Cover Letter Samples for Teachers

Teacher pointing to students with arms raised
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When you apply for a teaching position, you’ll be asked to submit several documents. These may include a job application, a resume, a list of references, copies of certifications, and college transcripts. Typically, you’ll need a cover letter to go with the stack of papers – here’s how to write a cover letter plus a few sample cover letters for teachers.

Don’t underestimate the power a great cover letter can have. All too often, a cover letter is thrown together last minute and, in turn, has silly grammatical errors, does not do you and your experience justice, or is simply a bore to read.

Imagine that your application and resume is one of a stack sitting on someone’s desk. What will your letter say that will make a school’s hiring committee want to turn the page and learn more about you? 

What to Include in a Cover Letter for a Teaching Position

Perhaps no job is as important and as rewarding as being a teacher. School systems are always looking for dedicated and enthusiastic teachers who are passionate about student learning and advocacy.

Use your cover letter as an opportunity to make yourself stand out from the other teachers applying for the position.

Think of the cover letter as the first impression you’ll make on a prospective employer. You will want to give an intriguing introduction of yourself and what you have to offer their school, faculty team, and students.

When you write your cover letter, it's important to include information about your teaching experience. If you’re fresh out of college, you can highlight your student teaching experiences. You’ll also need to include information on any certifications you may have along with copies of your certificates if requested.

Your teacher education and classroom training are also essential information for a cover letter, but stick to the good stuff. It’s not supposed to be a rundown of your resume in the form of a letter. Cover letters need to be concise, one-page attention grabbers – so just hit the high points.

You can also include a couple of your best teaching skills – check out this list of teaching skills that you may want to add to your cover letter, and definitely include your skills in your resume.

If you’re applying for several different job openings, don’t use the same cover letter for all your applications. Personalize the letter to show that you are seriously interested in that specific job: the ideal way to do this is to demonstrate that you’ve researched the recipient’s school district and are aware of their mission, needs, and challenges. Taking the extra time to make your cover letter perfect can make all the difference in landing your dream teaching job.

Cover Letter Example for a Teacher

Sarah McGovern
856 Lawrence Avenue
Boise, ID 83704
123-123-1234 (c)
sarah.mcgovern@email.com

July 12, 2019

Ms. Rachel Smith
Mountainview Elementary School
123 Cornwall Street
Boise, ID 83704

Dear Ms. Smith:

It was with much interested that I learned that a teaching position has opened at Mountainview Elementary School. As a 20XX graduate of ABC College, I can offer you solid in-service teaching experience gained at Hillsdale Elementary School in Boise and at Pioneer Elementary in Hidden Springs. I believe that both my passion for teaching and the experience I honed as a third- and fourth-grade student teacher will enable me to successfully promote the Mountainview School District’s core mission of guiding children to become active and positive contributors to their community.

My teaching experience at both urban and suburban elementary schools has given me an appreciation for the challenges which children in both settings face. Under the wonderful mentorship of Mr. Joe Bloom (the fourth-grade teacher at Hillsdale) and Ms. Jody Williams (a third-grade instructor at Pioneer), I learned how to identify and respond to the various learning styles of different children, partnering enthusiastically with these teachers, parents, and the schools’ principals to create learning environments that effectively engaged participation by children from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

My understanding of your school district is that you are dedicated to supporting the needs of an ethnically diverse population, with the ultimate goal of achieving a 100% graduation rate. Working with you to achieve these goals would be a rewarding challenge for me – I am fluent in Spanish and thrive in multicultural settings. In addition to my student teaching experience, I volunteered for three years during college as a basketball coach at our local Boys and Girls Club, and I worked as a camp counselor for two summers with programs designed to provide inner-city kids with fun mountain exploration experiences.

As a teacher, I am committed to creating safe, stimulating, and supportive learning environments that empower all children to discover and take pride in their individual strengths, support their classmates, and engage in their larger community. I have passed my certification exams and hold endorsements in Bilingual Education (K-12) and Blended Elementary Education/Elementary Special Education (Grade 4-Grade 6). Thank you for your consideration; I would welcome a personal interview to learn more about how I could contribute to serving the needs of Mountainview Elementary School’s students.

Sincerely,

Sarah McGovern (signature hard copy letter)

Sarah McGovern

More Cover Letter Samples for Teachers and Education Jobs

Job candidates with degrees in education have several options when it comes to finding a rewarding position in public or private school systems. Here are examples of cover letters appropriate for many different academic roles:

Prepare Application Materials in Advance

Keep in mind that you’re highlighting your teacher education and certifications in your cover letter, so you need to be prepared to back them up with copies of your certification certificates and college transcripts. It’s a good idea to have several copies of these documents ready to go. Send them along with your cover letter, application, and resume.

Official transcripts can take some time to receive from your college or university, so plan ahead and request both your official transcripts (sealed in an envelope) and unofficial transcripts. You can usually order your transcripts online; go to the web page for your college’s Registrar’s office – you’ll find it there. There’s usually a small fee to obtain the official copy of your transcript, and most colleges will send them to you via mail or directly to the institution requesting the transcript.

Unofficial transcripts are sometimes accessible online through your university’s website, but all schools have different policies when it comes to transcripts. It’s important to know these policies ahead of time, so you are not delayed in submitting your application for the job opening.

Your cover letter is just your introduction, and you’ll also need to include your resume. While a standard resume will work fine, you can review these teacher resume examples, including early childhood education, teaching abroad, and related positions such as youth worker and recreation coordinator.

Get Ready for Your Interview

In order to land your teaching job, you’ll need to sit through an interview, so review these teacher interview questions and answers. Take some time to practice answering the questions out loud, or better yet, find a friend or family member to pose as an interviewer. Practicing ahead of time will help you feel more comfortable during your actual interview. 

Key Takeaways

MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION: Describe your teaching or in-service experience, your mission as a teacher, and your teaching credentials and certifications.

RESEARCH SCHOOL DISTRICTS: Demonstrate your knowledge of your targeted school district’s vision statement, and explain how you are equipped to support them in achieving their goals.

PROOFREAD: As a teacher, you will be held to a high academic standard – your cover letter needs to be letter-perfect, with zero grammatical or spelling errors.