Reich College of Education

Dear Mr. Patterson

Dear Mr. Patterson, my name is Nicole Hoffman. Currently, I am teaching honors freshmen and senior English students with an experienced co-teacher. I am very thankful to be working with my fifty-five students daily and not only teaching them but learning from them as well. I have seen not only myself grow throughout my four years at ASU, but also the other future educators in my program. Your gifts have impacted the lives of students who attend ASU, in addition to those that are taught by my fellow Patterson Scholars and myself.  As my student teaching experience continues, I learn more every day.

Right now I am residing in a limbo between student and teacher. During first and second period I observe my cooperating teacher’s lectures, mannerisms, classroom management, routine, etc. I then mimic and modify my earlier observations for third period. Although, I am only teaching one class, it feels like I have become a “teacher”. I almost feel ready to take over all three classes! My cooperating teacher is open to new ideas and he is flexible in his schedule, which allows me the freedom to plan and execute numerous lessons. My students and their needs have become my top priority, and I am learning how to best serve them. For example, over the weekend one of our students was in a car accident and passed away. Our school atmosphere was somber and each of our classes began with an announcement about the student and counseling services available for grieving teachers and students.

My teacher and I had a discussion on what to do in this terrible situation because I may encounter it again when I become a teacher. He has told me how to be helpful by directing students to counseling services, allowing extensions on assignments, and if necessary, contacting counselors and guardians to provide more emotional support to students. This experience has taught me that teachers sometimes play a larger role in helping students with their emotional needs. In addition to serving students’ emotional needs, my cooperating teacher has taught me how to effectively run a classroom and serve the students’ academic needs.

During my student teaching, my teacher and I have been collecting data on Reading Literature standards assessed on the North Carolina Final Exams in both 9^th grade and 12^th grades. Essentially, I am now capable of teaching any English class grades 9-12 because I am familiar with their common core standards. While collecting this data we have been able to roughly pin-point the standards students find challenging with specific Reading Literature standards such as citing textual evidence and analyzing a character’s development throughout the text. We have been able to focus more on these standards on the formative assessments we give students in both classes. I have also incorporated citing textual evidence into their weekly journal prompts and homework. Once the third nine-weeks term is over, my cooperating teacher and I will re-assess the standards that are still a challenge to the students, and we will narrow our focus on those standards in formative and summative assessments.  This will help students do well on their final exams, their educational careers, and their future professions.

My last four years have been filled with hard work, long nights, early mornings, and interactions with some of the most intelligent people alive. Yes, my professors are some of the smartest people I have ever met, but I have learned so much from interacting with kids ranging from third graders working on a project about themselves to seniors in an AP English class researching their future careers. One of my most spirited professors, Jeff Goodman, tells all of his students that each moment we spend together we impact each other’s lives. All of the synapses in our brains are constantly making connections and when one person interacts with another person we become a part of that person and all of the people they interact with. So, right now you are impacting my students through me. You have become a part of my life and my students’ lives. It is very interesting to think about how many people you have impacted by providing scholarships to education students. Thank you for helping my future students and me. Your financial gift of $7500 per year for four years has relieved my family and me of the financial burden that college tuition has become to degree-seeking students  today. I am thankful that I have received the honor to be a member of the first class of Patterson Scholars at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

Mr. Patterson, I know that you will receive numerous essays praising you for your contribution to our lives and the lives of our future students. Here is another one saying thank you for giving to me and my current and future students. To continue their growth and life-long learning, they will need donors like you that care about education and future generations. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you for everything.

Sincerely,

Nicole Hoffman