To Whom It Nay Concein:

It is my pleasuie to iecommenu Lauien foi the position of teaching miuule school

English. I have taught 8
th
giaue English at Chanulei School in Pasauena, a highly
iegaiueu inuepenuent school that giauuates stuuents who attenu iigoious acauemic
high schools. 0ui miuule school English piogiam pioviues a compiehensive
immeision in the aieas of liteiatuiepoetiy stuuies, vocabulaiy uevelopment,
giammai funuamentals, anu the wiiting piocess in both expositoiy anu cieative
expeiiences.

Let me uesciibe my piogiam so that you can bettei unueistanu the cuiiiculum that
Lauien has been exposeu to anu how she has been involveu. In the 8
th
giaue I teach
the novel !" $%&& ' (")*%+,-%./ pieceueu by a ieseaich pioject focusing on the
19Sus setting, a shoit novel 0.%1/.%)2, which also focuses on the 19Sus but in Nazi
ueimany; it offeis a paiallel examination of human iights issues. I also teach the
Shakespeaiean uiama 3"41" '+/ 56&%17. We ieau, explicate, anu act the entiie play in
class. We pay attention to chaiactei uevelopment, the intiicacies of the plot, the
laige themes, anu of couise, the poetic language. Anothei novel we unueitake %8
9"./ ": 721 0&%18 by William uoluing. Again, not only uo we examine chaiactei
uevelopment anu plot, but also the impoitant themes anu the skillful use of
symbolism. In auuition, I supplement the piogiam with specifically selecteu shoit
stoiies like "The Nost Bangeious uame," "Suckei," "An 0ccuiience at 0wl Cieek
Biiuge," anu "The Lotteiy," as well as a poetiy unit.

0ui stuuents aie exposeu to the Woiuly Wise vocabulaiy seiies in oiuei to expanu
veibal expiession. Likewise, the goal of the giammai stuuies is to teach them the
paits anu vaiiety of sentence stiuctuie to piomote cleai thinking anu wiiting. 0ui
stuuents wiite all yeai in a vaiiety of ways. I teach the essay wiiting piocess in
uepth. Stuuents aie shown how to iesponu to liteiatuie piompts thiough thesis
uevelopment, outlining, anu constiucting suppoiting paiagiaphs. We also wiite a
vaiiety of peisonal essays anu uabble in cieative pieces. This yeai we have initiateu
a uigital poitfolio that will showcase stuuent wiiting; each stuuent is uesigning anu
ueveloping the content of hishei own poitfolio.

Lauien has woikeu with me closely since Septembei. Last yeai as a wiiting fellow
in the 7
th
giaue, she leaineu the cuiiiculum anu assisteu the stuuents in ueveloping
wiitten expiession. She began this yeai with the same gioup, possessing familiaiity
with the stuuents' wiitten expiession anu with each one's peisonalitya gieat
auvantage foi me. She has been a boon in many ways. Lauien has helpeu me to
inuiviuualize wiiting iubiics to fit each assignment. She has been able to woik
alongsiue me to evaluate stuuent wiiting in content uevelopment, sentence
stiuctuie, anu mechanics. I know that she believes in a stiong wiiting piogiam anu
woulu auvocate foi its implementation no mattei wheie she teaches. In auuition,
she has lent hei computei savvy anu skills to post assignments anu assist with the
class website. She was a tiemenuous help in conveiting paits of my semestei exam
onto the Scantion methou, ultimately saving me many houis of giauing. Seveial
times she has uesigneu specific lessons to suppoit the oveiall instiuction, such as
methous of integiating quotes piopeily within a paiagiaph. Lauien possesses a
keen intelligence, excellent communication skills, anu takes initiative to get any job
uone piomptly anu efficiently. She loves kius but she also is a maivelous colleague
who fits in beautifully with oui faculty. 0ui school expects the faculty to leau
auvisoiy gioups, go on week-long outuooi eu tiips, sponsoi electives, coach teams
anu clubs, anu attenu any numbei of auuitional events. Lauien has been exposeu to
all of those expectations, even as a wiiting fellow. She has expeiienceu the complete
immeision into miuule school life.

Lauien possesses peisonal tiaits that make hei a stiong anu ueuicateu teachei.
Impoitantly, she loves teaching anu miuule school stuuents. She is a geneious spiiit.
Bei amiability, kinuness, anu appioachability geneiate a goou will to which the
stuuents iesponu positively. They aie veiy comfoitable as she woiks alongsiue
them, anu they often seek out hei assistance. She is exciteu in ieauing theii woik
anu offeiing feeuback. I can see that theii success is so impoitant to hei.

I look foiwaiu to woiking with Lauien foi the iest of this yeai anu fuithei utilizing
hei many talents. She has the makings of an excellent euucatoi.

Sinceiely,


Bonna Bietzka
English 8