Alexandra Nicole Sherman Graduate Student Instructor

Teaching and Teacher Education, Educational Studies

February 8, 2016
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to write this letter in support of the application of Stephanie Mackey to be hired as a
teacher at your school. I had the pleasure of having Stephanie as a student in both Fall 2014
and Winter 2015 in my Managing to Teach course, which is part of the University of Michigans
Elementary Undergraduate Teacher Education program.
The Managing to Teach course curriculum is rooted in a proactive stance about the culture and
norms, relational work, and routines of the classroom. During this course, we work on students
conception of classroom management by orienting them to the proactive steps that they can take
to make their classroom a place where students are comfortable and engaged. This course
introduces interns to a set of endemic problems that teachers have to manage in order to teach.
These problems are rooted in the interpersonal and relational nature of the work of teaching and
the fact that it takes place in group-based settings. Four categories of these problems are: (1)
creating a classroom culture for learning, (2) building individual relationships, (3) establishing
routines, and (4) developing an individual identity as a teacher. We will explore these problems
and develop a small set of tools and techniques for managing them.
Stephanie excelled in my course, earning an A and demonstrating mastery of the skills taught.
She engaged deeply in the content, thinking critically about how she might enact these skills in
her own classroom, all while addressing issues of equity and diversity in the classroom.
Stephanie demonstrated her knowledge of how to create a supportive and rigorous classroom
environment, using classroom routines and her management skills to assist her in doing so.
From both her course work and our class conversation, it is clear that Stephanie is going to be a
thoughtful, consistent, and challenging teacher. I feel confident that she has the skills necessary
to command a classroom, but also that she has the finesse to do so in a way that empowers
students and supports the development of strong relationships between herself and her students
as well as among her students. I have no doubt that Stephanie would be a wonderful asset to
your staff and school community.
If you have any further questions or require additional information in support of Stephanie
Mackey, please feel free to contact me by phone or email.
Sincerely,
Alexandra Nicole Sherman
Graduate Student Instructor, Managing to Teach I & II

610 East University Avenue, Suite 1005

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

T: 248.318.2220
ansherm@umich.edu