February 2, 2011 Dear Ms. Needles, Greetings!

My name is Sarah Sell, and I am overjoyed to be working with you and your class this semester. I am a junior from Hillsborough, New Jersey with a double major in Elementary Education and Integrated Sciences and Mathematics as well as a double minor in Middle School Education and Mathematics. My aspirations are to someday teach in grades three through eight or to be an elementary school Math Specialist. I am particularly interested in urban education and twenty first century technology. What influenced my decision to become an educator was my passion for working with children toward academic and future success. My greatest teaching philosophy is that you cannot teach a child until you love them, and my goals in the education field are to provide a safe and comfortable environment for lifelong learning. I am an active member on campus as a member of Rider Universitys Leadership and Development Program (LDP), Secretary and membership chair of Kappa Delta Pi National Education Honors Society, and the president of Rider Universitys Student Education Association (SEA). I am also a member of the Student New Jersey Education Association (SNJEA). I am fortunate to have experience working with children of many diverse areas, ages and educational needs. In July of 2008, I was enrolled as an intern in the Urban Teachers Academy at The College of New Jersey which provided me with several teaching practices and strategies for instruction in urban schools. In high school I was enrolled in a child development and preschool elective that allowed me to observe a 3rd grade inclusion classroom in the fall and then facilitate and instruct a preschool three days a week in the spring. In the fall of 2010 I participated in a ten week interactive observation of a 4th grade class in Lawrenceville. The following spring, I interned in a third grade double classroom at Wicoff Elementary in West Windsor Plainsboro. I also worked with middle and High School students this summer as the assistant coordinator of Rider Universitys STEM Teacher Academy. This two week internship provided students with the opportunity to advance the interest in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education. Finally, I tutor middle school students weekly in all subject areas and actively babysit children ranging in ages one to eleven. I look forward to meeting you and your class on Thursday, and again thank you for this opportunity to gain a greater experience and understanding of teaching. For any and all contact purposes, please feel free to email me at sells@rider.edu or call my cell phone at (908)-581-7544. Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day!

Sincerely, Sarah Sell