To Whom it May Concern,

My name is Jeanette Auberry and I am an eighth grade Social Studies teacher at Rhodes

Junior High School in the Mesa Public Schools District. I have been teaching within the district

for two years and have enjoyed every minute of it. Overall, I have been teaching for three years

both within a middle school or junior high school. My teaching philosophy is that I believe

students learn best when they feel that they are in a safe environment that is filled with

confidence, belief, and laughter. I have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to technology

integration in the classroom. The students have access to all of their classwork through Summit,

an online student resource that is used within the school and the district. Along with that, each

team of teachers and students use Google Classroom and Google Drive to access schedules,

rosters, and class topics for the day. Most of the presentations given in class are also made online

and are given to the students through access with Google Classroom and Summit.

I believe that project based learning is an essential strategy to be used within every

classroom. Project based learning uses real world scenarios, problems, and challenges to be able

to help students gain knowledge and skills that continue to increase. Project based learning

increases students’ ability to make their own decisions, perform reasearch on their own, as well

as review their own projects in addition to other students. Students will be able to do this by

problem solving, teamwork, self management and critical thinking. I believe that by using

project based learning, you are preparing students to be able to adapt to the “real world” more

successfully. Students can continue to use the things they learned with project based learning in

further education or in the job world.

Our mission at Rhodes is “Rhodes Junior High School will create an environment that promotes

learning, self discovery, and the development of a positive self-concept. We will provide

opportunities for students to realize their talents, strengths, and passions through exposure to

diverse experiences and mindsets. We will foster ongoing collaboration with the community to

cultivate empowered citizens”. Rhodes is a school that is extremely diverse in terms of student

populations as well as teachers. We are a public school that houses seventh and eighth grade

students. In total, the student population is approximately nine hundred students. Within these

students, there is an incredible diversity in backgrounds in all aspects. Rhodes’ student

population of nine hundred is made up of seventy-six percent of students coming from low

income families. In terms of gender, Rhodes is made up of fifty-one percent male students and

forty-nine percent female students. When it comes to race/ethnicity, our school is extremely

diverse including over seven different races/ethnicites. The population is made up of: fifty-eight

percent Hispanic, twenty-six percent White, six percent American Indian/Alaska Native, six

percent Black, one percent Asian, one percent that is represented in two or more races, and one

percent Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander. In terms of teachers and staff, there are approximately

twenty students to every one teacher, which is under the state average of 21.1 students to every

teacher. From looking at these numbers, one can see that Rhodes is a school of diversity and

inclusion for all students. It is a school that does what they can to make sure every student is

given the same experience in the classroom no matter their situation outside of the classroom

walls. Rhodes truly is a school that lives up to thier mission statement by providing necessary

tools and resources for all students to better develop themselves as not only students but as

members of society as well.

 Thank you for your time, I hope you consider all of these factors when making your

decision. All the best,

Jeanette Auberry