February 5, 2020

To the 4J District Hiring Committee,

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Russell Arkin for any middle or highschool teaching position within
4J. Russell worked with me as an in class math tutor at the Village School for 3 years. His duties included
small group instruction to sixth through eighth graders, lesson modification and adaption, behavior
management, and working closely with the classroom teachers to ensure that student’s needs were being met.

One of his strengths in working with teens who are challenged by the academic environment that school
presents, is his calm even demeanor and his ability to approach a situation with positive energy and firm
realistic expectations. Teaching a student struggling with math requires the ability to identify problematic
thinking and understanding errors while at the same time massaging the emotional distress and self-doubt that
comes with math anxiety. He is able to do both very well. He is at the same time logical and intuitive in his
demeanor and uses this balance to frequently analyze assumptions, view points, and motivations. He is open
to feedback and constructive criticism and keeps self-improvement at the forefront of his being.

Russell displayed a high degree of integrity and responsibility in his work here. He was hired to provide
assistance on math lessons that teachers presented. Russell volunteered to go way above and beyond his job
description. He created and taught an advanced algebra program that served over 30 students. With my
oversight, he researched curriculum, presented lessons, graded students work, and provided valuable
feedback. As a result, these students finished both 8th grade math and Algebra 1 during their 8th grade year
and went on to be successful Geometry students in their freshman year. In addition, he continued to work
with struggling students, providing extra support during class and break times. He also worked with students
as a tutor outside of the school setting. Russell's dedication is outstanding.

I am happy to give him my recommendation and feel that 4J schools would be fortunate to have Russell.

Sincerely,

Justin Boe – Middle School Teacher: Math/Science

Village School