April 23, 2021

Dear School Administrator:

It is my pleasure to recommend Ari Guerra for employment as an educator. I

served as Ari’s (they/them) field instructor for student teaching during the Spring
2021 semester.

Ari has a calm, compassionate, and professional presence in the classroom.

During student teaching they prioritized students’ holistic wellbeing and fostered
a strong classroom climate, even in the remote setting. Ari implemented social-
emotional check-ins with their students and greeted every student by name at
the beginning of every class. I was particularly impressed with Ari’s ability to
navigate difficult conversations related to literature and life.

More than any other classroom that I observed this year, Ari’s classes
consistently featured high levels of student participation. Ari excelled at utilizing
technology applications to boost student engagement, as well as to assess
students’ mastery of skills. I observed Ari implement online strategies for
discussing literature, collaborating to analyze texts, reviewing grammar through
games, and checking for understanding during mini-lessons. Ari transitioned
smoothly between activities and designed instruction that followed the gradual
release of responsibility model.

In conclusion, I fully support Ari Guerra’s employment as a teacher at your

school. They will bring strong pedagogical content knowledge paired with
student-centered, equity-focused values.

Sincerely,

Abigail Kindelsperger, PhD

Lecturer & Associate Director of English Education