To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Rachel Sauer, and I am currently a senior at Miami University studying Early
Childhood Education with a minor in Child Studies. I will be graduating in May 2015 with my
Bachelor of Science in Education degree and a certificate from the Miami University Honors
Program. Upon graduation, I will then apply for my Pre K 3 Ohio Teachers Licensure. I hope
to find a teaching job in the Cincinnati area, particularly working students of the urban, lowincome population.
My past job experiences include working as a Childrens Ministry Intern at a church in
College Hill, Ohio, a summer camp counselor at a day care center in West Chester, an intern with
Pleasant Hill Academys (Cincinnati Public School) summer school program, as well as Pleasant
Hill Academys after-school enrichment program. I have also had pre-service teaching
placements in Eaton Community Schools (K), New Miami School District (1st), and completed
my student teaching at Pleasant Hill Academy (K) through Miami Universitys teacher education
program. These experiences have allowed me to work with a variety of children from rural,
urban, and suburban areas. Specifically, my time at Pleasant Hill Academy gave me a taste of
what it is like to interact with the urban community surrounding the school in order to help the
students make connections between school and their home lives. This included participating in
the school's Literacy Night, bringing in guests from the community to read books aloud to the
students during the after-school program, and interacting with students' parents during parentteacher conferences and field trips.
Professionally, I would like to teach kindergarten 2nd grade in an urban setting. I
specifically want to teach early childhood because I believe that these years are when students
need to form secure attachments with a trusted adult while also developing the fundamental skills
a student needs to succeed in higher forms of education. I feel called to work in an urban setting
because I believe that these are the students who especially need high-quality teachers and
education so that they can have the tools they need to become contributing members of society
and accomplish their educational goals. I hope to work to understand the environments and
experiences the students bring into the classroom and help to incorporate these experiences into
their learning. This will help me to continue to learn and grow as a person as well as broaden my
teaching strategies.
One of my strengths that I believe sets me apart is my ability and passion for music. I
feel that a large part of whom I am is because of my involvement in music. Through my musical
experiences, I have learned how to work with others towards a common goal, become sensitive
to the arts, and sharpen my mind in an artistic way. Because of these experiences, I aim to
incorporate music into my classroom. When music is successfully implemented into lessons, it
can aid children in their ability to memorize and understand topics. Music also opens childrens
minds to the arts and correlates with some childrens natural inclination towards musical
intelligence.
I believe that my variety of experiences, compassionate heart, hard-working nature, and
musical abilities make me a competitive teacher candidate. I hope that you will consider me as
an asset to your school.
Thank you,
Rachel Sauer

(513) 407-0549

SAUERRL2@miamioh.edu