To Whom It May Concern:

Courtney Cepec is a teacher at heart. She requested her clinical practice be an inner city school
and she was assigned to the Canton City Freshmen Academy. Under the guidance of
outstanding master teacher, Cynthia Brawley, she has taught ninth grade English. From the day
she started her clinical work, she has been intentional in getting to know this school, meeting
the principals, asking questions, attending meetings, and reaching out to other teachers and
students to understand the culture of the school.

Each observation affirmed that Ms. Cepec is well grounded in her content and seeks to craft
lessons that are interesting and challenging to her students while meeting the required
standards. Ms. Brawley encourages lessons that broaden students’ knowledge and Ms. Cepec
willingly stepped into that challenge.

An example of this was teaching the ninth-grade classes the process of debate—reviewing the
academic language of debate, identifying the structure of debate, providing articles addressing
both sides of a topic, and helping students determine what side they wanted to represent. For
many, this was a new experience and discipline was needed to curb the enthusiasm of twenty
students wanting to speak their position on should teachers be armed. Keeping them on task
was achieved by worksheet guides and by using a microphone. The microphone surprisingly
achieved the goal of having students listen. The assessment of this was revealed in their written
notes and oral rebuttals.

This assignment required very clear direction, breaking the format of debate into seemingly
simple tasks to avoid students getting lost and feeling overwhelmed. Ms. Cepec patiently kept
them engaged by taking seriously their thinking and their arguments. Knowing debate is not
easy, she provided more opportunities to practice. One was the fishbowl debate where a
number of students debate a topic inside a circle while their peers sit around the outside and
assesses who won.

Ms. Cepec cares about her students and they respond. She is a team player or leader,
whichever is required. She can explain the data and research that support her lessons. She is
comfortable and fluid with technology and teaches her students to be discerning. She is always
seeking to do better and learn more. Her determination distinguishes her. Courtney Cepec will
be an asset to the school where she teaches.

Lelia (Libby) Patterson

University of Mount Union
Department of Education
Clinical Supervisor