November 20, 2015

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Mr. Brady Barnhart for an English teaching position in your
school system or district. He completed his internship with me from September 3 until December 7,
2015, and did an exemplary job with both the students and the curriculum he was given.
Brady assumed the total responsibilities of my tenth grade English classes, and he also worked with
my beginning and advanced newspaper journalism classes; He did a masterful job with all of these
groups. First, even though my English classes are designated as general English classes, they are
composed of students of varying abilities, and Brady was very quick to pick up on this. He based his
lessons on the needs of the students and was flexible in his teaching strategies, always modifying his
lesson plans to suit the needs and abilities He recognized. He clearly demonstrated his knowledge of
English and used several instructional methods to motivate the students and deliver and reiterate the
subject matter across to them. His units associated with the novel 1984 and short stories He was given
aligned with the curriculum. In addition, Brady developed lesson plans that not only adhered to the newly
developed core curriculum, but also incorporated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
into his lessons. Through these lessons, Brady showed his knowledge and ability to implement diverse
teaching strategies and establish a logical progression of subject matter for the students.
Bradys enthusiasm for learning was contagious as all of my students were able to understand and
enjoy his lessons and activities. Bradys organizational skills were excellent too. He was always well
prepared with lesson plans, learning activities, and evaluation procedures for his classes several days in
advance. His units, as well as the grammar units for which he was responsible, were very effective and
were utilized well with my students.
Another strength exhibited by Brady was his ability to manage a classroom. Brady was forced to
deal with difficult students who came from undesirable home lives. He easily adapted to the various
needs of these students whether it be a student who had not had dinner or breakfast to the student who did

not have daily assignments and utensils because they were left at an estranged parents house and were
not accessible. These are the qualities that our future teachers need to possess, and Brady was able to
transition from the college utopian classroom to the down-right unpleasant reality in which so many of
our students live. In addition, because He has so well organized, had plenty of activities each period to
keep the students busy so that they didnt have the time or the inclination to be disruptive, and overall,
students enjoyed and learned during instruction. Brady had an excellent professional manner in which He
respected the students, and they, in turn, reciprocated with respect for his. His instant rapport with the
students was very impressive considering that He had been with them a relatively short time.
Furthermore, Brady was also very patient with and unflustered by my students activities. Because of
deadlines, my newspaper students were in and out of the room constantly, but Brady took all this
interruption and the occasional chaos in stride. His capable presence enabled me to handle each crisis
while He handled my classes with ease.
In addition, Brady has many admirable personal qualities which will contribute toward his
effectiveness in the classroom. He is a very diligent, hard-working person who is able to multi-task very
well. I was constantly handing his a layout to proof or some newspaper copy to revise in addition to the
papers He was checking for my English classes. Brady always handled all of these tasks well and with
ease. Furthermore, he is exceptionally dependable, getting everything finished on or before the time he
said that he would be finished and always going beyond what was asked or expected of his. He is
personable, easy to talk to, and easy to approach. He listens to others and conveys to them his respect of
their opinions. He accepts suggestions well and always sought to improve his teaching and his techniques
for the benefit of the students. Brady thinks on his feet and is not flustered by unexpected situations. He
has an uncanny ability to accept any situation that is thrown at his, work through it patiently and
diligently, and move on without missing a beat; this flexibility is certainly an asset for any teachers. Of
all of these exemplary characteristics, perhaps his finest characteristic is that Brady is an extremely caring
and compassionate young woman. His work with my English and newspaper students made this very
clear to all who came in contact with his.

Mr. Brady Barnhart is an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, compassionate young man who is truly a
teacher in every sense of the word. Our profession needs to have individuals like Brady, and I hope that
your system or school will give his the opportunity to teach.

Sincerely,

Dr. Laura E. Holland