Austin Malcolm

1750 S Price Rd
Tempe, AZ 85281
25 February 2017

Harley Wallbacker
Central High School Principal
888 Westward Lane
Phoenix, AZ 85003

Dear Harley Wallbacker:

I would like to apply for the open position as a Language Arts teacher
that you advertised online on January 1st. From intensive internship
programs, in-depth education and methods courses, as well as my time
in the military, I feel that I would be an excellent candidate for the
position.

Through ASUs teaching program, I have had hundreds of hours of

extensive hands-on training in the classroom, as well as supplementary
courses that further enforce the use of effective and research-proven
pedagogy. I have worked in Camelback High School as a one-on-one
aide, as well as work programs and group home for adults and
adolescents with special needs. This job experience emphasized the
importance of differentiated teaching methods and the power of
patience and consideration. However, some of my most valuable skills
come from over four years in the United States Army, wherein I served
as a squad leader for dozens of soldiers, ensuring they adhered to
rules and regulations while taking a genuine interest in their personal
lives and making their welfare a leading priority.

I am currently a student at Arizona State University working toward a

degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English. My goal
with this degree is to teach in a high school classroom, helping
students learn and discover new concepts while preparing them for a
successful future post-graduation. Students of my classroom can
expect to be held to high academic expectations, and I expect to
create a learning environment that extends beyond the classroom to
help students thrive towards those expectations. The classes Ive taken
for this degree has made me aware of the different ways students
learn, and how important it is to be ready to help them succeed in the
ways that work best for them.

Enclosure: Rsum
Thank you for the opportunity to apply for the position, and I look
forward to hearing from you. I can be contacted at (480) 600-9534 or
email at austin.malcolm@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Austin Malcolm

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

My name is Mr. Malcolm and I will be your students English teacher for
this school year. Considering the time I will be spending with your
students in my classroom, I would like to take a moment and introduce
myself. I am not only a teacher at Central High School but a graduate
as well. I greatly enjoyed my time at this campus as a student and I am
pleased to say that it remains a great place for young people to learn
and develop into smart, independent adults. After high school, I spent
over four years in the United States Army as an Intelligence Analyst
and leader of soldiers. After my time in the military I entered the Mary
Lou Fulton Teachers College program at Arizona State University.

In my personal time, I read and write nearly every day. This practice
has made me a much more analytical reader and a much stronger
writer. Similarly, I aim to help my students become stronger readers
and writers by the time they leave my classroom, meaning a daily
expectation for reading and writing. Considering that deep reading
experiences and effective writing come from honest and personal
places, I strive to create a learning environment that allows every
student to feel safe, respected, heard and confident in the words they
write.

Apart from providing students with a supportive classroom

environment, students can expect assignments and lessons that will
test their skills and knowledge in both fun and challenging ways.
Students will often be encouraged to practice skills learned in the
classroom and apply it to their lives outside of school. In order to help
students achieve this immersive and productive experience, I
encourage that the family and friends be equally supportive and allow
students to share or practice their knowledge in the home. It is my
strong belief that a supportive and encouraging home-life is an
essential element to a students academic and lifelong success.

I look forward to working with your young learners and helping them
learn things that will help them become resilient and articulated adults
that can thrive in the world beyond graduation. If you have any
questions or concerns about your students progress or curriculum,
please email me at malcolm@pushd.edu and allow for up to 48 hours
for a response.

Thank you for your time,

Austin Malcolm

To the Parents of Harry Smith,

I am your childs English teacher and I am writing to inform you of

Harrys recent behavior. As of lately, there have been disruptions in the
classroom stemming from Harrys misuse of technology in the
classroom.

As stated in the schools Technology Agreement Form that was signed

by both student and parent at the beginning of the year, students are
to abide by each teachers individual rules for using personal devices
in the classroom. For my classroom, students may have their phones
out for research and translation purposes. However, over the last few
weeks Harry has been caught making FaceTime calls during class and
routinely trying to watch online videos instead of reading. Whenever
confronted and asked to get back on track, Harry regularly gets
defensive and whispers profanity toward the teacher.

It is my classroom policy to allow students to use their personal

devices in order to help teach them how to use them research and not
just entertainment. However, Harrys behavior and refusal to stay on-
task is beginning to affect his grades and the performance of those
seated around him.

If you would like to schedule a meeting to discuss this matter further, I

can be reached at 480-600-9517 during school hours, or emailed at
malcolm@pushd.edu. Please allow up to 48 hours for a response to
emails. I would like to do whatever I can to help Harry get back on
track and succeed in his classes like I know he can.

Thank you for your time,

Austin Malcolm