December 17, 2015

To Whom It May Concern:

It is a pleasure to recommend Mrs. Connie Ryan for a teaching position in your school district.
During the rst eight weeks of the 2015 school year, Mrs. Ryan student taught in a classroom
which had twelve special education students. These students were fully included into all general
education settings. The students discrepancies were in the area academics and social behaviors.
Mrs. Ryan showed great energy and respect for these diverse learners.
While in this placement, Mrs. Ryan was in charge of the 4th thru 6th grade special education
classroom. She monitored all the special education students goals. Mrs. Ryan created a mock
IEP for one of the special education students. She observed my interactions with parents during
Parent/Teacher Conferences and two IEP meetings. Mrs. Ryan provided special educational
services to students in the general education setting. While focusing on supporting the special
education students in the general education settings, Mrs. Ryan was able to provide additional
ideas, explanations, and assistance to all the students in the general education classrooms. She
was able to develop techniques that supported all learners. Mrs. Ryan provided Iowa Common
Core instruction during WIN (What I Need) time. She used a variety of instructional materials
and techniques to encourage students with a positive attitude while developing their academic
and behavioral skills. When working with students, Mrs. Ryan was consistently focused on how
to maximize student learning which has allowed her to understand the importance of planning
lessons, meeting objectives, creating assessments, and incorporating classroom management
techniques.
During her student teaching placement, Mrs. Ryan and myself spent time reviewing school
policies, school procedures, and the expectations of a special education teacher. Throughout the
placement, Mrs. Ryan incorporated her previous knowledge, classroom knowledge, and personal
techniques into developing her own unique teaching style.
Mrs. Ryans previous experience with students and content curriculum added to her educational
expertise. While teaching, Mrs. Ryan was able to assist students in achieving goals through core
instruction. She showed that she could provide instruction that engaged the learning of all
students while meeting the Iowa Core Standards. Along with the general education teachers, Mrs.
Ryan participated in weekly meetings that incorporated discussion about assessment. This group
of teachers met to discuss formative and summative assessments. The group worked on aligning
instruction to meet the Iowa Core Standards. The information discussed in these meetings helped
Mrs. Ryan focus on the instruction that was benecial for meeting the needs of all students.
It is without hesitation that I highly recommend Mrs. Ryan for a teaching position at your school.
If you have any further questions or would like any more information, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Sincerely,

Joleen Hansen, Special Education teacher