November 8, 2021

To Whom it May Concern:

I’m thrilled to recommend Alexandra Bruns for a teaching position in your school. Recently I
had the pleasure of serving as Allie's student teaching supervisor through DePaul University,
where I observed her teach 2nd grade at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Chicago,
IL.

From the start, Allie showed adaptability and flexibility with the additional protocols and
risks the COVID-19 pandemic introduced to teaching, as well as a commitment to all of her
students’ safety, physical and emotional well being, and academic learning and success.

Throughout her student teaching in 1st grade Allie consistently planned and implemented
creative and differentiated lessons that were standards based, active, relevant, and
meaningful. Her questioning, guided practice, and scaffolding techniques sparked the
children’s curiosity, kept the students actively engaged, fostered skill development and
critical thinking. and met individual student's varied needs.

Allie was highly motivated, enthusiastic, organized, and professional, as well as consistently
receptive to constructive feedback, adjusting her lessons and instruction when necessary. Her
classroom management was effective, and she handled any inappropriate or challenging
behaviors in a fair, firm, compassionate, and consistent manner. She recognized the unique
social- emotional challenges the children were facing due to the toxic stress from the ongoing
pandemic, evidenced by her trauma informed approach to lesson planning, instruction, and
classroom management.

When I observed Allie I saw a teacher who was always enthusiastic and excited to spend time
with her students, as she consistently conveyed a genuine warmth, an empathetic nature, and
a responsive style. Not surprisingly, Allie’s students appeared to trust and truly adore her.

Overall, Allie demonstrated a desire to continually learn and improve upon her craft, and as
her supervisor, I enjoyed watching her confidence as an educator grow throughout her student
teaching experience. Allie was a joy to mentor, and I have no doubt she’ll prove an asset to
your school community. If any questions arise, don’t hesitate to contact me at 773 620 3829,
or tfitzge2@depaul.edu.

Sincerely,

Tricia Fitzgerald, M.Ed

Student Teaching Supervisor
DePaul University
College of Education