To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Ms. Katie McCabe. Katie completed her
student teaching assignment in third grade at Collins Elementary School in the Forest Hills
Public Schools. Collins School is a suburban community with a diverse student population. Her
experience was from September 6, 2016-December 22, 2016. While student teaching, Katie
created, implemented, and taught lessons in all subject areas including Reading, Language
Arts, Everyday Mathematics, Technology, and Social Studies. In addition to instructional
responsibilities, Katie continually assessed the students using observations, running records,
and performance based assessments. She even took the initiative to contacted a non-profit
(Paws with a Cause) to come in and talk with our 3rd grade students. Katie attended and
actively participated in parent teacher conferences as well as staff meetings, grade level
teaming and staff development.

Katie displayed a positive enthusiasm each day. She made excellent connections with the
students very quickly and was able to bond with the class right away. She was genuinely
interested in the students lives. She used those connections daily as she interacted with each
student. She showed confidence in her classroom discipline methods and instruction. When
adding teaching responsibilities Katie made a smooth transition into teaching and continued to
teach full time until the end of her assignment. She planned developmentally appropriate
lessons and activities that engaged all students. Katies excitement for learning was easily
passed on to the students as she was instructing.
During instruction, Katie prepared thorough lesson plans that were easy to implement. Her
plans included a variety of activities to meet the diverse needs of the students. She included
clear objectives, relevant activities and age-appropriate assessments. At times, Katie also
integrated technology in to the lessons. While teaching, Katie maintained a flexible and very
professional attitude. She easily adapted to changes in schedule and was able to adjust as
needed. Katie conscientiously evaluated her plans and her instruction daily. She was eager to
discuss her experiences and collaborate with staff members. She worked closely with Resource
Room students, Categorical Special Education students, English as a Second Language (EL)
students, as well as students being pulled out for additional reading support. She easily
balanced these different schedules during her instruction.

Overall, Katie did an outstanding job. She displayed a passion for teaching and an enthusiasm
for learning. She is a confident and very talented teacher. She genuinely cares about each
student and showed positive enthusiasm each day of her assignment. I am confident that she
will prove to be an effective teacher who will be an asset to those she teaches. She would
make a wonderful addition to any school.

Sincerely,

Christopher M. Soda
Teacher: Third Grade
Collins Elementary School
Forest Hills Public Schools
(616) 493-8900