THE

UNIVERSITY
OF UTAH URBAN INSTITUTE FOR TEACHER EDUCATION

College of Education, 1721 Campus Center Drive Rm 2260 Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 801.581.7158 FAX 801.581.3609

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

For: Kevin Engberson

By: Linda Sorensen, Ph.D.
Date: March 27, 2017

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter on behalf of Kevin Engberson. I have interacted
closely with Kevin over the past year in my role as his secondary cohort leader at the University of Utahs
Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE). I have also served as his direct supervisor, which has
afforded me the opportunity of observing him as a student teacher in his site classroom periodically over
the course of the 2016-17 school year.

One of Kevins strengths is his thorough preparation for each class period. He regularly begins
with a starter activity, which is already written on the Smart board as students entered the room. They
begin working as soon as the bell rings, and the content of the starter serves as a review of previously
learned material specifically chosen because it is relevant to the new content being taught. The rest of the
period runs just as smoothly, with Kevin seamlessly transitioning from one science-related topic to the
next such that students are productively listening, contributing, or working together at all times.

Kevin has demonstrated that he recognizes the importance of creating a classroom environment
that supports all learners by helping his students internalize the learning expectations for the period. They
are always posted at the front of the room; more importantly, he points them out and verbalizes the
objectives so students are explicitly made aware of what is expected of them. His PowerPoint
presentationswhich generally incorporate activation of prior knowledge, then the introduction of new
conceptsare exemplary. In creating them, he incorporates many principles of effective multimedia
instruction (e.g., proper pacing, avoiding redundancy, spatially configuring key elements near each other,
etc.) such that students of varying language, ability, and interest levels are engaged. He utilizes
animations judiciously, including them when necessary but not to excess, and he sprinkles in formative
assessment by strategically pausing for class discussion of thought-provoking questions. He demonstrates
a strong grasp of the content, as well, which doubtless earns him the confidence of his students.

It is clear to me from the positive classroom climate I have repeatedly witnessed in Kevins site
classroom that he has established rapport with his students. They are generally well behaved and on task,
and his demeanor with them is continuously respectful and friendly. Throughout the class periods I have
observed, Kevin has displayed teaching skills and behaviors beyond what would be expected of a pre-
service teacher. For these and many other reasons, I highly recommend Kevin Engberson to you as an
outstanding future educator at your institution. He is a young man of the highest integrity whom you will
be fortunate to have as a member of your staff. Please feel free to contact me if you need additional
information. Thank you.

Linda Sorensen
Secondary Cohort Leader and Associate Instructor
Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE)
College of Education, University of Utah
SAEC 2248; 801-587-1743