May 6, 2019

RECOMMENDATION FOR MISTY RUSSELL

To whom it may concern,

It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Misty Russell as a literacy intervention specialist and learning support
teacher. Over the two school years I have know her, Misty has been a sponge for learning. She is passionate about
helping students, building rapport with staff and children, and growing her own knowledge base.

Initially, I worked with Misty as she provided support to three students with exceptionalities in a grade 5 classroom. Misty
worked diligently to modify and accommodate each students’ needs. Particularly, we worked together to develop her
guided reading teaching skills using Jan Richardson’s Next Step Forward in Guided Reading plans. Misty was able to
quickly understand the plans, the information and theory behind them, and plan her lessons for her students
accordingly. She worked well with the classroom teacher and went above and beyond to help her students achieve to
their potential.

This year, Misty has moved into a literacy intervention specialist role. As the Head of Student Support Services and the
literacy coordinator myself, we must work closely together throughout the year toward various goals. On top of sharing
an office, we share resources with one another. While Misty is always passionate about learning new ideas from me, she
also brings in her own experiences and the resources she finds. Most of the time, If I request additional information or ask
for more documentation, Misty has already completed it with even more care and detail than requested. She takes
constructive feedback well and will immediately shift to accommodate a new idea or advice. Also, Misty does not sit by
quietly if something is not working for her students. She is proactive in addressing their needs and takes initiative to make
the most impact with her time versus being reactive after issues arise. A particular area that can be a struggle for those
doing intervention and special education can be documentation. Misty has bent over backwards to be sure she is
tracking students’ needs and progress and is always prepared at meetings to share her data. She also synthesizes this
data well so that teachers and parents can understand; this shows that she is not just tracking it because she has to but
because she uses it to inform her instruction.

Furthermore, Misty brings in special knowledge and understanding unique to special education. As a learner herself, she
struggled with dyslexia and received support to help her develop her own learning strategies. These earlier experiences
show in both her tenacity and compassion for her students as they work through challenges. She is able to connect with
students on a deeper level to realize what makes them tick and what makes them struggle and she problem solves
what they need based on her own navigation through life. She also brings unique perspective when coaching parents
through helping their children based on what she experienced. Though I would not normally share this in a
recommendation and made sure I had permission, I think it is one of the reasons Misty has developed such empathy,
perseverance and success in her life. I also feel it is a quality that is especially helpful as an educator—the ability to see
how something considered a disability can actually prove to be an asset.

Again, I have no trouble encouraging anyone looking for a learning support or intervention teacher to hire Misty. She
would be an amazing part of any student support team.

Hannah Fernweh

hmburl@gmail.com

+86 13691692534