Samuelson Elementary School 3929 Bel-Aire Road Des Moines, IA 503 0 Decem!

er 9, 20 3 "o #hom It May $oncern% Ste&hen Brandt 'as my student teacher durin( the )all semester o) 20 3* +e 'as res&onsi!le )or &lannin( and teachin( music classes )or ,inder(arten throu(h )i)th (rades, and assisted 'ith the 'inter music &ro(ram* +e also &artici&ated )ully in all sta)) meetin(s, &ro)essional de-elo&ment sessions, and did all re.uired su&er-isory duties* Ste&hen dis&layed initiati-e and enthusiasm )or teachin( durin( his time at Samuelson* +e )ollo'ed the music curriculum outline, and de-elo&ed ori(inal strate(ies that hel&ed students im&ro-e their sin(in( s,ills, throu(h 'arm-u&s, ima(ery, modelin(, and &ro-idin( hel&)ul )eed!ac,* Ste&hen is an en(a(in( and moti-atin( &ersonality in the classroom* +is &re-ious e/&eriences ha-e e.ui&&ed him 'ith many inno-ati-e and e))ecti-e teachin( techni.ues* +e 'as one o) the )e' student teachers I ha-e 'or,ed 'ith, that 'as a!le to )i(ure out &ro!lems that students 'ere encounterin(, and .uic,ly thou(ht o) 'ays to hel& sol-e them* In &re&arin( )or the 'inter concert, he rehearsed the students as an e/&erienced &ro)essional* +is contri!utions to my classroom 'ere so -alua!le, that, at times, it seemed li,e I 'as 'or,in( 'ith a collea(ue, rather than a student teacher* +e inte(rated all ty&es o) acti-ities into his daily (eneral music lessons% sin(in(, instrument &layin(, mo-in(, listenin(, and literacy s,ills* +e ada&ted classroom mana(ement techni.ues that the students 'ere )amiliar 'ith, &lus de-elo&ed some ori(inal ones that match his o'n teachin( style* +e 'as al'ays ea(er to recei-e )eed!ac, and used it to im&ro-e his lessons* Ste&hen en(a(ed and moti-ated students 'ith a sense o) humor, 'hile also e/&ectin( their !est* I heard many &ositi-e comments )rom sta)) mem!ers on ho' 'ell he 'or,ed 'ith and related to children* +e de-elo&ed -ery &ositi-e relationshi&s 'ith students as indi-iduals* "he Samuelson 0BIS chec,-in system allo'ed him to !e a &ositi-e adult role-model )or se-eral students on a one-to-one !asis* +e also sou(ht out o&&ortunities to interact 'ith other students durin( transitional times and su&er-isory duties* I 'hole-heartedly recommend Ste&hen )or any music teachin( &osition* +e demonstrates a stron( commitment to teachin(, to children, and to music* I 'ould !e (lad to tal, in more detail a!out his .uali)ications* I) you ha-e any other .uestions, &lease )eel )ree to contact me at school 15 5-222-322 4 or home 15 5-53 - 5924* Sincerely, Michael 6ones Music "eacher, Samuelson Elementary School