I am pleased to recommend Melissa Sawyer for a teaching position in Language Arts. As a supervisor for Kent State University, I have worked with Melissa since October 2013, as she has completed her field experience and her student teaching. In that time, I have found her to be an excellent teaching candidate. Many college recommendations ask for the first words that come to mind when thinking about a person. Were I to apply that standard to Melissa, I would have to say that my choices would be knowledgeable, hard-working, and responsible.
Melissa is very knowledgeable about her subject matter. One of the first times I observed Melissa, she was teaching a rather obscure and relatively shallow Edgar Allan Poe story. She taught it well, but I was a bit disappointed in her selection of that story. When I asked her about it later, however, she explained that she was required to teach that specific story according to the curriculum map for the English 11 CP classes in the school where she was assigned. When I asked her what she thought about the story, she showed me an extensive understanding of story structure, elements of literature, and why some works are better than others. When I asked her what she would rather teach, she selected several of Poes more quality works. In other words, she knows American literature. I saw this same knowledge throughout her student teaching.
In addition to being dedicated, Melissa is very hard-working. She student taught in a school with a great deal of ethnic and economic diversity. She embraced that diversity, learned about her students, and enjoyed the differences that her students brought to the classroom. Because of the incredible number of snow days experienced by her district and all districts in Northeast Ohio this winter, she frequently had to made adaptations to lesson plans, assessments, and assignments. She did so willingly and efficiently.
Finally, Melissa is very responsible. She has a very easy rapport with her students and with the faculty of the school where she student taught. She not only accepts criticismshe welcomes it. Whenever I made suggestions, she listened, took notes, and thanked me for the feedback. Each time that I observed her, I could see her working consciously on the goals that we had set after our previous conference. She had an excellent relationship with her cooperating teacher.
I feel very comfortable in recommending Melissa. I have enjoyed working with her and watching her progress. I feel that she would be an asset to any school district. If you wish to contact me personally, please feel free to email me at arote@kent.edu or to call my home, 330-658-6496.