Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Drew
1004
Troon
Highland,
Michigan
48357
(248)
762-7916
January
17,
2015
To
Whom
It
May
Concern:
Kaitlyn
Diller
has
been
a
Michigan
State
University
intern
in
my
third
grade
classroom
at
Pine
Knob
Elementary
during
this
2014-2015
school
year.
Kaitlyn
teaches
24
students
of
diverse
learning
abilities
and
from
various
socio-economic
backgrounds.
The
socio-economic
backgrounds
range,
with
many
students
receiving
free
or
reduced
lunch
and
Blessings
in
a
Backpack
to
sustain
their
need
for
nutritious
food
over
the
weekend.
As
educators,
we
understand
all
too
well
how
teaching
encompasses
so
much
more
that
the
title
suggests,
and
Kaitlyn
goes
above
and
beyond
this
year
to
challenge
and
meet
the
varying
needs
of
each
student.
Kaitlyn
is
planning
and
teaching
many
of
the
subjects
in
my
classroom
and
I
am
able
to
see
her
develop
a
curriculum
plan
in
reading,
writing,
word
study,
math,
and
currently
social
studies.
She
competently
prepares
lessons
in
a
logical
sequence,
with
clear
objectives
that
take
into
consideration
students
different
learning
styles.
Her
lessons
are
always
completed
prior
to
the
week
she
teaches
them.
She
is
efficient
and
organized.
During
reading
workshop,
Kaitlyn
administered
Developmental
Reading
Assessments
to
students
and
was
able
to
identify
their
reading
level
as
well
as
strengths
and
areas
that
needed
improvement.
During
our
various
reading
units,
she
follows
the
workshop
model
and
format
and
effectively
focuses
on
the
teaching
point
of
the
day.
She
confers
individually
with
students
to
reinforce
the
concept
they
are
focusing
on
and
uses
this
knowledge
to
understand
which
students
need
re-teaching
or
reinforcement.
Kaitlyn
encourages
students
to
internalize
the
lessons
and
themes
of
the
books
we
are
reading
and
how
they
apply
to
our
real
world
as
well
as
our
own
personal
lives.
She
actively
charts
the
strategies,
as
well
as
students
discoveries,
to
promote
visible
thinking.
Kaitlyn
successfully
completed
her
first
unit
in
reading
that
focused
on
building
character
traits
and
how
characters
change.
At
the
end
of
the
unit,
she
challenged
each
child
by
engaging
students
in
a
technology
assessment
by
utilizing
Voki.com,
a
program
where
students
were
able
to
bring
their
character
to
life
by
presenting
a
speech
from
their
perspective.
They
presented
their
project
and
were
excited
by
this
alternative
form
of
assessment.
Kaitlyn
is
currently
running
varying-leveled
book
clubs
during
reading
workshop
and
students
are
excited,
motivated
to
read,
and
eager
to
meet
with
their
book
club
members.
Kaitlyn
is
currently
planning
and
teaching
writing
workshop.
Again,
she
follows
the
workshop
model,
and
gives
clear
and
concise
teaching
points
while
demonstrating
her
expectations.
During
workshop,
she
confers
individually
with
students
to
help
them
become
better
writers.
During
the
publishing
phase,
students
worked
on
Chrome
Books
and
learned
how
to
send
her
their
work
on
Google
Docs.
Kaitlyn
helped
them
with
their
editing
and
the
technology
process.
Kaitlyn
modeled
and
promoted
inquiry
during
our
math
units.
She
is
transitioning
with
the
staff
in
our
implementation
of
math
workshop.
She
is
motivated
to
attend
workshops
and
professional
development
on
the
procedures
and
expectations
for
the
workshop
model.
Kaitlyn
has
worked
hard
to
develop
launching
questions
to
help
challenge
the
students.
She
continually
assesses
the
students
to
help
guide
her
future
lessons.
She
creates
homework
that
aligns
with
the
common
core
and
reinforces
the
concepts
students
discover
and
learn
about
in
class.
She
circulates
the
room
and
provides
continual
feedback
to
the
students.
She
also
provides
challenges
for
students
who
quickly
grasp
concepts.
Kaitlyns
strength
is
her
ability
to
differentiate
a
lesson
to
meet
the
needs
of
many
different
learners.
Kaitlyn
quickly
built
a
strong
rapport
with
the
students.
She
was
there
setting
up
the
classroom
with
me
in
August
and
was
present
at
Meet
and
Greet
to
welcome
parents
and
students.
It
soon
became
the
norm
that
the
students
had
two
teachers
instead
of
one.
The
students
trust
her
and
feel
comfortable
coming
to
her
to
ask
questions
and
to
share
personal
things
about
themselves.
Kaitlyn
effectively
communicates
with
our
families
by
writing
and
sending
out
e-blasts
on
a
weekly
basis.
If
there
were
a
concern
or
problem,
she
contacts
the
parents
and
makes
them
aware
of
the
situation.
Parents
respect
her
and
view
her
as
a
professional.
Kaitlyn
had
the
opportunity
to
observe
and
participate
in
fall
conferences,
and
I
feel
confident
in
her
ability
to
take
the
lead
in
our
spring
conferences.
She
is
eager
to
hear
feedback
from
me
and
is
reflective
about
her
teaching.
She
genuinely
wants
to
be
the
best
teacher
she
can
be.
Kaitlyns
classroom
management
is
seamless
and
embedded
in
everything
she
does
in
the
classroom.
Her
expectations
are
clear
and
she
addresses
student
inattention
and
misbehavior
thoughtfully
and
consistently.
She
utilizes
a
classroom
behavior
management
system
and
integrates
the
7
Habits
of
Leader
in
Me.
Kaitlyn
has
organized
a
seating
chart
for
most
of
the
school
year,
taking
into
consideration
the
behavioral
challenges
of
students
and
where
they
should
sit
for
a
more
productive
learning
environment.
She
draws
on
the
unique
gifts
and
talent
of
students
to
be
mentors
and
role
models
for
others.
She
uses
proximity
to
deter
distraction
and
misbehavior
in
students.
Mostly,
her
relationships
with
the
students
and
them
knowing
she
cares
for
them
ultimately
makes
them
want
to
behave
and
do
well.
Kaitlyn
is
a
professional
in
the
true
sense
of
the
word.
She
is
on
time
and
present
for
every
meeting.
She
has
built
a
positive
rapport
with
the
staff,
students,
and
parents
of
the
Pine
Knob
Elementary
community.
She
has
built
a
relationship
of
trust
and
respect
with
the
students,
where
they
feel
safe
to
take
risks
and
participate
in
class.
Kaitlyn
has
become
part
of
our
school
community
by
volunteering
to
be
a
celebrity
waitress
to
help
raise
money
for
PTA,
and
helping
out
at
our
beginning
of
the
year
Ice
Cream
Social,
being
a
committee
member
for
our
schools
Academic
Service
Learning
Project,
and
by
attending
all
of
our
Cultures
of
Thinking
meetings
and
Professional
Development.
Kaitlyn
is
clearly
committed
to
elementary
education
and
being
part
of
a
school
community.
She
has
a
great
deal
to
offer
a
school
and
her
new
classroom.
I
am
confident
Kaitlyn
is
highly
qualified
for
an
elementary
teaching
position.
Sincerely,
Lisa
Drew
Third
Grade
Teacher
Pine
Knob
Elementary
Clarkston
Community
Schools