SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

School of Education
Department of Curriculum Studies and Secondary Education
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park CA 94928
www.sonoma.edu/education

April 15, 2016

Dear Members of the Selection Committee:
When I enter Natalia Moodys academic or sheltered biology classes at Elsie Allen High School,
Im always impressed by her relationship with the students. She treats them as if they all know the
content presented and reminds them that the next problem is challenging to understand. Subsequently,
they listen attentively, ask questions, and write down responses to questions in their notebooks. With
many students of bilingual and bicultural backgrounds in her classes, she comprehends the demands for
them to achieve in science. It has been a pleasure to be her Sonoma State University supervisor since
January 2016.
During my last visit to her academic biology class, I appreciated watching how the students
became engaged in the new unit of Meiosis and Fertilization. As an introduction to the unit, students
had to predict individually in writing the answer to the question, Are fathers important to a species to
survive and thrive? Next they volunteered orally to justify their position with evidence and asked
questions of each other all based on their prior knowledge and previous unit on genetics. Natalia had
given them a handout that explained how to question each other with very specific emphasis on
scientific question and answer format. She guided them through the process till they eventually
engaged in it. Often students asked additional questions and replied to other students questions. At
times, Natalia stopped to repeat the process of listening and responding to each other to make sure
theyd continue in the same manner. Students were totally engaged and anxiously stated their own
positions, frequently reflected their own personal experiences. With thirty students in the class, they
learned to listen to each other and build on each others perspectives.
Natalia is always prepared for her lessons. Students know whats expected for the day and by
the end of the week. With her overhead visual directions, interactive questions, content material,
students can follow along easily while theyre taking notes or completing a task. She walks around the
classroom to check for student understanding, giving them additional guidance or encouragement. The
mutual respect they have for each other is very apparent. She certainly has developed a safe learning
environment for students to learn biology.
Natalia Moody has many creative ideas of teaching science to her students. She thinks
constantly how to make science more accessible to them, so theyll love it as much as she does. She
reflects on her process and assesses student learning all the time. Hence, I heartily recommend her to
teach science in any department or school site. Youll enjoy her positive attitude, knowledge of science,
and enthusiasm for student success.
Sincerely yours,
Kirsten Searby
Kirsten Searby, M.A. Ed
Faculty, Curriculum Studies and Secondary Education
Coordinator, SMTRI/Noyce Scholarship, Placement, and Intern Advisor