Granite Evergreen Junior High School Sree ae 3401 South 2000 East Main Office 385-646-5164 Sat Lake City Utah 841092534 TAX 3E5 46-5165 To Whom It May Concer: It is my pleasure to write a letter of recommendation for Abby Mietchen, my student teacher for the past six months ‘Abby consistently demonstrated knowledge of learners and their development. She came to my classroom with experience teaching a fifth grade class, which served her well when it came to scaffolding, using clear language, and defining vocabulary and made her instruction accessible to students, Her consistency in expectations and procedures created a safe environment for learning and limited behavioral problems. She endeavored to know students as individuals, greeting them as they entered the classroom and establishing good rapport with them. Further, she was always willing to regrade work for a higher score or to tutor students who needed help individually. Abby's awareness of her students’ individual needs also enabled her to differentiate their assignments appropriately; in fact, approaching all instructional opportunities with their needs in mind was one of Abby's greatest strengths asa teacher. The Core drove all of Abby’s lessons, and her knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals was thorough. Aided by her excellent organizational skills, she created daily lesson plans that addressed specifics of the Core with definite learning objectives. These clear objectives led her students to better accomplish learning tasks. In addition, her record keeping (using both Canvas and Granite’s gradebook system) allowed students to take responsibility for their own learning, as they were always up-to-date on past and future lessons and able to download materials from her website, Most importantly, Abby ‘guided students to make connections with their learning and encouraged extensions to build critical thinking skills. This ability was evident in the unit on Holocaust literature she developed for her eighth grade students. She employed a variety of strategies, including direct teaching, peer evaluation, pair brainstorming, video clips, artistic connections, and free writes, to underscore Core standards and engage her students at the same time. In addition, Abby has a keen grasp of the art of teaching. Besides the variety of teaching methods that made the content of her lessons interesting and relevant to students, she also had an arsenal of behavior management interventions, from moving around the classroom to handling the meltdown of 504 student. Abby also understands lesson design, including the importance of activating prior knowledge, using advanced organizers, reviewing material, conducting formative assessments, and reteaching concepts as necessary. She was always receptive to suggestions, never taking offense and acting on them appropriately, and she was able to bounce back from hard days, embracing the ‘opportunity to learn from each experience, Finally, Abby was professional in her dress, demeanor, and dealings with parents. She radiated an aura of positivity, enthusiasm, and warmth. With the Evergreen staff, she was interested, reciprocal, and collegial, and with parents, she conducted herself with confidence and competence, handling conferences and other communications with aplomb. Animated and intelligent, Abby brought a lively personality and a thorough professionalism to her teaching. ‘Abby is passionate about education and the possibility of being a positive force in students’ lives. She is a creative and dedicated teacher who will continue to seek opportunities for personal and professional development, Any school would lucky to add Abby Mietchen to their staff. She is the kind of teacher our profession needs, Granite Schoo! District + 2500 South State Street « Salt Lake City, Utah 84115-3110Granite SCHOOL DISTRICT Sr hon ong Evergreen Junior High School Main Office 385-646-5164 3401 South 2000 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84109-2934 FAX 385-646-5165 Sincerely, ee CAG ae ‘Nancy M. Crockett English Teacher Evergreen Junior High Granite Schoo! District + 2500 South State Street + Salt Lake City, Utah 84115-3110