The five year teacher certification program at Michigan State University prepares college graduates to assume the

responsibilities of beginning teaching. The program consists of a planned sequence of professional courses and
field experiences including a year-long internship after students complete their bachelor's degree. A five-year
program enables teacher candidates to acquire a solid grounding in their teaching subjects as undergraduates and to
spend a year of guided learning to teach in a school and classroom setting. The program meets all the requirements
for the provisional elementary and secondary teaching certificate of the State of Michigan. It also reflects state
and national standards for beginning teachers.

The internship combines observation and guided practice teaching averaging about 30 hours per week with twelve
credit hours of master's degree courses. These experiences are designed to support the intern's growth both in
classroom teaching and in the performance of a teacher's other professional roles, such as working with parents and
colleagues in the school. The internship includes a sustained period of lead teaching. With the collaborating
teacher's support, the intern bears primary responsibility for planning, instruction, and assessment.

The attached report is based on the intern's extensive experience.

MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution

Exit Performance
Description
(EPD) Report Cover Sheet
Cockin, Valerie Elementary Education
Intern Major


Burrill, Karen Hickory Woods Elementary School
Mentor Teacher School Name


Durda, Richard Walled Lake Consolidated School District
MSU Field Instructor School District
















Internship Area Team Assignment:

X
Elementary Education

Secondary Education Special Education




Report prepared by:

X
Mentor Teacher

MSU Field Instructor




Report prepared for:

X
Fall & Spring Semester

Fall Semester Spring Semester




Report is based on the school year:
FS13-SS14 Date: 4/12/14


MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution



Lettei of Recommenuation foi valeiie Cockin

Intein: valeiie Cockin

Nentoi: Kaien Buiiill

Apiil 14, 2u14


Please accept my stiong iecommenuation of Ns. valeiie Cockin foi employment as an elementaiy oi
miuule school teachei. Ns. Cockin iecently completeu hei inteinship teaching expeiience in seconu
giaue, at Bickoiy Woous Elementaiy School, in the Walleu Lake Consoliuateu School Bistiict (WLCSB).
The WLCSB is compiiseu of 1 pie-school, 12 elementaiy schools, S miuule schools, S high schools anu 1
technicalvocational tiaining school.

Bickoiy Woous Elementaiy is a subuiban school, locateu in Novi. It seives both Walleu Lake anu Novi
families. The eniollment foi the 2u1S-2u14 school yeai was 627. The stuuent population is ethnically
anu economically veiy uiveise. Theie aie 142 English Language Leaineis (EL) eniolleu at Bickoiy
Woous. 26 uiffeient languages aie iepiesenteu within the stuuent bouy. 24% of the stuuents paiticipate
in the FieeReuuceu Lunch Piogiam. 0ne of the laigest challenges Bickoiy Woous faces is the high 21%
mobility iate thioughout the yeai. The WLCSB has high achievement expectations. Theiefoie, stuuents
new to the WLCSB aie often below giaue level. All classiooms have stuuents that iequiie iemeuiation,
while otheis neeu eniichment oppoitunities. Teacheis aie iequiieu to pioviue a uiffeientiateu
cuiiiculum that meets the neeus of below, at, anu above giaue level stuuents.

The class that Ns. Cockin taught hau 2S stuuents, compiiseu of 11 boys anu 12 giils. The stuuent
population consisteu of seven EL stuuents ianging fiom non-English speaking to pioficient in theii
English pioficiency levels. Foui stuuents in the class hau ABBABBB uiagnosis, two stuuents hau a
Leaining Bisability (LB) ceitification anu one stuuent hau a Speech anu Language uesignation.

valeiie Cockin anu I have woikeu collaboiatively since August 2u1S. valeiie immeuiately became an
integial pait of oui classioom. As hei mentoi teachei, I hau ongoing uaily oppoitunities to obseive anu
inteiact with Ns. Cockin. Ns. Cockin followeu the Bistiict Cuiiiculum uuiue anu auheieu to the Scope
anu Sequence set foith by the Bistiict. While following Bistiict cuiiiculum, she cieatively anu
puiposefully executeu lessons anu pioviueu activities to ensuie leaining taigets weie met. valeiie was
thoiough anu compiehensive when planning hei lessons anu piepaieu vaiious mateiials to augment
stuuent leaining. When piepaiing foi units of stuuy, she kept the uesiieu goals anu outcomes in minu
anu pioviueu a vaiiety of instiuctional methous anu activities to ieach the vaiious stuuent skill sets.
valeiie was piepaieu foi each lesson, having ievieweu the teaching manuals, leaining taigets anu often
cieating mateiials to best suit stuuent leaining. She pioviueu a vaiiety of instiuctional appioaches anu
stiategies to engage stuuents. She woikeu collaboiatively with the seconu giaue teaching team to
uevelop cieative, challenging lessons that auuiesseu the vaiious moualities of leaining. valeiie
successfully executeu the Woikshop Nouel in ieauing, wiiting, anu mathematics. valeiie continually
ievieweu on the Common Coie Stanuaius anu the New Science anu Nathematic Stanuaius when
piepaiing foi instiuction. She incoipoiateu many uistiict appioveu piogiams anu mateiials in hei
lessons. She successfully incoipoiateu concepts fiom Lucy Caulkins-!"#"$%&'() +,'-",., Bebbie Nillei-
/01'() /"0('()2 +%,3. 45"', +06 anu the Fountas anu Pinnell-7%8&$"-" 95%(':. 0(3 +%,3 ;-<36
piogiams. She successfully executeu a balanceu liteiacy apiioach of whole gioup, small gioup anu
MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution

inuiviuual instiuction, in auuition to offeiing hanus-on leaining activities. valeiie uemonstiates stiong
techonology skills. Regulaily she incoipoiateu technology in hei lessons to fuithei engage stuuents.

Ns. Cockin possesses excellent communication anu inteipeisonal skills. She uisplayeu confiuence in
woiking with stuuents, paients, staff anu auministiation. She communicateu hei expectations of stuuent
behavioi anu woik quality cleaily. She set a classioom climate of teamwoik that alloweu stuuents to feel
safe to ask foi help when neeueu, anu gave appiopiiate scaffoluing to suppoit stuuent leaining. Fiom the
moment she aiiiveu, valeiie uevelopeu a stiong sense of iespect anu fosteieu a positive classioom
community with hei stuuents. Ns. Cockin is intelligent, waim anu peisonable with a uelightful sense of
humoi. She was able to immeuiately put stuuents anu paients at ease.

Thioughout hei stuuent teaching expeiience, valeiie became involveu in extia-cuiiiculai effoits. She
paiticipateu in Piofessional Bevelopment oppoitunities, was an active membei of the Teachei-to-
Teachei piogiam, attenueu PTA meetings anu befoie anu aftei school events. Ns. Cockin was on the
planning committee foi both the Family Liteiacy anu Family Nath Night. valeiie was instiumental in the
oiganization anu implementation of the Nath Pantathlon piogiam. 0ui Nath Pantathelon piogiam
involveu an enoimous befoie anu aftei school time commitment. In auuition, Ns. Cockin volunteeieu foi
the casting committee foi the school musical anu volunteeieu hei uaily lunch peiiou to monitoi the
Seconu uiaue Knitting Club.

Noieovei, valeiie has a waim, piofessional uemeanoi. She is aiticulate, anu has an piofessional
appeaiance anu stiong veibal anu wiitten communication skills. . The stuuents iespect anu auoie Ns.
Cockin. She uemonstiates a positive attituue towaiu the piofession anu the stuuents as inuiviuuals.
valeiie stiives to impiove. She is ieflective, asks questions, seeks auvice, offeis suggestions, anu woiks
well collaboiatively. Theiefoie, hei stuuent teaching assignment has pioviueu hei with an excellent
aiena foi leaining anu piofessional giowth. valeie Cockin is one of the best stuuent teacheis I have
encounteieu. She is piepaieu to mange anu teach hei own class. She will be an asset to any school . It is
with my highest iegaius to iecommenuation valeiie Cockin foi a teching postion.

Feel fiee to contact me if I can pioviue you with any fuithei infoimation.

Respectly,
Kaien Buiiill
Seconu uiaue TeacheiNentoi
Bickoiy Woous Elementaiy

Peisonal phone #: 248.SSu.6448