May I recommend...

Teaching is a profession that has many requirements, among them the obvious ones such as planning lessons, working with students to improve learning, attending meetings and the like. But more than the obvious requirements are the less-obvious and not-quite-required-but-expected type of requirements. These include attending school activities such as plays, concerts and games, so the teacher can get to know the students and support their accomplishments; being available at odd hours for consultation on various projects and assignments; and being an upstanding member of the community to maintain a good reputation. And then there are the letters of recommendation.

I work with a lot of seniors, and because of the nature of my job, I work with many of these students for several years. In some cases, I may have had a student for all four years of high school. I would not be doing this job if I did not enjoy it, and the longevity of my work with some students is one of the really rewarding aspects.

However, because of the nature of the students I work with, I have a pile of letters to write each year. These students frequently apply to selective universities and colleges, consistent with their demonstrated excellence at school. And each of those colleges requires a letter of recommendation, a completed form or some other type of evaluation.

I pride myself on doing a good job in everything I attempt, so I take my letter-writing seriously. I spend a few weeks mulling the anecdotes and adjectives I will use to characterize each student. Sure, I use some boilerplate language and swap out the indivdual's name, but the bulk of the letter is original. It takes 30 to 45 minutes to prepare each. If there is a separate form, those are five to 10 minutes each, too, depending if I choose to use the typewriter.

But let me make one thing clear: I receive no additional compensation for this letter-writing, and it is not a requirement. Furthermore, I don't write one for every student; in fact, I have declined on several occasions. Still, I counted today, and I have written 107 letters in my nine years as a teacher, including eight already this year. That does not include the shorter forms used by some scholarship applications that just require a few boxes be checked and a couple short statements on this quality or that academic ability.

I have contemplated the idea of asking for a donation to a scholarship fund for those who seek my recommendation or even limiting my letters to a certain group or number of students. But I have enacted no limites other than asking for three to four weeks of lead time to guarantee a letter. For the most part, I write a good letter, and I like to think I have been part of my students' acceptance at some of the nation's and Northwest's top universities.

Perhaps something can be done through the school or bargaining agreement with the union. Perhaps I should just suck it up and accept it -- or else just draw a boundary line. Regardless, one thing that is always nice is when the students ask politely and write a nice nmote of thanks afterward.

It's the least I can expect.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.