June 12, 2012Reference letter for Caryn Beukes

To whomever it may concern,

Caryn came to my attention as a mother advocating for her son and as a teaching assistant working at our school. She is one of those people who manages poise and reason with knowledge and was quickly realized to be far more capable than her position as a classroom assistant indicated.

Caryn’s persistent, tireless and determined efforts to support her two sons with dyslexia were outstanding. She worked effectively with teachers, sought appropriate reading programs and daily oversaw both her son’s decoding programs. Caryn intuitively understood the concepts of the program and applied it relentlessly. She never hesitated to ask for clarification, and was always eager to learn more.

As a classroom assistant Caryn was well liked by teachers and families. She was one of those assistants whom teacher felt blessed to have in their classrooms. She grasped an understanding of situations quickly, demonstrated good judgment and effectively met the children’s needs without requiring a lot of direction. She was trained to complete reading assessments using the Benchmark series used in Reading Recovery programs by her classroom teacher.

With this knowledge, experience, skill and integrity, Caryn was offered the position of Early Years Reading Instructor for children who required reading support by the Primary Years principal. She initiated further education in special needs and was granted funding by the school.

Caryn worked under my supervision using the Wilson Language Program. Caryn was able to take on the responsibility with ease and passion. She met with students from Grade K to 4 for 30-minute slots 3 times per week. She adored her work, the children loved being with her and she was always prompt and prepared. She was able to spot developmental patterns in children, seek guidance and was always open to suggestions.

Caryn would without hesitation be an asset to any position involving supporting children with reading difficulties in decoding, fluency and comprehension.

Vivian Huizenga M.Sc., Educational Psychologist