May 16, 2018 To Whom It May Concern: This letter of recommendation is written for Christine Languerand, a middle school math teacher at Craftsbury Academy. I have been privileged to serve as a math coach in Christine’s 7" and 8" grade classes this year. I have taken data for each class observed, and I had many professional conversations pertail struction. Over the course of this school ing to instruction, planning, an¢ year, Christine’s instruetional practice has blossomed, and the results have been a demonstrable impact on student learning. The purpose of this letter is to share some of my observations about how she has, in fact, impacted student leaming through responsive and reflective professional practice. Christine's classes are homogeneously grouped, which means that she is responsible for meeting a wide range of student needs while ensuring that the CCSS are satisfied. Students in her classes range from conerete to abstract and from reticent to rambunctious. As a result of this diversity, Christine recognized early on that she would need to develop effective strategies to engage her students in the learning of mathematics and to differentiate to their unique needs. Over the course of the year, Christine developed differentiated units and activities for groups of students, providing them with opportunities for choice, challenge, and collaboration, Christine's instruction includes open-ended problem solving tasks that provide access to students at every skill level. Because of this, students engage with the math because they are interested, not just because it is the assignment, Moving among the different groups as the workshops progress, students are frequently heard engaging in rich conversations about the math at hand. Christine engages with the groups, offering support and probing questions as they work through the tasks. Because she has a strong understanding of the math beyond her own grade levels, Christine works to build the crucial prerequisite skills for success in high school math courses. Graphing can be a difficult concept for students. Christine responded to this understanding by creating lessons that, developed the conceptual understanding of slope as an expression of linear change. When they were finished, simple graphic representations that signified these understandings were posted prominently in the hall outside the classroom. During the period before December break, Christineengaged her students in a gingerbread house project that challenged students to design and construet their houses within mathematical constraints, such as surface area, volume, and cost factors. In the process, students created 2-D designs and joyfully calculated measurements and budgets while collaborating with their partners on the planning, This teacher-designed integrated unit masterfully challenged students to apply their understandings of a variety of Common Core Standards, and students rose to the challenge of implementing their designs, On another occasion, students were working on the Skeleton Tower problem, grappling with finding the mathematical patterns and rules that would allow them to predict the number of cubes in any height of tower. So, what has been the impact of Christine's instruction on student learning this year? For one thing, student engagement in math has steadily increased throughout the year. Christine’s classroom is abuzz the rich work of mathematics. Students persevere though some of the most challenging problems, and they are willing to grapple with finding and sharing their diferent approaches. As a result, all students in Christine’s classes are able to participate successfully and demonstrate academic growth and success in math class. Regardless of how students feel about their own. abilities to do math upon entering 7" & 8" grade math, students leave knowing that their perseverance and effort will lead to their own success. In other words, Christine’s instructional practice fosters growth mindsets and a love of mathematics. For young adolescents, the middle grades are an important period for identity development. Christine's students experience many well- cared successes in her classes. They also leave with confidence in their own abilities to do math; they have become mathematicians, Sincerely, MVirucce x a Monica Cross Instructional Coach Craftsbury Schools & Hardwick Elementary Schoo!