May 30, 2014

Lisa P. Kuh, Ph.D.

Cell: 206-406-0134 Office: 603-862-0808
Assistant Professor, Family Studies
Lisa.Kuh@unh.edu
P-3 Teacher Preparation Program Coordinator
Consultant for Inquiry and Pedagogy, Child Study and Development Center
Department of Family Studies University of New Hampshire,
213 Pettee Hall, 55 College Road, Durham New Hampshire 03824-3599
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to write this letter in support of Kyleigh Pharris. Kyleigh is a graduate of
the Preschool-3rd Grade Teacher Preparation Program in the Family Studies Department
at the University of New Hampshire. As the coordinator for the P-3 Program, I worked
closely with Kyleigh, supervised her student teaching in a 1st grade classroom at the
Dondero Elementary School in Portsmouth, NH and had her as a member of our weekly
seminar group. She was also my advisee and was a student in my class, Curriculum for
Young Children during her junior year.
Our program at UNH immerses students in emergent, child-centered Reggio Emiliainspired curriculum during their practicum phases at our lab school - the Child Study and
Development Center (CSDC). At the same time they are introduced to courses and
practicum experiences in specific curriculum content such as Lucy Calkins and
Responsive Classroom techniques, structured lesson planning, and standards-based
curriculum design. During this time I have been consistently impressed with Kyleighs
commitment to her work and the children, her openness to feedback, and her dedication
to high standards for herself. I will address her areas of strength below.
Curriculum Development and Assessment: Our program requires detailed lesson planning
and documentation of student experiences and Kyleigh is skilled at both. Kyleigh also
thinks carefully about the range of activities a teacher might need in order to reach a
diverse group of children. She is extremely organized in her approach and in the past two
years has built a rich repertoire of curriculum resources and activities from which to
choose. She is well versed in math, literacy, science, and social studies practices and I
have been impressed with her ability to maintain fidelity to curricular goals and content,
and at the same enrich, modify, and improvise to create rich curriculum experiences for
children.
Kyleigh understands the need for multiple forms of assessment that paint a picture of the
whole child and inform future learning for children and teaching practices. Kyleigh has
experience in inclusion practices and planning for children who receive services.
Recently Kyleigh developed a center-based, hands-on math curriculum that dramatically
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changed childrens feelings about math and improved their math skills. Over a period of
months she shifted the curriculum from whole group instruction using workbooks to
center choices where children could practice and fine-tune math concepts and develop
self-regulatory behaviors. She developed a series of math menus for children and teachers
to keep track of their choices, offered a range of activities with manipulative and
recording sheets to challenge children, and gave them the responsibility for set up and
clean up of the math centers. This was a way that all children, whether ELL, SPED, or
typically developing, could succeed.
Classroom Management and Respect for Children:
Kyleigh is at ease with children and her respect for them is evident in her manner, speech,
and body language. Kyleigh has the ability to quickly assess a situation, adapt her
teaching moves, and redirect or make the necessary shifts. Her ability to communicate
verbally and non-verbally with children is huge asset, especially in settings where there
are children with special needs. Over the past two years Kyleigh has learned proactive
strategies to create classroom community such as morning meetings that establish tone,
transition strategies that help the day run smoothly, and behavior management systems.
She a caring, yet authoritative communication style that lets children know she is
approachable yet means what she says.
Relationships with Peers and Colleagues:
Our student teaching seminars are run as professional learning communities. As a result
we modeled bringing student work for feedback and sharing curriculum ideas. In
addition, our program has a strong focus on children and adults working in groups. From
the classroom with children, to working with colleagues at her school and in our cohort,
Kyleigh understands the importance of promoting connections between learners as a way
to prompt new ideas and reflective thinking. She thrives on collaboration and feedback,
understanding that professionals need both to improve their practices. She is warm,
speaks her mind respectfully, and is a team player.
Professionalism and Intellectual Ability: Kyleigh continually strives for clarity and
understanding in her work, asking questions along the way, trying out different strategies,
and ultimately creating curriculum that demonstrates her expertise and understanding of
the concepts at hand. She is earnest and dependable, punctual, (doesnt punch the
clock), and is committed to her career as a teacher. She has the ability to discuss
complex issues related to policy and pedagogy that some educators do not come to
understand until later in their careers.
At a time when education is struggling for highly qualified teachers, we need individuals
like Kyleigh who are dedicated to working with children and adults in a variety of
settings. I highly recommend her for a position in your school or program.
Sincerely,

Lisa P. Kuh, Ph.D.