Finally Completing My Orcutt General Music Application and my Letters of Reccomendation

 I finished applying to the Santa Maria Job. I do want to put in here the words that my friends told about me in my letter's of reccomendation.

March 3, 2025

To Whom it May Concern:

My name is Dr. Mark Simmons, and I am the Director of Choirs at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona. I am writing this letter on behalf of Mr. John Gonzalez, who is an applicant for your Elementary and Middle School Music Educator position. I have known Mr. Gonzalez for the last year, working extensively with him inside the academic classroom as well as in artistic performance environments, and feel confident in recommending him for your position.

John is a committed, sincere, capable, and reliable person to his core. More importantly, he brings all these qualities into his approach to music education. Working with him in a one-on-one environment in his Secondary Music Methods course, I was able to watch as he led a series of lab rehearsals with the Concert Choir at MCC. His preparations for and executions of these rehearsals revealed a sense of steady, kind, supportive, and effective leadership. I have no doubt about his ability to reach and uplift young people as they explore and develop their own musical ability and awareness under his guidance. 

Further, John is a gifted musical composer. This relatively unique skill enables him to craft music that can be directly applied to any specific classroom or student population. In this way, John possesses the ability to tailor musical literature to the exact necessary specifications for literally any educational environment. Coupled with his ability at the keyboard, John’s future as a successful Music Educator looks bright. 

John is ultimately a dedicated student-centered educator who will excel at reaching elementary- and middle school- aged students with ease. His solid understanding of musical practice coupled with his uniquely compassionate character will no doubt successfully reach students from a variety of backgrounds and skillsets. I enthusiastically endorse Mr. Gonzalez for any position that requires a quality musician to reach and uplift young people in their musical journey. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you might have. I wish you the best as you move forward in your search.

Sincerely,

Mark Simmons, DMA

Director of Choirs

Mesa Community College

Mesa, Arizona 

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

To whom it may concern:

I am writing to recommend Mr. John Gonzales for the role of general music teacher. He worked with me at Centennial Elementary School from July-December of 2023 as a student teacher. I was the mentor teacher and collaborated with John and guided him as he planned lessons, worked with students, and absorbed teaching responsibilities throughout the semester. 

As a colleague, John was always hard-working and enthusiastic. During his time with us, he excelled at connecting with students and building rapport. His lessons were inventive and engaging, while also adhering to a high level of rigor and state music standards. He manages to bring an excitement to the classroom that students immediately latch onto, so that they enjoy what they are learning and perform beautifully.

John directed students in lessons that included work on rhythm, pitch and melody, singing and playing instruments, movement, and composition. He also helped instruct the choir club before school and conducted in their winter concert. Additionally, he used multicultural songs and activities to teach students about music from all around the world. He is an organized and trustworthy educator who delivers the best for his students. John is a delight to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again. I highly recommend him for this position.

Should you have any further questions about him or his work here at Centennial, feel free to reach out to me - Thank you.

Respectfully,