March

24, 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

It gives me great pleasure to recommend Elizabeth Pittel for an English
teaching position at your school. I have known Elizabeth for almost two
years now, and she exhibits both a deep commitment to educating students
and the utmost professionalism in her encounters with her professors,
colleagues, and students.

Elizabeth is currently in a course with me for the fourth consecutive
semester. Last year, she took two undergraduate courses with me in English
language arts methods, and this year she has enrolled in two post-
baccalaureate courses with me about reflective and inquiry-based teaching.
My extensive time working with Elizabeth has allowed me to come to know
her as a well-rounded teacher who always considers her students identities
and needs when designing and implementing curricula. I remember
specifically a unit plan she designed around narratives and counter-
narratives. This unit asked students to think about how point of view effects
narration by engaging them in a range of texts from TED talks, to song lyrics,
to short stories, to full-length novels. Students were then asked to compose
dual-first person narratives of their own, which required them to draw on
narrative writing rhetorical conventions and to think and write from
multiple character perspectives. The depth and nuance in this unit really
allowed students to engage with and think deeply across multiple texts and
College of viewpoints. Students also participated in fishbowl discussions and writing
Education
workshops, two routines that centered student ideas as the driving force for
Teacher Education instruction. Im particularly impressed with the way Elizabeth plans for
instruction; she holds high expectations for students while also making sure
Michigan State to engage them by allowing them to bring their own experiences to bear in
University
620 Farm Lane, the classroom.
313 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
Perhaps what sticks out to me most, though, is the passion Elizabeth has for
517-353-5091 literature and teaching. She always brings considerable energy to her
Fax: 517-432-5092
education.msu.edu teaching and to her coursework with other teacher interns. Her commitment
to the subject area and profession assures me that she will continue to grow
as her career continues. She has already spoken with me about an idea she
has for starting a club that tackles issues of womens rights by providing a
space for students to explore ideas for promoting a positive school
environment for all, regardless of gender. I have no doubt that Elizabeth will
be fully invested in her future school community and will bring her passions
to the students, teachers, parents, and faculty with whom she works.

MSU is an affirmative-action,
equal-opportunity employer.

I truly believe that Elizabeth will make a positive impact on the students she
teaches and the teachers she works with, and I recommend her with full
confidence. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just
want to know more.

Sincerely,

Mandie Dunn
TE 804 Course Instructor
Secondary English Field Instructor
Michigan State University
404-630-2604
dunnmand@msu.edu