The Joy of Recommendation Letters

When I was in college, there were a lot of things I pictured about my future career.  I imagined teaching students.  I imagined being the lab.  I even imagined parent-teacher conferences.  I guess that is because those are the parts of teaching students actually see teachers doing.   I never had a mental picture of sitting down to write recommendation letters, but over the years, I have written at least a hundred.  It is one of my favorite job responsibilities.

When a student asks a teacher to write them a letter, they aren't just marking an item off of their to-do list.  They are putting themselves in a vulnerable position.  What if the teacher says no?  What if it turns out that the teacher doesn't view the student the way the student thinks they do?  We should make sure that we respond in a way that honors their courage.  We should handle this request for what it is, an honor.

If you are blessed enough to have students who want your recommendation, take the time to think back over your relationship with that student.  Think about who they were when you first met them.  For some, that may be the beginning of this year; but for others, it goes back to middle school.  Think about how they have changed and grown.  The college is going to see their transcript, so the letter shouldn't be about what they do or what grades they get.  It should be about who that student is and their potential for growth.  It should help the admissions counselor get a picture of who that student is as a human being.

When you write letters that list resumé items, it's kind of a chore.  When you write letters that reflect the character of a student, it is a joy.  Imagine if you took the time to think back over your relationship history with a friend.  You would think about good and bad times and the depth of your friendship.  It's the same way when you view recommendation letters as stories of growth.  It adds depth to your view of the student.  Then, they are no longer a chore.  They are a privilege.