1. March 15, 2010
Meg Sullivan
502 Sunnyside Ave.
Elmhurst, IL
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to recommend Brian Goldin as a math instructor in your school. Brian and I
worked together as teachers at ASPIRA Early College High School (AEC) in its 07/08
inception year.
Working in a newly opened charter school is challenging: a culture needs to be
developed, curricula have not been written, and students are thrown together from a wide
area in Chicago. Brian tirelessly attended to his work not only as a teacher, but also as a
guide and a resource for students. Our student population was low-income and many had
serious problems to contend with. Brian was often found in his room, long after school
ended, helping students with their math homework, playing cards and games, or just
talking and listening. He attended basketball games and gave countless hours of his free
time to ensure students felt cared for and felt part of our school.
Brian was a helpful and supportive colleague. With very little support staff to help, we
filled in for each other making copies, sharing lesson plans or collaborating on students
we shared. Brian was always insightful about student behavior and was very connected
to their motives and personalities. He had an intuitive sense about our students few
teachers had. I often called on him to discuss students we shared and to seek ways to
connect with them. Brian always had insightful suggestions.
What I truly enjoyed about Brian was our lunch hours together. Our school environment
was very stressful and gathering for lunch with my colleagues and Brian was a true
respite. Like most clever people, Brian possessed a keen sense of humor, and we often
laughed at events many people would find despairing. Brian brought a tremendous
amount of energy and insight to our school and his contributions helped not only myself
and other faculty, but most importantly, our students through a very tough year.
If you have any questions about Brian or would like to further discuss his teaching, I
would be happy to speak with you. I can be reached at 630-272-4238.
Sincerely,
Meg Sullivan
Addison Trail High School