Letter of recommendation
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February 12, 2004

To Whom It May Concern:

Reference: Joy Koller

It is with great pleasure and also sadness that I write this letter of recommendation for Joy Koller.  Ms. Koller has been a resource specialist with the Singapore American School for the past three years.  During this time I have been her direct supervisor, working with her on programmatic issues and also observing her in her own individualized classroom setting, as well as within other teacher’s classrooms. 

Throughout her time here, Ms. Koller has offered nothing short of excellence in the services she has provided to students needing support in the areas of language and literacy, and additionally in math.  Her work typically covers our children from the ages of six through nine, whose needs span from developmental delays to more needy students with characteristics of dyslexia, autism, aspergers syndrome, ADD and other related learning disabilities.  She uses a balanced approach to providing individualized instruction to her students and does this in a combination of ways. Examples might include the use of reading recovery methods as well as more multisensory structured programs.  This more systematic and explicit phonetic approach in her teaching of reading takes children beyond the typical guided reading offered in the classrooms.  She also offers supplemental or alternative methods to the regular classroom strategies and does this in the areas of phonics, word analysis, sight words, fluency, writing, spelling, vocabulary, comprehension, as well as within math related areas as needed. 

I have particularly found Ms. Koller to be a truly warm, loving and patient teacher for our young students.  She is able to effectively diagnose their needs and get them to take the chances necessary to improve their area of need.  Her warm and engaging personality lends itself well to making these young children feel comfortable and safe in her environment.  She also works extremely well with the individual teachers and is able to interact effectively with them in order to provide support and recommend accommodations within the context of their regular classrooms.  This is extremely effective for the children and helps arm the regular classroom teacher with effective strategies to use with these particular students. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the extra effort Ms. Koller devotes to working directly with the parents of the students she serves.  She effectively communicates with parents and helps them understand how to best help their children within the context of the school environment and at home.  She has invited parents into her room and takes the time to explain each child’s varying needs and the strategies that will best assist them. Her knowledge and expertise have been invaluable in supporting everyone involved with these children.

If you desire a resource specialist who truly cares about children, possesses excellent knowledge and mastery of her subject area and is a team player, then you will want to highly consider the candidacy of Ms. Joy Koller.  While I will certainly miss her, I know she will continue to provide her next employer with the same dedication and commitment she has shown here at the Singapore American School.

If you have any questions regarding the employment of Ms. Joy Koller, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  She has my unequivocal support for any position for which she may apply.

Sincerely, 

David A. Hoss

Primary Principal

Singapore American School

February 5, 2004

Letter of Recommendation for Ms. Joy Koller

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my distinct pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Ms. Joy Koller.  Ms. Koller has served as a resource teacher here at the Singapore American School (SAS) for the past three years. The Singapore American School is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school that provides an American curriculum of studies to over 2900 expatriate students in preschool through grade twelve. Currently as a resource teacher in the Primary division of SAS, Ms. Koller, along with her two colleagues, provides direct instruction to grade one and two students with special needs. As the assistant principal of the Primary division it has been my good fortune to work closely with Ms. Koller throughout the course of her tenure here.

Joy Koller is a skillful, conscientious, dedicated teacher who thoroughly understands how children learn. She has a wealth of experience from working with students from a variety of cultural backgrounds and educational systems. She is an expert at the use of different multi-sensory, structured, language programs to teach reading. By helping children realize that words divide into one of six basic patterns and using a variety of concrete tools such as finger spelling, mnemonics and gestures she consistently helps struggling readers find success by mastering the essential pre-reading/foundation skills.

In her classroom she brings her experience and excellent intuition about children together by focusing on each child. In a very natural and caring fashion she sets about finding the natural balance of reassurance and challenge each of them need ………. and they respond.

I have been witness to countless examples of how the timid or less than confident child has been helped to become an outgoing, enthusiastic learner by virtue of the support Joy has supplied. I believe her success with struggling learners is rooted in her ability to support them not only academically but emotionally as well. Joy notices the small things that matter with each child, celebrating their accomplishments, comforting them when necessary and instilling in them the belief that they matter, are important and can handle anything they need to. She is amazingly patient with her children, allowing each to learn at the rate they can and enlists classroom teachers and parents in the effort to do likewise. Her efforts routinely make the difference. Young children who have already discovered that school is hard, that learning doesn’t come easy and that other children are “smarter, better and faster” find success and a reason to come to school in Joy’s classroom.

Besides her ability to supply high quality meaningful instruction to students, Joy’s expertise has allowed us to rely on her in a variety of ways. She has been the coordinator of our resource program and instrumental in not only developing and refining many of our procedures but in documenting the daily practices of the resource program. She is called upon routinely to screen new students when there is a question about whether they can be admitted, and she is part of our Student Review Team which brings various professionals together to consider the needs of students who are referred for support services.

Regardless of what is asked of her Joy has always been gracious in offering her support and expertise and in that regard her efforts have made her a building wide resource. She works in support of students, parents and teachers and tends to not draw the spotlight to herself but her contributions are many and we have all been made better by her actions.

I give Joy Koller my highest recommendation as a quality teacher who believes in the dignity of her profession. I have no doubt that she will be a valuable asset to any school fortunate enough to secure her services.

Please feel free to contact me if there is any other information I can provide.

Sincerely,

Kenneth F. Schunk

Elementary Deputy Principal – Primary Division