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4419 Center Street

Des Moines, Iowa 50312-2299
(515) 242-7272
Kathie A. Danielson, Principal Susanna M. Marcucci, Vice Principal Joseph M. Blazevich, Vice Principal Nancy J. Elliott, School Improvement Leader

Fax: (515) 242-7350

Jessica I. Gogerty, School Improvement Leader Julie A. Spencer, Registrar J. Kelley Hood, Activities Administrator Dona M. Adcock, Executive Secretary

March 14, 2013

To Whom It May Concern:

r am writing to give my highest recommendation to Caitlin Hawkins. I had the privilege of working with Ms. Hawkins for eight weeks in Spring 2013 when she was my student teacher for ninth-grade English at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Due to her pedagogical expertise, her content knowledge and lesson planning, and her rapport with stud,ents, I am confident that Ms. Hawkins will be a phenomenal educator.
First, I was extremely impressed with the pedagogical expertise that Ms. Hawkins demonstrated prior to even entering the classroom. Upon our initial meeting, she asked several questions, specifically regarding reading and writing strategies, classroom management and disciplinary procedures, and issues of urban education. It was very clear that Ms. Hawkins had strong background knowledge regarding effective strategies, expectations, and issues affecting diverse schools, and being able to discuss how such aspects of education were at play in my classroom and at our school as a whole was refreshing. Second, it was apparent from the very beginning that Ms. Hawkins knew her content and was a strong and effective lesson planner. When she first arrived, students were working on a research project, and Ms. Hawkins assisted students with every question they had. Following the research unit, we started studying Romeo and Juliet, and Ms. Hawkins took the reins almost immediately. In fact, [ had to offer very little guidance due to her excellence in content knowledge and lesson planning. In addition to having such strong organizational skills, engaging strategies, and high expectations, Ms. Hawkins proved to be a reflective practitioner and took all feedback and constructive criticism to heart, improving each lesson every time she taught it. Finally, Ms. Hawkins developed positive rapport with students while still exhibiting a strong command of the classroom. It was very clear from the very beginning that students liked Ms. Hawkins and felt that they could talk to her, joke with her, and get to know her. At the same time, there was never any doubt that they greatly respected her and that they thought of her as their primary teacher. Throughout the eight weeks that she was with me, Ms. Hawkins developed great control over the classroom, requiring students to do everything that was expected of them. If a student had her head down, Ms. Hawkins politely instructed her to sit up. If a student was on his phone, Ms. Hawkins asked him to put it away. If students were chattering with one another, Ms. Hawkins waited for them to cease their conversation so that she could teach the class.
It was such a pleasure getting to know and work with Ms. Hawkins for the eight weeks that she was my student teacher,

and my students and I are certainly sad to see her go. Based on her pedagogical expertise, her content knowledge, her rapport with students, and, most of all, her growth throughout her teaching experience thus far, I am confident that she will be a most excellent educator, and I would be honored to work with Ms. Caitlin Hawkins in the future.

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