FACULTY OF EDUCATION

Duncan McArthur Hall

511 Union Street
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7M 5R7

January 17, 2019

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Lauren Coombs as a classroom teacher. I teach Lauren in PROF
410-Theory and Professional Practice. This course focuses on connecting practicum experiences with on-
campus learning and emphasizes understanding and improving classroom practice. As Lauren’s PROF 410
instructor, I am also her Faculty Liaison during her practicum placements. In this role, I observe her teaching
in the classroom, provide formative feedback regarding her practice, and communicate with her associate
teachers and school liaison regarding her professional development.

Lauren is a valued member of our PROF 410 classroom community. She always comes to class prepared,
actively engages in discussions with peers, and uses course activities and assignments to promote her
professional growth as a teacher. Lauren regularly asks questions to further her knowledge and understanding
of course content and regularly connects course learning to her experiences in the classroom.

As a teacher in the classroom, Lauren is positive and supportive in all of her interactions with students.
During instruction, she uses a variety of strategies to engage students in the learning (e.g., clearly stated
learning goals, scaffolding, oral and visual prompts, technology, turn and talk) and assess their understanding
(e.g., questioning, stop signs, exit cards). Lauren accommodates diverse learning needs through universal
design and differentiation, uses positive redirection to promote classroom management, and helps her
students make personal connections to learning through real-world examples.

Lauren is highly professional and committed to meeting the needs of all of her students in creative and
inclusive ways. She is committed to her ongoing development as a teacher and regularly seeks feedback from
mentor teachers and peers to enhance her instructional practice. I highly recommend Lauren Coombs as a
teacher and would be happy to provide additional information as needed.

Sincerely,

Danielle LaPointe-McEwan
BA(Hons), BEd (OCT), PhD
Faculty of Education, Queen’s University
Email: d.lapointemcewan@queensu.ca

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