supervision (1999) from McNeese State University. Dr. Leger earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University in 1993. He retired as a School Administrator in 2015 having also served as a Classroom Teacher, District Quality Supervisor and Federal Grant Director. Dr. Leger is a member of the National Beta Club Board of Directors, a lifetime member of Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana (APEL) and an active member of the American Evaluation Association. He served on the Louisiana Standards Review Steering Committee for English, Math and Science (2015-16) and is serving on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Minimum Foundation Program Task Force and the Louisiana Commission on Assessment Review and Use in Public Schools. Dr. Leger is a U.S. military veteran, father of four children and married to Jennifer. He is the owner and manager of High Quality Program Improvement & Evaluation (hqpie.com).