DEPARTMENT OF

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Mother Rosalie Hill Hall
5998 Alcal Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
P: (619) 260-5938
F: (619) 849-8159
http://sandiego.edu/teach

January 26, 2015

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Abigail Upham. As the Assistant
Director of Field Experience, I have had the pleasure of working with Abigail throughout the 2013/2014
and 2014/2015 school years and more recently on an international immersion experience to Mexicali.
Abigail is a dedicated and hard working student. She has been working to complete her MA in Education
and her California Single Subject Credential with a specialization in English in our Master Credential Cohort
two-year program. She has taken courses four nights per week while completing student teaching, PACT,
and this semester, she will complete her Action Research. During our more recent interaction in Mexicali, I
had the pleasure to observe Abigail teach English to middle school students in a poverty stricken
neighborhood in Mexicali, as well as observe her interact with local community members as she learned
about the local economy. As always, Abigail was gracious, kind, and created rapport with students even
when she could not speak their language.
Abigail has completed her part-time and full-time student teaching at High Tech High International. She has
gained skills in Project Based Learning for social studies and English, differentiation for special populations,
principles for personalization of learning, adult world connections for students, and has learned how to be
an instructional designer through her work at HTH in conjunction with her English methods course. Abigail
is a highly reflective instructor, and questions the work she does with students on a regular basis as shown
through her lesson planning and work with her master teacher and USD supervisor.
Abigail is a compassionate teacher, and in observing her work with students, her love of content and student
learning is ever present. She makes great connections with people where ever she is and has a strong rapport
with both colleagues and students.
I believe Abigail has exhibited the skills and personal attributes necessary for the teaching profession, and
highly recommend her for your institution.
Sincerely,

Michele McConnell
Assistant Director of Field Experience
619-260-5913
mmcconnell1@sandiego.edu