May 2, 2021

To whom it may concern,

I am writing this letter to recommend Alyssa Smith to you. I have known Alyssa since August of 2020 when she
took the PS I courses and was an assistant teacher in the lab school for a semester. Then I worked with her more
closely in the spring of 2021 when she took ECE 488: Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education at South
Dakota State University. I observed her within a teaching capacity as I am a Mentor Teacher at the SDSU Preschool
Laboratory. Alyssa was involved with the Morning Four and Five-Year-Old Lab for her student teaching experience
(13 children).
Alyssa excelled as a student teacher. She interacted well with the children by getting down to their level and asking
them questions to enhance their learning. She listened to the children, incorporated their interests, and provided
developmentally appropriate activities. Her lesson plans were thorough and included all parts of child development.
The children enjoyed and were actively engaged in the activities. She also incorporated an in-depth study on
storytelling based off the children’s interests with another student teacher. The children created a book and they
shared what the children learned with the families at our virtual Celebration of Learning.
Alyssa’s communication skills were well developed. She interacted with the families in a very comfortable manner
and included them in their children’s education. She made virtual home visits with the families to get to know the
children before preschool started and created weekly newsletters, sent emails, and sent updates via Seesaw (a
communication app for classrooms) to keep the families informed. She also conducted parent/teacher conferences
and created a virtual Celebration of Learning to show families what the children accomplished throughout the
semester.
Alyssa was punctual and contributed to class and staff discussions on a regular basis. She also interacted well with
her colleagues. She took on leadership position with her assistant teachers. She could switch between a leader and a
follower role depending on what the task and situation required. She was always willing to lend a hand and go the
extra mile when needed.
My interactions with Alyssa were extremely positive. She had an easygoing and approachable personality. She was
professional, warm, and friendly. I highly enjoyed working with her and would love to do so again in the future. She
has a natural disposition for working with children of all ages and would be an excellent addition to any school. I
highly recommend Alyssa for any position that will allow her to work with children in developmentally appropriate
ways.
Sincerely,

Laura Gloege, M.S.

Coordinator of the SDSU Preschool Laboratory as well as Lecturer & Mentor Teacher in Early Childhood Education
Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Department
Pugsley Center 133, Box 2218, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007
(605) 688-6477 (Work), (605) 691-4575 (Home), (605) 688-5797 (Fax), Email: Laura.Gloege@sdstate.edu