Drake University Des Moines, Iowa December 2012 Dear Educator: I have been Jessica Burns student teaching

supervisor for a semester. She has had two placements. One was in a diverse fourth grade classroom, and one was in an ELL support room. I observed her many times in each classroom. Jessica brings a spark to learning. Students know immediately that she respects them and is their advocate. She enjoys the students and celebrates with them when they succeed. Her lessons are well planned, and she uses many strategies to engage students. Besides large groups, she uses pairs and small groups for collaborative learning. She follows the core with integrity and expands on it as needed. She has been able to do some formal assessments as well as the daily informal ones that she uses to guide instruction. Jessicas management style is calm and positive. She has high expectations for herself and for the children. She uses various types of reinforcement that help students to engage in their learning. Her fourth grade classroom had a diverse population that had several challenging students. She was able to meet their needs. She gets along well with colleagues and has participated in team meetings, staff meetings and all professional development. She has used the professional development to improve her lessons. She is reflective and seeks suggestions to be even better. She is very coachable and incorporates suggestions into her teaching. If you need further information or have questions, please contact me at 515225-2289 or 515-710-8566. Sincerely, Avon Crawford, Student Teaching Supervisor Drake University