Elk Run Elementary School

3550 South Helen Drive Magna, Utah 84044 Office

FAX

385-646-4786 385-646-4787

Granite
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April 9,2013
To Whom lt Concerns:

currently the assistant principal at Elk Run Elementary and have served in this position since December 2012. I have had the opportunity to complete four formal observations of Brittany Garner in the role assignment as a student teacher in second grade. My final evaluation was completed in collaboration with her cooperating teacher, Ms. Krystal Plott.
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Mrs. Garner understands the role of teacher in the current assignment and has a vision about how she will work with students in today's classroom. She clearly understands that the education of students must rely on the goals where teachers collaborate to clarify the curriculum and how that curriculum will be taught. She is a team player and though she has a very quiet demeanor she is thinking about the decisions that are being discussed and makes input when she thinks it is appropriate concerning the needs of specific children and approaches that will best work in providing instruction to meet the needs of individuals within the classroom setting. She is adept with centers, with large group instruction and with small group instruction. Her guided lessons provide the background needed to complete assignments and she monitors students in each setting she has determined is best for particular instruction. As she monitors she frequently pauses to assist students who are frustrated or have lost focus.

Within the instructional setting she provides many options for student responses and uses various methods to make sure she is providing options during the day for every student to participate. The rate of questions asked affords many opportunities for responses in group settings and individually which keeps students alert and motivated. She uses cues, signals and positive reinforcement at an appropriate level to provide needed structure. She has her schedule posted and understands the relationship of connections in lessons and uses proximity reinforcement to keep students on task. During my observations the levelof on task behavior was 85 to95% and she seems to be able to accomplish this in quiet yet specific ways. Her objectives were posted and she mentioned the objectives or went over them as needed with the students so they understood why they were working on a specific lesson or related activities. She uses paired discussion and sharing in small groups then in the large group setting. Her ability relates to her understanding of the teaching/learning process. She always seemed open to critique and accepted it then applied the critique to herteaching. She seriously believes that all students can learn.
commend Mrs. Garner to you for any job for which she is prepared and believe she will continue to develop her skills and teaching behaviors with excellence as her goal. lf you have specific questions please call my cell phone at 801-889-8467.
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Ted R. Williams, Ph.D.

Granite school District . 2500 south state street . salt Lake city, utah 841 1 5-31 'l 0 385-646-5000 . www.graniteschools.org