Letter of Recommendation for Thomas River

            If I had to choose one teacher out of all the teachers I have ever had in my high school career to receive the Teacher of the Year Award, I would (and did) choose Mr. (Sr.) Thomas River. Señor River is the greatest teacher a student could ask for. Apart from being hilarious and extremely nice, he also has those qualities that adults look for in a teacher.

            Señor River has the best sense of humor I have ever met in some one older than 30. This may sound like an exaggeration, but Sr. River is undoubtedly the funniest man who has ever lived. He has an impeccable sense of timing on when to say just the right thing. In fact, I have actually witnessed students entering his class with tears in their eyes and frowns on their faces only to be cheered up immediately into smiles and laughter by this man. Sr. River is what the Spanish call “muy chistoso.” If there is any doubt to his teaching abilities, let me just say that I did not have to look up either of those words. How ‘bout that?

            Thomas River is by far the most extraordinary teacher I have ever had. There is something about the way he teaches that simply allows me to learn. With all my other Spanish teachers (and don’t tell them I said this) it was simply one confusing day after another. Then “El Señor” came into my life and taught me how to learn. In previous years my Spanish teachers would try to insist that we speak in Spanish the whole hour, but no one ever did it because it was so hard. After a few months with Sr. River we learned how to get around the common snags which stop people from being able to speak semi-fluently and after a mere quarter of review and learning we were speaking Spanish as often as we could.

            The only regret that I have in my life with any regard to Sr. River is that I never got to have him before this year. If you ask any student who has had him, they will tell you he is the best Spanish teacher… nay, the best ANY teacher that they have had or ever will have in their lives. Give him the award. C’mon….. c’moooonnn.

                                                                                     Sincerely,

                                                                                          Tommy Pizzini