To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Henry Harper and I am a seventh grade social studies teacher at Shaw
Middle School in Spokane, Washington. I am extremely excited to be able to write a letter of
recommendation for Allison Malm. I was fortunate enough to work with Ali in her role as a
paraeducator for several months before her student teaching, and I have nothing but positive
things to say about her skills and disposition in the classroom.
Ali and I worked together during two class periods in the morning. These two classes
had students with a wide variety of learning styles and needs, including but not limited to:
English language learners, oppositional defiance, learning disabilities, and studentsn receiving
behavior interventions. This is on top of the vast majority of our students receiving free and
reduced lunch and having high amounts of trauma. Ali was able to work with each of these
students as an individual, building a relationship with them and using the knowledge gained
from that relationship to meet their needs inside the classroom.
In the more difficult of our two classes together, most days had Ali taking a group of two
to five students and working with them in an environment where they could receive more
individualized instruction. The time that these students worked with Miss M. saw their grades
rise and their engagement increase massively. She treated these students, like all the students
she worked with, fairly. Soon, word spread of her small group and many students were asking to
go work with Miss M.
Ali was a joy to have around as a co-worker, but what sold me was how she dealt with
our students of highest need. She always let each day be a new day and never held a grudge
against a student for their poor behavior the previous day. She was keen at adapting on the fly
when a lesson would not work for a particular group, and I had complete trust in her to deliver
the lessons I designed in the small group with her own personal touch. I cannot recommend her
highly enough for any classroom job.
Please do not hesitate to call me with any questions about my experiences with Ali
Malm.

Henry Harper
Shaw Middle School
7th Grade Social Studies
541-543-8998 (cell)
HenryH@spokaneschools.org