Bemis Elementary School

3571 Northfield Parkway

Troy, Michigan 48084

Michael Cottone
Teacher
mcottone@troy.k12.mi.us

To Whom It May Concern:

I am very pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Eric Dennis. Eric was a long term guest teacher at
Bemis Elementary School during the 2014-2015 school year. As a fourth grade teacher Eric created a welcoming,
nurturing and engaging learning environment. The success of his students was a top priority and he handled ALL
challenges with a high level of care and professionalism. Over the course of the school year, Eric nurtured thinking
and learning in his classroom. He challenged his students to be active participants while being reflective on their
own learning process. Erics students flourished both academically and socially.
Eric quickly developed a positive rapport with the entire Bemis Elementary School community. He was very patient
and promoted open lines of communication in and out of the classroom. Eric showed great respect for all students
and his high expectations encouraged them to do their best. He anticipated situations that could possibly impede
student learning and provided smooth transitions between activities. Eric used a variety of instructional strategies
and addressed the diverse learning styles of all children. He was actively engaged in helping Bemis Elementary
develop itself as a Culture of Thinking and he consistently integrated 21st Century tools (Google Drive, iMovie,
Weebly, Twitter, etc). Additionally, Eric had the opportunity to learn with the Bemis Elementary School staff and
work directly with the author of Cultures of Thinking, Dr. Ron Ritchhart. The students and staff looked forward to
working with Eric each and every day.
Eric is passionate about the thinking and learning process and has fostered that great characteristic in his students.
He has familiarized himself with the fourth grade curriculum and consistently developed meaningful and exciting
lessons. Eric has facilitated and nurtured student thinking. He exemplifies a passion for teaching and a sincere
commitment to the success of his students. Eric was able to foster the learning of his students while also
supporting the special needs of an individual student that was new to Bemis Elementary School. This child brought
new challenges each and every day but Eric thrived as a result.
Eric Dennis will be a very inspiring teacher and I highly recommend Eric Dennis for a teaching position.
Furthermore, Eric possesses the skills necessary to relate well with both students and adults. Eric will be an
outstanding educator and a positive addition to any learning community.

Respectfully,

Michael Cottone