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March 21, 2019
‘To Whom It May Concern:
‘This isa reference in support of Stephen Herrera. Ihave known Stephen for the past year asa student in three
cof my courses at Westminster Colege, and as his advisor in my capacity asthe Director ofthe Master of Arts
in Teaching Program. In the time that I have known Stephen, he has impressed me with his desire to make
‘connections between math and rel life in his curriculum and his active and collaborative participation in
classes,
rom the beginning ofthe progran, Stephen has demonstrated a clear philosophy of wanting to make math
accessible, challenging and engaging for students, He is constantly searching for ways to connect math to the
‘eal world and to students’ experience, Whether it is encouraging them to understand the unfavorable odds in
‘games of chance they might play, creating Order of Operations rap songs, or using statistics to answer the
‘question “Ami 1 Typical?” he makes math interesting and relevant to students, In one unit that he designed,
he asked students to put together ¢ financial and educational plan that focuses on reaching personal goals and
clisinatng frivolous spending. Srudents created budgets, made earnings projections and analyzed the pros
‘and cons of educational and financial investments, specific spending choices and the use of pay day loans. At
the end of the project, they creted a financial and educational map for their future, His lessons bring students,
‘deeper into math and he consisterly makes clear connections to real world applications.
Stephen was also a very active, thoughtful and positive contributor to our classroom community. He was
always well-prepared, brought excellent questions about new matetial, participated actively in discussions and
activities, and was thoughtful in hs responses to his colleagues. While not afta to voice a contending
position, he always did so respectfully. He was also very attuned fo the feelings of others, and frequently went
‘ut of his way to check in with peers who were facing challenges. This enthusiasm, collegiality and
dedication to being well prepared will serve him well in his role as a teacher.
Steven is «hardworking, dedicated and invested young teacher and I recommend him for a position at your
school. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at 801-832-2484 or at
bbatchelor@westminstercollege.etu,
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Heather Batchelor
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