TCU Box 297900

Fort Worth, TX 76129

817. 257.7660

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE, ETHICAL EDUCATORS WITH A PASSION FOR LEARNING.

March 17, 2015

To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter on behalf of Tara Schurman as part of her
application for an elementary teaching position. Ms. Schurman worked
as my Teaching Assistant for Critical Investigation of Teaching and
Learning (EDUC 20003) during the 2014-15 academic year at Texas
Christian University. I also had Tara in one of my classes, Digital
Communication and Collaboration (EDUC 50263).
Foremost, Tara was a responsible and conscientious Teaching Assistant
for my class. She was responsible for such duties as taking and
recording student attendance, following up with students regarding
progress on various projects, and disseminating information to the
class when needed. This particular course included many details, such
as exams, writing assignments, and school observations, and Tara did a
fantastic job of documenting student progress in each of these areas.
She made sure students had access to all course-related material
throughout the semester, and was proactive in keeping the students
updated on all deadlines.
More importantly, Tara played a major role in grading student papers
and weekly assignments. Tara was meticulous in her feedback to the
students about their writing, closely monitoring the extent to which
they supported their arguments, adhered to conventions of writing,
and observed procedures for the APA style guide. Her feedback was
thorough and well thought-out. Many of the students in this class were
early in their college career, and she provided an exemplary model for
university-level writing.
In addition to her valuable contributions to my class as a teaching
assistant, Tara has proved herself to be an exemplary scholar and
academic role model at TCU. The work she has produced thus far in my
class has been of high quality, and she strives to not only meet project
requirements, but she also demonstrates a high level of creativity. I
believe her creativity and work ethic will translate into her work in the

classroom as a teacher, and I have no doubt she will quickly rise to the
top as one of the best and most well-respected teachers in her school.
In conclusion, Ms. Schurman is a personable, kind, and pleasant person
to work with. She has demonstrated her commitment to the lives of
others and improving herself through the manner in which she
approached her duties as a teaching assistant in my class. Tara gives
selflessly of her time and talents, yet she continues to maintain an
exemplary academic standard. For these reasons, I believe Tara would
be an excellent candidate for a teaching position in your school.
Should you need additional information or wish to talk more about my
recommendation for Tara, I can be reached at the address above, or
more immediately at curby.alexander@tcu.edu or (817) 257-4356.
Best regards,
R. Curby Alexander
Assistant Professor of Professional
Practice
College of Education
Texas Christian University