March 20, 2019

To whom it may concern,

It is a pleasure to recommend Stephen Herrera for your consideration for a teaching position in your
district. He is an outstanding candidate and would make a great addition to your staff.
I have observed Stephen as he completed his student teaching assignment at Northwest Middle School.
This placement was an excellent fit for Stephen and he assimilated himself into the culture and expectations of
the school. He quickly learned student’s names and identified their interests. He set high expectations for
achievement while challenging students to think outside of their comfort zone. His lesson planning and ties to
the State Core curriculum were well established. Class activities were also grade level appropriate and
accessible to all learners in the classroom. When possible he uses the technology available to allow students to
learn and participate. At first he was somewhat hesitant to assert himself in classroom management issues. By
the time his placement was over he was able to deal with behavior issues and followed through with
consequences that were appropriate for the situation. He used appropriate humor to disarm situations and was
usually able to get students on-board with what was happening in the classroom.
Like all new teachers there are areas that can be improved upon. He is still working on time
management and instructional strategies. While still very new at this, he does an excellent job of reflecting
and redefining his learning goals and lesson organization. He tries very hard not to repeat mistakes and to
learn from each class period how he could make the next time better. He is persistent and wants to do the best
he can not just for himself but for his students. The principal of Northwest Middle School came in during his
final evaluation to mention to him and his mentor what a great impact he had on a particular student. She was
very impressed by his compassion and ability to reach out to his students in his class.
I highly recommend Stephen for placement in your district. He is professional in all ways while at the
same time very relatable to the students. He genuinely cares for his students and their learning. When he has
his own classroom, it will open up many possibilities for the students in his classes. He is a quality teacher
now and with time and experience will prove to be a great asset to any school.

Sincerely,
Carol Watson
Student teacher supervisor
Westminster College