April 6, 2013

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing this letter in support of Leah Joness application for a teaching position within your school district. Leah is an outstanding educator and would be a great asset to your staff. During the 2012-2013 school year, Leah worked as practicum student in my classroom at Warren G. Harding Middle School in Des Moines. As a SINA/PLAS school, we have high expectations for instruction and a student body which often presents both academic and behavior challenges to teachers. Leah stepped into this environment and was extremely successful in her role as a practicum student. During her time at Harding, Leah led several high-quality lessons, which she gave in both large group and small group settings. Leah worked hard to create engaging lessons using district curriculum and which were aligned to unit learning objectives. Leah also effectively monitored student progress through classroom formative assessments, which were then used to develop future lesson plans. Leah was effective not only in creating lesson plans, but in building strong relationships with students as well. Her calm demeanor and positive attitude allowed her to effectively manage the classroom and to create a learning environment in which students felt comfortable and were able to learn to the best of their abilities. Without hesitation, I would recommend Leah Jones for a teaching position within your district. She is a positive, professional educator who would make an excellent addition to any buildings staff. Please feel free to contact me with further questions. Jason Snow 6th Grade Literacy Warren G Harding Middle School Jason.snow@dmschools.org