November 1, 2021

Dear Search Committee,

I am writing to recommend Dov Emerson for the position of middle school teacher at your school. I
first met Dov as a student in my English 375: Children’s and Young Adult Literature – Diverse
Books Matter course during the semester of fall 2020 and have since remained in contact with him.
From what I have seen in my course and in our local community, I believe Dov would make an
excellent addition to your faculty and offer much to your students. In particular, Dov brings his
knowledge and enthusiasm for teaching English Language Arts, a strong track record of engagement
with students, and an ability to work well with a variety of people.

Dov brings enthusiasm for teaching English Language Arts, and specifically excels when it comes to
questions of equity in young adult literature. In my course, Dov came each day with an eagerness to
consider challenging issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in class discussions. He
consistently offered helpful comments on readings, referring to specific passages in the novels and
making connections to historical and contemporary issues. In his papers, he artfully wove together
critical analysis, library research, and lived experiences as he investigated young adult literature. For
example, I was especially impressed with his paper on “The White Experience of Police Brutality in
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely” in which he considered the perspective of
Quinn in the novel alongside interviews with white male students on Hope College’s campus. Via this
project, Dov sought to understand barriers to anti-racism among white counterparts as presented in
the novel. Dov also showed leadership in my class by volunteering to host Dr. Erica Armstrong
Dunbar in a discussion on her book Never Caught: The Story of Ona Judge, young readers edition as
part of the NEA Big Read Lakeshore. His insightful questions for Dr. Dunbar added much to the
public presentation for students, teachers, and community members in our area.

Dov has a strong track record of engagement with students within and beyond the classroom. I
appreciate the concern Dov shows for kids that are often disregarded because of behavior or ability
and his interest in helping them thrive. In addition to his work with the Ottawa County Juvenile
Justice Institute and Camp Mak-A-Dream, Dov worked as a program director with the I AM
Academy in Holland, Michigan which focuses on empowering young Black people through
mentorship and community partnerships. Building on his final project in our course, Dov engaged I
AM Academy students in reading Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and
Ibram X. Kendi and used creative writing as a way to process their experiences. This project was met
with great applause as students learned, many for the first time, about systemic oppressions, the
impacts on their lives, and some ways forward.

Lastly, I would like to comment on Dov’s ability to work well with a variety of people. In my
observations, I have appreciated Dov’s friendly, relaxed demeanor and ability to make all people feel
welcome. As an educator, I believe students need to feel a part of a community, to feel welcome and a
sense of belonging, in order to learn. Dov creates such an environment through his thoughtful and
respectful interactions with others. In my course, he was able to engage well with a variety of students
to influence the quality of our class experience. I am certain he will do likewise in his future
classroom.
In sum, I highly recommend Dov for a teaching position at your school. I believe he will offer much
to your institution and your students. If you have any additional questions for me, please feel free to
contact me by email (postmamontano@hope.edu) or phone (616-395-7463).

Warmly,

Regan Postma-Montaño, PhD

Assistant Professor of English and Spanish Instruction