Dr.

Astrid Steele
Associate Professor
Nipissing University
North Bay, Ontario
705 474 3450 ext. 4043
astrids@nipissingu.ca

March 23, 2015

To Whom It May Concern,

I have written this letter to recommend Jennifer Andrusyszyn as a confident and capable new teacher who
has worked very hard at the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University, and in her practice
teaching assignments, to develop her knowledge and skills as an educator.
As her faculty supervisor during a three-week International Teaching Placement in Nicaragua, where
Jennifer taught English to Spanish-speaking students, I was able to observe her skills as an educator as
she planned creative lessons and team-taught with her colleagues. She implemented appropriate
classroom management strategies and it was obvious that she loves to work with children as they begin to
understand new concepts. Jennifer displayed a patient and easy-going manner with her students; she
presented lessons that speak to her sense of organization and her belief that teaching and learning should
be enjoyable for both the student and the teacher.
Jennifer is dedicated to professional development in order to further her knowledge as an educator; she
enjoys new challenges and works on building positive relationships both in her professional circles and
with her students. She was able to bridge the language barrier and in no time was teaching, learning and
laughing with the Nicaraguan students.Certainly, her experiences in Nicaragua and in Kenya demonstrate
her resilience, determination, and ability to deal with difficult and sometimes stressful situations, in
classrooms with few resources, and in living situations that were at times challenging.
Jennifer is able to reflect professionally and honestly on her practice; she accepts and acts on constructive
criticism and is very willing to learn new strategies. I believe that Jennifer is well on her way to becoming
an accomplished and skillful educator and would be a terrific asset to any teaching staff.
I wish her all the best.
Sincerely,

Dr. Astrid Steele

Associate Professor
Schulich School of Education
Nipissing University