Diane Aretz • Lecturer I

School of Education

April 15, 2022

610 E. University Ave.

Ann Arbor, MI 48109
dianeak@umich.edu

Dear Hiring Committee,

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation on behalf of MiKayla
Kasparian. I have worked with MiKayla since September of 2021 as both the instructor
of several of her key educational courses, and as as her field instructor, and consider
her to be one of the most competent and gifted students I’ve had the pleasure of work-
ing with. MiKayla is an exceptionally mature, confident and skilled educator; as adept at
designing engaging, meaningful learning experience as she is at maintaining a class-
room environment that feels safe, smooth, engaging, productive and joyful.

MiKayla began her year of student teaching already with considerable classroom expe-
rience, something that made her stand out immediately as someone with the confidence
and ease of a seasoned professional. MiKayla is masterful at managing a busy and
chaotic classroom environment; like a seasoned professional, she seems to have eyes
everywhere. Her classroom management expertise comes from setting clear expecta-
tions, careful lesson design, and the genuine caring relationships she builds with stu-
dents. There is no question when MiKayla is teaching that she is the adult in the room,
but there is also no doubt that she cares very deeply about her students, and treats
them equally with care, compassion, patience and gentleness. This care extends be-
yond the period of time that the students are in her classroom; she supports students in
their extracurricular activities, and has also been instrumental in connecting students
that she knew to to be struggling with life-saving mental health services.

In terms of her lesson plan design, MiKayla is incredibly skilled at creating engaging,
meaningful, thoughtfully sequenced lessons that are infused with purposeful learning
and social justice. Her 200-page unit plan for her methods course is one of the strong-
est that I have read in my years at the University of Michigan. The curiosity that MiKayla
inspires in her students is fueled by her own voracious curiosity; in her lessons, she
constantly pushes herself, and her students, to go deeper—whose perspective is miss-
ing? What critical question isn’t being asked here? The tasks she designs for students

610 East University Avenue, Suite or office number T: 734.560.3158

Ann Arbor, MI 48109 dianeak@umich.edu
 Diane Aretz • Lecturer I
School of Education
are always purposeful, and the IB lessons she designs are rooted in content and ques-
tions that are relevant to the lives of her diverse students.

In addition to being skilled lesson plan designer and extremely competent and effective
educator, MiKayla is also an exceptionally mature, thoughtful and solutions-oriented
communicator in her interactions with her mentor teacher, other school colleagues, her
classmates, and her university professors. She is able to raise questions, discuss ideas,
team build and strategize in a way that always feels positive and productive. She truly
embedded herself in the school and professional community at WIHI, exceeding expec-
tations for interns in many important ways. I cannot recommend her highly enough for
the teaching position at your school, and am very confident that she would be a tremen-
dous asset to your program.

Very sincerely,

Diane Aretz
Lecturer I

610 East University Avenue, Suite or office number T: 734.560.3158

Ann Arbor, MI 48109 dianeak@umich.edu