Overall Reaction

If you would like to take a few minutes and reflect on your overall experience with participating in this blog and reading this book, please use this space.  However, this is not required.  I hope you all found this to be a beneficial experience, and you will consider keeping your book Seven Simple Secrets to refer to in the future.

Good luck in your future!

Secret of Motivation and Inspiration

Effective teachers do not bring their personal problems into their classrooms.  They just act as if everything is OK – even when it might not be.  If you were counseling beginning teachers, what suggestions from the chapter do you feel are the most relevant in guiding these teachers?  What are the reasons for your thinking? 

The Secret of Effective Discipline

The authors provide five statements that are attributed to being a better, more effective teacher.  Reflect on these statements and explain how they apply to your daily interaction with your students. 

The Secret of Professionalism

Reflect on yourself and your current experience thus far.  How do you feel about the professionalism you have demonstrated thus far?  Reflect on at least two important points shared in this chapter that may help you in improving or maintaining your professionalism as an educator. 

The Secret of Attitude

One point that the authors make is that negative teachers rarely see that quality in themselves.  If you were to ask your principal or colleagues about your attitude what do you think they would say?  No matter how positive our attitude, we can always reflect on how we might improve.  Utilizing the secrets shared in this chapter, what improvements might you consider making in the future?

The Secret of Instruction

The authors provide a list of eight tips to let you know your lessons are appropriately paced.  Look at the list and reflect on your teaching for the past few days.  How many of these tips do you think apply to your classroom?  Describe which ones you think apply and give examples.

The Secret of Classroom Management

How effectively do you feel you discuss and implement the rules of the classroom with your students?  After reading and reflecting on the secrets of this chapter, what changes do you foresee making when you have a classroom of your own?

The Secret of Planning

What were your thoughts regarding planning as you read this section?  How will the "secrets" you have read about planning influence your own instructional planning?

Introduction

I posted a bit about myself in the introductory blog which gave some of the guidelines, but I thought I would take a few minutes to expand on my original post.  I told you that I have been in education for almost 20 years.  However, I did not share any specific details about my experiences.  I spent most of the years of my career in the School District of the City of Erie.  I served as a classroom teacher, a literacy coach, and a reading specialist.  I have a passion for working with middle school students.  However, I have had lots of experience with young children because of my reading specialist experience.

Personally, I have been married almost 20 years and have two children, a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old.  We enjoy lots of outdoor activities including bicycling, hiking, and camping.  We have a black lab and a bichon frise who also love to be outside. 

I am looking forward to meeting each of you and learning more about you!

Welcome!

I am looking forward to working with you this semester!  My name is Mrs. Lisa Ciecierski, and I would like to begin by telling you a little bit about myself.  I was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania and was fortunate to attend Edinboro University for my both my undergraduate and my master's degree.  You have made an excellent choice in where to attend college and the degree you have chosen to pursue!  I have been in education for almost twenty years and strongly believe that teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs you can have.  Currently, I am finishing up my doctorate work at Kent State University.  I have finished my course work and am working on my comprehensive exams and will begin my dissertation phase soon. 

This blog will serve as a communication tool for you to reflect on your teaching experiences and what you read from "Seven Simple Secrets."  Being a reflective thinker is critical to being a successful educator so I hope this is a practice you will continue as you begin your teaching career.  Please begin this blog by introducing yourself.  Then, you may begin the first blog which focuses on the first chapter "The Secret of Planning."  You should post your initial response by the first due date and then respond to at least one student by the second due date.  Collaboration is an excellent way to learn and grow so feel free to become even more active in our discussions. 

I am looking forward to "hearing" from you!