uNrvBnsmv

f
WtscoNSrN
LA CROSSE
3/30/2012
To Whom lt May Concern:
I am writing on behalf of Ms. Phanat Lor. lworked with Phanat when she was an undergraduate
student at UW-La Crosse and later served as her supervisor during the two-year graduate
assistantship she performed, in part, within the Office of MulticulturalStudent Services. As a
result of our long academic and professional relationship, I believe that I can speak
knowledgeably concerning Ms. Lor's skills and her potential as an educator.
From my earliest interactions with Phanat, I was impressed with her ability to focus and her
calm, patient demeanor. As a student she was persistent, hard-working and very creative. As
an employee, she initially served as a tutor and mentor, then later a teacher and supervisor.
Phanat's work has always been meticulous, well-organized, and very thorough. She has a
mature understanding of the value of preparation when it comes to teaching and facilitating
groups of children. She also has learned how to remain flexible and how to respond to the
immediate needs and concerns of her students. Additionally, she has taken advantage of
numerous opportunities to gain valuable experience working with students and groups outside
her personal and culturalcomfort zone. Furthermore, as a graduate assistant Phanat has shown
the ability to plan and initiate curriculum and programming independent of direct supervision.
I believe that Phanat Lor is extraordinarily well-prepared to step into a teaching role and
effectively address the diverse academic and personal, cultural needs of her students. She is a
respectful and very thoughtful woman who nonetheless is strong and fully committed to the
goals of personal development for her students. Additionally, I believe that Ms. Lor will
continue to develop her skills once she starts teaching. She is a person who is open to
supervision and actually welcomes suggestions and collaboration. She is a humble person who
does not need frequent praise or attention from administrators or colleagues. To the contrary, I
have found Phanat to be self-reflective and consistently motivated to improve her teaching
skills whenever possible. She is confident and secure in her professional status and comfortable
in her identity as a Hmong woman.
Phanat is a person of integrity. She is honest and trustworthy. Her focus will be on her children
and on the school community. She listens well, follows through on her promises, and will give
her best each day. Her interpersonal style is quiet and unassuming, but within she is passionate
about education and demonstrates a deep empathy for the children and families she serves.
Office of Multicultural Student Services
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
|
1101 Centennial Hall
|
1725 State Street
I
La Crosse, Wi 54601 USA
Phone: 608. 785 .8225
|
Fax: 608. 785. 8837
|
www.uwlax. edu/ ms s
An affirmalive action/equal opportunity employer
For all of the above reasons, I wholeheartedly recommend Ms. Phanat Lor for a position
as an
educator. I have been very impressed with her quiet strength and the purposeful
ways she
interacts with children. She represents a beautiful integration of caring and discipline/focus. I
am confident that she will be a wonderful addition to any teaching staff and school educational
community that she
joins.
Edward (Ned) B.