ToWhomItMayConcern: Mr.DougPetersontaughtattheEastKentwoodFreshmanCampusinKentwoodPublicSchoolsasa9thgrade ProjectBasedLearning(PBL)Biologyteacher.Hetaughthereaspartofhisthirtysevenweeksecondary studentteaching(fellowship)experienceduringthe20122013schoolyear. DougstartedtheyearoffteamteachingwithmeinBiology,andtookoverallclassesinthenewsemester (February2013).ThelearningenvironmentthatMr.Petersonscreatedinhisclassroomwasfullof encouragement,exploration,discussion,positiveinteractions,andhumor!Fromdayonewithme,Doug establishedstrongrelationshipswithallofthestudentsashequicklylearnedtheirnamesandinterests,which allowedthemtorespectMr.Petersonastheirteacher.Heimmediatelybegancreatingandimplementing developmentallyappropriateinstructionthatincorporatedalllearnersstrengthsandneeds.Hisrespectforthe diversepopulationofstudentswasevidentinhisdailyinteractionsandconversations.Mr.Petersonstruggled earlyonintheareaofclassroommanagement,butmadeitadailyfocustoimprovethisaspectofhisteaching throughouttheyear.Throughhispersistentrevision,reflectionandimplementationofnewclassroom managementstrategies,Doughasestablishedeffectiveroutines,proceduresandmaintainedorderandan enjoyablelearningenvironment.Duringobservations,itwasevidentthatMr.

Petersonsgreatestprioritywas studentengagement,involvementandunderstanding. OneofMr.Petersonsstrengthsisorganization.DougplannedforandtaughtfiveBiologyclassesduringhis thirtysevenweekexperiencewhereheregularlydemonstratedskillandknowledgeinthepreparationand planningfordailylessonswasevidentthroughouttheyear.Healsohasaverystrongunderstandingofeffective planning,alwaysincorporatingstrategiesandskillsthatwillhelphisstudentstobesuccessfulcontributorsin theircommunities.Mr.PetersonimplementedasuccessfulPBLunitonCellDivisionwherestudents developedandtaughtthecontentofthisunitinaninteractiveformattoMiddleSchoolstudents.Thisunit (amongothers)involvedstudentsinavarietyofveryengagingandhandsonactivitiesthatallowedhisstudents learningtocometolife.Mr.Petersonalsoincorporatesvastsamountsofdigitaltechnologiesinhisdaily lessonsincludinginvolvingiPads,SmartBoards,netbooksandtaughtmostofhisschooldaywith1:1 computing,whichemphasizeshisaptitudewithtechnology.AllofMr.Petersonslessonswerewellalignedto CommonCorestandardsandweredifferentiatedtothespecificneedsofhisstudents.Assessmentwasan integralpartofhisinstructionandplanningaswell.Mr.Petersonusedbothformativeandsummative assessmenttohelpinformhimonhowtoproceedwithfuturelessons.Hewasalwaysverythoughtfulinhow heinteractedwithhisstudentsduringinstruction.OneofMr.Petersonsgreateststrengthswaslinkingstudent learningtodailylifesomethingmanyScienceTeachersstruggletodo. Professionalineveryway,Mr.Petersonisanaturalteacherwhostrivestoensurestudentsuccess.Henot onlyworkedlonghoursinplanningandpreparationforhisinstruction,butwasalsobusytakingMasters classesatthesametime.Mr.Petersonwaseagerforconstructivefeedbackinordertoimprovehispractice. Heisastrongleader,onethatwillbeafantasticadditiontoanydistrict.Heparticipatedinmanyschool activitiesthroughoutthesemester:universityprofessionaldevelopmentdays,staffanddistrictmeetings,field triporganizer,projectplanningandimplementation,andparent/teacherconferences.Mr.Petersonisabsolutely acommittededucatorwhowillgoaboveandbeyondwhatisrequiredtoensurehisstudentslearningisa priority.Lastly,inthe20122013schoolyear,Dougdidnotmissonedayofschool,demonstratinghis commitmenttohisjob,thestudentsandasolidworkethic. Dedicated,flexible,andfullofintegrityarebutafewwordsthatdescribeMr.Petersonsnumerousqualities.He willbeawonderfulassettoanyeducationalinstitution.Itismygreatpleasureandhonortohighlyrecommend

Mr.DougPetersonforaBiology/EnvironmentalScienceTeachingposition. InEducation,

AlanMPFreudigmann BiologyTeacherGlobalTech21 EastKentwoodFreshmanCampus 6162384731 alan.freudigmann@kentwoodps.org