April 22, 2018

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter of reference for Ms. Carol (Christy) Vinnenberg as she applies for a teaching
position. Christy will graduate from Keene State College in May 2018 with her Bachelor of Science in
Early Childhood Education and a minor in Communication Studies. Upon graduation Ms. Vinnenberg
will be eligible for a classroom teaching credential for infants/toddlers and preschoolers, from the NH
Child Development Bureau. The KSC Early Childhood Education program is fully approved by the State
of NH and nationally recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC) for excellence in educator preparation. In my role as Professor of Early Childhood Education at
Keene State College, I supervised Ms. Vinnenberg during her practicum placement in a Montessori multi-
age preschool classroom from January – May 2017. I also reviewed her learning experience plans and
written reflections, and provided feedback on her classroom teaching. Therefore my comments are based
on my actual observations and interactions with Ms. Vinnenberg.

During her practicum experience, Ms. Vinnenberg showed a calm and professional demeanor in her
interactions with children, colleagues, families, and supervisors. She observes carefully to develop an
understanding of each child’s strengths and needs; she seems to know just when to step in and when to
step back and allow children to solve their own problems. Ms. Vinnenberg’s classroom management
skills grew immensely, both with large groups and with children exhibiting challenging behaviors. Her
planned learning experiences were appropriate to the age level and designed with individual children’s
learning needs in mind. She incorporated children’s literature and introduced ‘messy’ art experiences in a
way that stayed congruent with the Montessori philosophy of the classroom. She then created an attractive
display that showed families both the process and outcome of the experience. She was successful in all
aspects of teaching during this practicum experience.

Ms. Vinnenberg has had additional supervised teaching experiences, including placements in two special
education settings and a full-semester leadership teaching experience in an infant classroom where she
focused on family engagement, planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum,
health and safety, and classroom leadership. She also has employment experiences with preschoolers and
school-aged students, including those with special needs. These varied experiences have helped her build
the knowledge and skills that indicate she is ready for her own classroom. She has also taken leadership in
her sorority and participated actively in community service and fundraising activities during college.

Ms. Vinnenberg has a pleasant and positive demeanor, seeks feedback and incorporates suggestions,
collaborates with colleagues, interacts with honesty and integrity, and seeks new knowledge and training
to enhance her professional practice. She will be a positive asset to your program, and I encourage you to
consider her application carefully. Please contact me via email if you desire additional information about
Ms. Vinnenberg.

Sincerely,

Dottie Bauer

Dottie Bauer, EdD

Professor Emerita, Early Childhood Education
Keene State College
dbauer@keene.edu