January 8, 2021

To Whom it May Concern:

It is with pleasure and enthusiasm that I recommend Kelsie Hutton for a teaching position in Early
Childhood education. I met Kelsie in the Fall of 2018 and was delighted to serve as her instructor at
Youngstown State University for Teacher of Education in Reading 2601 Reading Across the Content
Areas course, and again in Spring 2019 Teacher of Education in Reading 3702 Developmental
Reading Instruction. During this time, I witnessed and supported Kelsie growth from an
undergraduate student into a knowledgeable preservice teacher who is ready to become a classroom
teacher.

As Kelsie’s instructor, I can speak highly of her dedication to learning the theory and research linked
to the instructional strategies required in classrooms. For example, when explaining rationales to
support instructional decisions such as planning a Shared Reading lesson, Kelsie would make strong
connections to the course readings demonstrating why these instructional practices are effective in
classrooms. Kelsie also demonstrated the ability to plan literacy instruction based on an informal
quantitative word decoding assessments in which she identified two reading needs to work with her
students at her field placement within the Youngstown City School District.

Kelsie stood out among her peers in class and her coursework. It was evident that not only was she
completing all course readings, but she was able to connect theory to research during class
discussions and regularly when turning in assignments. Her knowledge, and dedication to the field,
was outstanding. Since my own transition to teaching for Kent State while earning my PhD, Kelsie
has remained in close contact with me. It is evident she has ambition to not only become a classroom
teacher, but a life-long learner dedicated to knowing more in the field. We need teachers like her in
our profession.

It is without hesitation that I recommend Kelsie for the teaching position she applied for. Any school
will be lucky to have someone as dedicated to teaching, professional, and ambitious as Kelsie.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Meghan Valerio, M.Ed.

mvalerio@kent.edu
Former Instructor in Reading Education, Youngstown State University
Instructor, ECED 40126 Developmental Reading and Writing, Kent State University
Doctoral Student, Curriculum and Instruction in Literacy, Kent State University

Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

P.O. Box 5190 • Kent, Ohio 44242-0001
Phone: (330) 672-2580 • Fax: (330) 672-3246 • www.kent.edu/ehhs/tlcs