March7,2012 ToWhomItMayConcern: EmilyMeyeriscurrentlystudentteachingundermysupervisionatMerrillMiddleSchool,an InternationalBaccalaureateSchool,inDesMoines,IA.Sheisworkingina7thgradeLanguageA classroomwith120studentsinfourheterogeneouslygroupedclassesandtwoclassesofadvanced students. EmilyandIhavebeenworkingtogetherforsixweeks.Inthisbriefperiod,shehasshownmanypositive teachingqualities.Iwasfirstimpressedbyherinitiative.Withinthefirstweek,sheexpressedthedesire tostartonherbelltobellteachingtimeassoonaspossible;thiswasabeginningstudentteacherwho wastobewithmefor12weeks.Iwasimmediatelyimpressed.Duringthatsameweek,Emilyreadily spokeupwithquestionsaboutcurriculum,students,andprocedures;shehadideasforprojects. Withoutaskingme,shewouldredirectstudents,movethemwhenredirectiondidntwork,andspeak withthemwhentherewereissues.Shemadeapointoflearningnamesquickly.Manytimesshedaskif therewasanythingthatshecando.

Fromwritingawelcomelettertoparents,checkingassignments, exhibitingpapersaroundtheroom,preparingassignmentsforstudenthelpers,cleaningdesks,outdoor anddancesupervision,herinitiativecametomeimmediatelyasapositivefirstimpression. Emilyhasapassionforteaching.Again,askingtostartbelltobellassoonaspossibleshowedmeshe wasconfidentinherabilityandthatshewasnotjustgoingtositandobservemetoomuch.Shewanted todiveintothepoolandlearnhowtoswimwithoutmuchinstructionfromme.Shedlearnbydoing. AnotherelementthatshowsmeEmilyspassionisthatshedoesnotgiveuponstudents,butfinds alternativeassignmentsforthem,willworkpersonallywiththem,andencouragesthemtobe successful.Shesprinklesherlessonswithantidotesfromhereducationalexperienceswhichhelpsher relatewelltothestudents.IvegottenthefeelingthatEmilyhaswantedtobeateacherformanyyears andthisisagoalshesexcitedtoaccomplish. Managementofaclassroomissomethingthatevenexperiencedteachersdealwithonadailybasis. MerrillMiddleSchoolisaverydiverseschool,notonlyraciallyandethnically,buteconomically,socially, andeducationally.Therefore,classesareaninterestingmixofstudents.Sayingthat,ateachermust haveabagoftricksfordealingwithstudents.Emilyisworkingoncollecting,andpracticing,asmany strategiesaspossiblesothatherbagoftricksisasfullaspossible.Ifonestrategydoesntwork,she willtrysomethingelsethenextday.Shedoesntusetheonesizefitsallphilosophy,either.Shehad gottentoknowthestudentsaspeopleandworkstofindjustwhatwillworkbestforeachindividual student.HavingstudentsbeassuccessfulaspossibleissomethingEmilystrivesforinworkingwith students.EmilyestablishedherselfasTHEteacherandtookcontrolofclassesearly.Forexample,when thingswerentgoingbehaviorallyforoneclass,shespentthateveningwritingdownherclass expectationsandalsowhattheycouldexpectfromher.Thenextdayshesharedbothwithher students.Fromthatexperience,shedevelopedamorepositive,respectfulclassroomenvironmentand behaviorimprovedquitequickly.Inanotherclass,Emilywashavingtroublegettingastudenttobehave andcooperatewithher.Shespokewithhimmanytimes,hadprivateconferencesafterclass,moved

himtoanotherdesk;allthetacticsteachersusetomanageaclassroom.Afteracallhometodad,things startedtoimprove,andwhentheydid,Emilywroteapositive,organized,specificlettertothestudents momthatexpressedtheimprovementshownbythestudent.Thestudentcontinuestorespectand cooperatewithher. Asforalearningenvironment,Emilybelievesinvariety.Largegroupinstruction,smallgroups,gamesto checkcomprehension,artactivities,technology;herclassroomkeepsthestudentsengagedandontask. Shehasusednumerousinstructionalstrategiestoencourageherstudentstodevelopanunderstanding, makeconnections,andbuildskillstoapplyknowledgeinmeaningfulways.Oneofsuccessfulexample thatcomestomindwasthecreationofaJeopardygamecenteredonTheOutsiders,anovelstudents hadjustfinished.Asinitialpreparation,Emilywrotequestionsandanswers,setuptheactualJeopardy grid(withwebsitehelp),andthoughtoutrulesandguidelinesaheadoftime;shewasprepared,andthe gamewasenjoyedbyall. Finally,EmilyhasfitintoMerrillasaprofessional.Shehasparticipatedinweeklyprofessional developmentmeetingsandweekly7thgradeteammeetings.Herparticipationhasbeenthatofa patientlistener,butwhenwarranted,Emilywouldcontributeinamature,informedway. Emilyisanhonest,reliable,andcaringpersonwhotrulyenjoysworkingwithstudents.Ifeelthatshed doagreatjobasateacher. Sincerely, MaryHolwell MerrillMiddleSchool 5301GrandAve. DesMoines,IA50312 5152428448