January 15, 2020

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my pleasure to write this letter recommending Mara VanDeBerg for the opportunity to teach at your
school. I remember two years prior, having Mara in class for the first time. Since then, I have gotten to
know her well through the four courses that she has taken from me and, most recently, working as her
supervising teacher for her year-long student teaching residency. There are many qualities that Mara
possesses that will set her up for success as a teacher!

Mara works hard to meet proficiency in her coursework for the sake of her own learning and so she can
be effective with her students. She is excellent at meshing her learning from various courses, which
helps her learn the material at a deeper level and allows her to be flexible in her thinking about a wide
range of topics.

Many of the qualities that administration looks for in their teaching candidates, Mara already
embodies. Meeting deadlines is something that she does consistently. She also approaches challenges
with a growth mindset and is very open to feedback. A recent example of this is when I shared a book
with her that I thought would be helpful in her finding that fine line of when to help students and when it
is appropriate to let them struggle through the learning a little bit more on their own. A few weeks later
when we met together, she had already investigated purchasing the text. She is reliable, consistent,
hardworking, and responsible, which we know are key characteristics indicating future success as a
teacher!

Mara shows not only a deep level of understanding of the content but also how to apply that learning in
real scenarios and with real students. Something that makes her stand out from many of her peers is how
she constantly makes connections to the students she works with and what she is learning. She has
thrived student teaching in a placement in a Brookings school where she works with diverse learners and
has transferred her understanding into action and application with ease.

I am confident that her warm personality, growth mindset, and strong communication skills would make
her a natural fit within any staff. Also, her mastery of content, classroom management, ability to form
relationships, and her willingness to keep growing and learning will set her up for success in the
classroom. Thank you for considering Mara as a possible teaching candidate.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Kindra Schneider
Dakota State University - Instructor
605-770-4317
Kindra.Schneider@dsu.edu