Since my first year as a teacher, I've had students come to me to request recommendations for a number of things. I've written more college application recommendations than I can count. And it doesn't get any easier.
It's a weighty problem. I want to write a glowing letter of recommendation so the student will be granted the money, accepted into the program, or given the internship. However, I also want to be honest about the students. It's a heavy burden: to say exactly the write thing that makes the person's character shine yet doesn't leave holes in the person's total picture.
I worry about how much or how little to say. If I say too much, the people reading the letter will probably just throw it down in disgust. If I say too little, the applicant may not look as good as s/he truly is!
At one point, I made a form letter. That way, I could quickly and easily just change a few words here and there, and the letter was finished. Now, that just isn't going to cut it! (How would I feel if the person writing a letter for me did that?!) So I agonize over every word I put on the page, weighing my vocabulary options and limiting the verbose verbage spilling onto the paper. (Just because a page is blank, that doesn't mean I have to fill it up!)
I am proud to recommend these students. And I hope they would be proud of what I say about them.
Oh, and two similar books I'm proud to recommend: The View From Saturday by EL Konigsburg and The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer. Both are similar in theme and writing style, portraying middle school students and their struggles to fit in. Fabulous books!
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