Erickson Hall Email: okwakobe@msu.edu Telephone: 5172400483
To whom it may concern,
I am writing this letter highly recommending Abby Strietmann for the position she is seeking. I have had the pleasure of being Abbys instructor for two courses including TE TE 801/803, Professional Roles and Teaching Practice and TE 822, Issues of Culture in the Classroom and the Curriculum. Abby is an exemplary student and teacher who not only cares deeply for the children she teaches but also has a breath of knowledge of her subject matter, Biology. As a recipient of the prestigious Woodrow Teaching Fellowship, further speaks of Abbys academic capabilities and her passion and commitment for teaching students from all walks of life.
Abby has been an outstanding student in all areas, in class and at her field placement. For her yearlong internship, which is part of the requirement for her teaching degree here at Michigan State, Abbys placement was in an urban school where she gained a vast amount of experience teaching a diverse corps of students, in a challenging context. In the course of her internship, Abby had unique opportunities that helped develop her teacher identity. I have also been impressed by Abbys level of professionalism and passion for teaching. She is effective in managing her class just as she is in motivating and engaging all her students to learn the material. In this regard, both her mentor teacher and field instructor have spoken very highly of her.
As Abbys instructor, I can also attest to her high degree of scholarship. Through out the year, she displayed superior oral and written communication skills. She is indeed one of my outstanding students in this class. She is always enthusiastic and gives insightful comments during class discussions, especially those pertaining to student success. Abbys ability to clearly and concisely articulate complex concepts in a way that conveys her ideas and understanding of the course concepts, further speaks to the type teacher she is and will be. In addition to the above strengths, Abby is also a team player. She works very well with her peers in class. During communal assignments (which is very common in this class), her peers have had nothing but praise for her. She also has a good relationship with her mentor teacher and field instructor.
It is my pleasure to write this letter on Abbys behalf. If I can be of further help, or provide illustrations of her commitment to excellence, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for considering this letter and Abbys application.