Teacher Cover Letter: Examples and Tips

Creating the perfect cover letter increases your chances of standing out to the hiring manager and being selected for the job you want.

Regardless of whether or not you're an experienced teacher, or a fresh graduate looking to start your career, you need to write a cover letter when you apply for a job.

Writing a great teacher cover letter from scratch can be very challenging if you don't know what to include and what to leave out.

This article has you covered in either case and will help you write a great cover letter for a teaching job letter from zero.

How to Write a Teacher Cover Letter

In this section, we cover the structure of the cover letter and a basic overview of what should be included in it.

First, here are the different sections in the teacher cover letter that you should follow:

• Header
• Your contact info and the date
• The receiver's address
• Introduction
• Second paragraph: Hard Sell
• Call to Action (CTA)
• Complimentary close
• Postscript

This is the broad structure that you should follow in your cover letters since it is a formal letter after all.

Start With the Header

The header is the first part of the letter that the reader will see, and it is usually written to stand out from the rest of the text. The header is important because it clearly states who the letter is from and what their position or qualification is.

This is the first part of the letter and instantly identifies the document as your own. While you might want to grab the reader's attention by writing a catchy statement in the header, we believe you should keep it simple.

Remember, this is still a formal letter.

So, only write your full name in the heading font as the header of the letter.

Under that, include your:

• Address
• Mobile number
• Email ID
• Social media handles

We recommend that you stick to the design of your resume, and depending on the format you're choosing, align it left or right accordingly. What's important is that the details are clearly visible and are presented to the reader in a neat and clean manner.

You can also try using bullet points to lay down these details so that it looks better on the document.

Teacher Cover Letter Example

Here are two examples of headers that you can derive inspiration from:

CORRECT

John Smith

Secondary Science Teacher

Jill Hussey

Elementary Education Professional

Open Your Teacher Cover Letter Introducing Yourself

The start of the cover letter is where it is make or break. So, you need to get the opening of the letter right for the employer to pay full attention to the rest of it.

Start with a salutation such as 'dear', which works perfectly fine. You can also try reducing the formality in the letter to a considerable degree by writing their first name.

Next, we come to the introduction of the letter.

Any cover letter samples tell that the opening of the letter should include where you found the ad for the teaching job. It is also very important that you write your opening to hook the hiring manager so that the remainder of the letter is read.

Correct Example

CORRECT

As an experienced teacher and private tutor, I was instantly interested in the offer of joining as the science HOD for ABC School. I am confident that I will be able to use my years of experience to become a valuable member of the faculty and continue delivering high-quality education.

What works here? The first thing that is outlined here is the experience that the applicant has, which is their biggest strength. Next, it goes ahead and states exactly how they plan to be of help to the school. Lastly, it states what result the applicant hopes to achieve if they are given the job.

Incorrect Example

INCORRECT

I found your ad for the vacancy in your school in yesterday’s newspaper. I feel that I am qualified for the role and I can earn a high post in your institution. Let me now tell you about my experience and why I am a perfect candidate for your students to realize their dreams.

What’s wrong with this example? Firstly, the tone does not seem formal at all. There is little tangible evidence as to what sets this applicant apart from the rest. Moreover, it focuses on how the institution can be of service to the applicant and not the other way round. This is completely wrong and will set you way back in the search for a teaching job.

Highlight Why You Are the Best Teacher For the Role: The Hard Sell

This is where you need to prove to the hiring manager why you are the perfect candidate for the job and their institution. The second paragraph is where you highlight your biggest achievements as a teacher if you have experience in another institution.

Numbers can work well in the second paragraph, and stating how your contributions helped your students improve in the past is the best way to go about it. A sample statement would look like "helped increase average test results by 10%".

If you find writing such stats difficult, you can talk about the size of your classroom in the past. On the other hand, you can also mention how many of your students were toppers of the total number of students. Lastly, you can also mention the number of colleagues you helped train if you're an experienced teacher.

Another important thing to note here is that you should make the teaching cover letter relevant to the job description. If you're applying to an elementary school, you need to show the reader that you're great with small kids. Similarly, if you're applying for a high school, you can try showing how you can come up with great lesson plans. Use these points to build on your achievements as a teacher.

Do your research on the school you're applying to beforehand as well. This helps you make the hiring manager understand exactly how you fit into their institution. You can also lay emphasis on your passion for teaching. This makes the entire second paragraph much more relevant than a generic teacher cover letter sample.

Correct Example of a Teacher Cover Letter Sample

CORRECT

In my previous spell with XYZ School, I was a senior member of the Humanities department and had a lot of responsibilities that shaped my ideas as an educator. I was a part of the lesson plan development team for the board that was adopted by over 20 schools in the city. Alongside that, as many as 15% of my students finished at the top of the batch and I strongly believe that I can do the same with ABC School.

In this example, the applicant clearly shows their experience, their achievements and confidently states that they can do the same in the new post. This shows the reader that you can be of benefit to their long-term vision and makes you a more eligible candidate.

Incorrect Example

INCORRECT

My students are my proof of success, and you can ask any one of them about the environment in the classroom. There are few other teachers that offer the discipline and the depth that I can offer. I believe that the institute will be much better with me on the staff.

The first thing that’s wrong with this example is the tone. It doesn’t sound friendly. Instead, it sounds boastful and rude, and will instantly get you rejected. On a deeper level, it offers no tangible numbers of how a student fares better under them. Moreover, there are no accomplishments highlighted. Lastly, the example is pushing the employer to buy the service instead of the applicant selling their value to the employer.

Finish Your Cover Letter With a Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) is a statement that encourages the reader to take relevant action, such as contacting you to discuss your role as a new teacher. And that is exactly what the aim of the third paragraph is.

Writing a CTA can be challenging, especially since it is expected to be brief and to the point. So, simply state your expectations from the potential employer.

Tip: Writing tthat you look forward to hearing from them about the job is a start, but you can paint a clearer picture for them as well. And that is much more impactful for the reader.

Correct examples

• I would encourage you to contact me on my email regarding the current lesson plan and how I can help improve the course at your esteemed institution.
• I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how I can be a valuable member of your faculty.
• I would be delighted to hear from you about how I can continue to help XYZ School be one of the best in the city.

All these examples mentioned above are concise and clearly state how the applicant plans to benefit the institution once hired. Moreover, these CTAs also do a great job of taking out the idea of a job completely and change the image in the mind of the employer. With a close like these examples, you are more likely to be chosen since it is clear to see what value you bring to the table.

How to Enhance Your CTA

• Keep it short and to the point
• Have a friendly and respectful tone
• Don't sound like you're forcing or begging the employer to give you an opportunity..
• Let them know how to reach you so that they can contact you about the next step of the hiring process.

The Farewell: Close Your Teacher Cover Letter Efficiently

Now that you have covered the majority of the letter, it is time to conclude the letter. Thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration. This clearly conveys respect and you want to make them feel positive about your character since it is a vital part of being a good teacher.

How to Finish Your Letter

You don't have to overthink this part, you can simply resort to a close such as 'sincerely' or 'best regards'.

But, the aim of this article is to help you stand out.

With that in mind, here is a brief list of synonyms that you can use instead of the two mentioned above to achieve a strong close:

• Thank you
• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Warm regards
• Respectfully
• Yours truly
• With best regards
• Best
• Thank you for your consideration
• Sincerely
• Most sincerely
• Respectfully yours

What You Have to Avoid

The teaching cover letter is a formal letter and should be that way through and through. So, here is a brief list of informal salutations that you should avoid when writing a cover letter:

• Cheers
• Godspeed
• Yours faithfully
• Warmest regards
• Ciao
• Fondly
• Take care

Tips to Improve Your Teaching Cover Letter

With the structure of the cover letter for teachers out of the way, we can discuss some of the best tips to remember for you to write the best cover letter for your profile.

• Use the job posting and research beforehand for keywords that you can use. Applicant tracking systems scan your application to see it contains the right keywords, otherwise, it won't even be opened by the employer.
• Mention any training or certifications you've had in the past.
• Include work outside of the classroom as well.
• Stick to formal language in the cover letter. Don't use any abbreviations, or any informal words or slurs.
• Ensure that the text of the letter is clearly visible and readable by anybody.

Complement Your Cover Letter With a Teacher Resume

A cover letter for teaching jobs is usually used to accompany a teacher’s resume. The resume is the main part of the job application and describes your profile, past experience, and qualifications in a systematic fashion.

On the other hand, a cover letter is the only part of proper communication between you and the employer. So, while most people are lazy when it comes to the cover letter, you can now use the points discussed in this article to create your own letter that stands out from the rest.

Creating a proper resume is also essential in securing the teaching job that you want. So, you'll want to check out our teacher resume examples that show you how to make the perfect resume for you, step-by-step.

Key Points: Writing a Teacher Cover Letter Masterfully

• Follow the structure given in the article for the cover letter since it is a formal document.
• Use formal language and avoid abbreviations or casual statements.
• Be respectful and have a friendly tone.
• Introduce yourself from the beginning and mention where and how you found the job listing.
• Highlight your accomplishments and interest in the specific job post.
• Tailor your cover letter and resume to the institution and post you are applying for.
• Include a short and specific CTA that politely encourages the reader to contact you about the job offer.
• Stick to the list of closing compliments listed in the article to have a strong finish and maximize your chances of being selected.

FAQs

How do I write a cover letter for a new teacher?

If you're a new teacher, and are only just beginning your career, it might seem difficult to highlight your past experience in a major teaching role. However, you can state any internships or part-time jobs that you engaged in to convey that you know what it's like to be on the other side of the classroom.

Highlight your ambition and your passion for the teaching job. Tell the employer why you and their institution would make a great partnership, and be honest in your cover letter.

What is the most important thing to note in a cover letter?

Teachers should ensure that the instructional technology meets the teaching requirements and the goals for the specific grade. Your cover letter example needs to tell that. All cover letters need to include job responsibilities and previous experience. Cover letters also need to include your skills, and professional positions.

Any teacher cover letter example will tell about your previous position, education, professional experience and your career objectives. The template needs to demonstrate your knowledge and interest in the subject. Cover letter examples also tell you to showcase your ability to teach the grade you want.