Educational Studies

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
610 E. UNIVERSITY AVE., ROOM 1228 ANN ARBOR, MI 48109

To whom it may concern, It has been my pleasure to work with Erika Valdivieso since September of 2013. She was working to earn her teacher certification in Latin after having earned her MA at the University of Michigan. I worked with her as her field instructor, observing her in the classroom at various times during these past two semesters. It was clear from the beginning that Erika is extremely knowledgeable in her subject matter and passionate about it. She already had some experience teaching at the university as a graduate student and continued to teach a class in the fall during her practicum 2 placement at Huron HS. Erika did an excellent job planning lessons for her students. She quickly realized that high school students cannot be taught in the same way as high school students. It is important to engage them, to breakdown and scaffold the content well and to lead them to mastery. As well as to constantly check for understanding. It is not enough to ask are there any questions and accept silence as signifying that all the students have understood the material. It is crucial to make sure by asking your own questions. Erika very quickly understood and mastered various techniques to check for understanding. Erika is also adept at selecting texts and teaching students to read and translate with meaning through various techniques. She very quickly showed skill in not simply answering student questions but instead in leading them to the correct answer by giving hints and asking probing questions and then giving positive reinforcement for the good thinking and good answers. Erika is also skilled at using technology judiciously to enhance her presentation of material or to help students master content via Edmodo and other sites. But she also knows to plan for times when technology may not cooperate. Erika designed tasks and assessments that were challenging and helped guide the students to deeper understanding of the grammar and content of various texts. It was fascinating to see how much she was able to have the independent study Latin 5 students do in the short amount of time she worked with them. In fact, she decided to continue to work with them past the university semester. Erika is adept at organizing pair work, small group or large group work or discussion. She is skilled at keeping an eye on what is happening in her classroom and knowing when to gently guide the students back on task. She quickly set and maintained clear expectations for all the students. It was always clear that the students respected her and did not hesitate to ask questions as needed. One student told me that she is a very good teacher because she knows her stuff and keeps us focused. High praise indeed.

By setting high expectations for her students but also clearly showing her enjoyment of her subject matter and of teaching, Erika created a classroom community conducive to excellent work and behavior from the students. And this showed in the results on the National Latin Exam. Erika always maintains an extremely professional demeanor. She is highly respected by her students and colleagues and instructors. She consistently sets very high standards for herself and meets them. She attended various professional meetings while at Huron High School. She is also very reflective and thoughtful about her teaching. I have thoroughly enjoyed our discussions after my observations. Erika has the skills and passion to become an outstanding professor of Classics and an asset to any university where she teaches. She can and will inspire students to do their best. I highly recommend her. Dr. Isabelle Carduner