Lavay L

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
DEPARTMENT OF KINESIOLOGY
11/28/2018
To the Search Committee;
This letter is to support the application of Ms. Brittney Franks for a teaching position in Adapted
Physical Education. As the Adapted Physical Education (APE) Coordinator in the Kinesiology
Department at CSU, Long Beach, I have been professionally associated with Ms. Franks for the past
three years, from 2016 to 2018. During this time, she has been enrolled in course work and working
toward the successful completion of a California Single Subject Physical Education Teaching
Credential (SSPE) and Adapted Physical Education Added Authorization (APEAA) from CSU, Long
Beach. Upon successful completion of all student teaching requirements and passing her APEAA exit
interview, which is approximately mid–January 2019, Ms. Franks will have met all SSPE and APEAA
teaching credential requirements.
I have been Ms. Franks’ APE program advisor, instructor for two courses, and two fieldwork
experiences in APE and know her well. While enrolled in course work, Ms. Franks performed
extremely well academically and she often completed teaching assignments that went well beyond
class expectations. Overall, Ms. Franks was quite committed to growing professional in her teaching
and showed a great deal of growth during her academic coursework.
During the 2016-17 academic year, Ms. Franks taught in the CSU, Long Beach after school and
summer physical activity programs for children with disabilities (After School Adapted Physical
Activity -ASAPP and Camp Nugget). Both are on-campus programs designed to provide positive
physical activity experiences to children 5-12 years of age with disabilities. Her duties included testing
and programming individuals and groups of students with gross motor delays. Ms. Franks was able to
effectively meet the children’s movement needs and provide them with valuable physical activity
experiences. In addition, she demonstrated excellent leadership skills and was able to communicate
well with the other university students teaching in the program and the parents of the children who
attended.
Based on her strong teaching, creative ideas and leadership skills I asked her to assist me with
directing both of these programs during the 2017-18 school year. Her responsibilities were then
expanded and included such administrative duties as, working with parents, and assisting university
students with testing and instructional programming. In this capacity she performed extremely well
and was most professional in her duties. She was especially effective in communicating with parents
and meeting all deadlines in a timely manner. Overall, Ms. Franks demonstrated excellent
collaborative and leadership skills.
1250 BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD – MS 4901, HHS2-103 - LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA 90840-4901
562/985-4051 - FAX 562/985-8067
www.csulb.edu/kin
Currently, Ms. Franks is completing her student teaching assignment in APE and GPE in the Bellflower
School District under the supervision of Mrs. Tina Robertson, APE Teacher. During this time, she has
gained a great deal of experience providing physical education to children with various disabilities,
from the preschool through middle school level. She also has gained a great deal of experience in
assessment and report writing including writing IEPs. Ms. Franks is effective in providing proper
teaching sequences, age-appropriate teaching cues and effective instructional methods. Her lesson
plans our quite creative and written to follow Common Core, ELD, and CA Physical Education state
standards with clearly written behavioral objectives. Moreover, Ms. Franks has been quite effective in
motivating the students she teaches by incorporating music and using tablet technology to provide
effective visuals. She also has designed and implemented a successful behavior management plan
that promotes positive behaviors among the children taught. Overall her enthusiasm and creativity
she brings to her teaching is her one of her real strengths
In addition, Ms. Franks has additional experiences working with children with disabilities
• SOI Young Athletes program held last spring in Bellflower USD
• Step out and socialize: a program for young adults with disabilities that emphasizes
socialization and physical activity
• Adaptive Sweat: assistant physical trainer providing fitness workout classes for children and
younger adults with disabilities
In summary, Ms. Franks is an extremely enthusiastic and hard-working dedicated young professional who
cares deeply about teaching physical education and children with disabilities.
I am convinced that she would be an excellent role model and asset to the students she teaches. She is the
type of future professional we need in the teaching field providing quality instruction to students with
disabilities as well serving as an effective role model. For these reasons, I strongly support her teaching
application. Please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or (562) 985- 4077 if you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
Barry Lavay
Barry Lavay, Ph.D.
Adapted Physical Education Specialist Coordinator
California State University, Long Beach
Kinesiology Department
[email protected]
(562) 985-4077

Lavay L

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lavay L

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lavay L

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH

You might also like