April 22, 2016

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Ms. Patricia Esteves. Patricia has
been a student teacher in my second grade class at St. Jude Elementary for seven weeks. During this
time, she has capably taught a class of 12 students, including children with behavioural and special
needs. Patricia taught Language Arts to a cycle 1 French Immersion class of 19 students as well. Patricia
has been responsible for teaching Language Arts, Math, and Ethics & Religious Cultures.
Patricia's experience in Language Arts included teaching a highly engaging unit on the Pigeon series by
Mo Willems. This involved teaching a variety of picture book elements such as speech bubbles, use of
action lines, punctuation as well as a letter writing assignment. She completed this unit by developing
her own activities including a beautiful class book created by the students, a birthday party for Pigeon
and a letter to Mo Willems.
Ms. Esteves also spent time teaching a variety of lessons on adjectives which culminated in the creation
of a photo booth with a collection of peer created adjectives surrounding each student. This activity
also including writing friendly letters to each other. This activity encouraged a sense of belonging and
friendship for the students.
Ms. Esteves developed a Math unit on fractions . During this time she successfully planned and
implemented a variety of activities, lessons and evaluations. Her unit was creatively prepared,
implemented and included center work.
Patricia participated in extra-curricular activities by helping prepare the set for the school talent show
with other staff members. She also accompanied me in professional development workshops for Math
and Language Arts where she was an active participant and acquired valuable strategies for instruction.
She effectively incorporates technology into most of her lessons through use of the SMART board.
Patricia has a great rapport with the students she has worked with. The children developed strong
connections to Ms. Esteves and she will be greatly missed. I have found her to be open to new ideas and
suggestions. Patricia has successfully demonstrated her awareness of different learning styles and has
adjusted assignments to meet the varied needs of students.
I am confident that Ms. Esteves will be a valuable asset to any staff that she works with and I
recommend her without reservation. Patricia is professional, organized and creates thorough lesson
plans. She is reflective, knowledgeable, and has a passion for teaching. I believe that she will continue to
grow and become even more effective as a teacher with further opportunities. Please feel free to
contact me for more information at jennifer.howe@rsb.qc.ca.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Howe