What You Must Include In Teacher Cover Letters

Teacher cover letters serve as your initial contact with a potential employer. The purpose is to convince the employer to explore your resume, which will hopefully lead to an interview and a job offer. The job offer, however, will not come if you skimp on any of the steps, starting with that initial contact. There are some things that should be included no matter field you are in, such as contact information and a personalized greeting. There are some things that are specific to the education field, and failing to include these things may result in your resume being tossed in the trash.

As with any cover letter, the greeting should (if at all possible) be addressed to a particular person rather than just a broad “sir or ma’am”, which shows that you have done at least a little research about the school; this also gives the impression that you are detail-oriented person in that you have taken the time to find out exactly who the contact person is. The introduction that follows should include your full name, how you found out about the position, and why the school should choose you to fill the job.

Every teacher has (or should have) a personal teaching philosophy; including this shows that your teaching is intentional, that you are conscious of the way you do your job rather than just “winging it.”Along with your teaching philosophy, include a summary of your qualifications and your teaching history. Remember to limit this paragraph to less than ten (or fifteen) sentences, any more and you may lose your reader; save the details for the resume.

Review everything the employer is requiring. Match your skills with the ones the employer lists in the job posting. Don’t contradict your resume, compliment it with the highlights. This is your chance to show you have what the school is looking for in a candidate.

The most important thing to keep in mind regarding your document is that this is your one chance to sell yourself; highlight not only the skills you possess, but what you can bring to the position and to the school as well. Most often, if your cover letters are going to catch the attention of the reader, your resume will not even be looked at.