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Teacher Cover Letter Examples and Tips

Our teacher cover letter examples and expert tips will help you add your most impressive accomplishments and top skills to a cover letter that lands you a job interview.

Donna Wright Profile
By Donna Wright 4 minute read

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Teacher cover letter: 5 key tips

Since most teacher job candidates will have similar teaching degrees and teacher certifications, you need to show employers you bring something special to the classroom. Your job writing a cover letter is to give a glimpse into your personality and demonstrate why the school can benefit from employing you as a teacher. Here are five tips you can use to make your good teacher cover letter a great cover letter for a teacher:

1

Feature your top strengths up front

Take a few moments to think about what makes you stand out? Is it your impactful teaching approach that drastically improved test scores in previous teaching roles? Did you create an engaging learning experience that had parents and students raving about your unique approach? In your opening paragraph, tell your unique story as a quick, catchy hook so the hiring director learns your strengths and can't wait to keep reading and learn more about your work experience.

2

Get specific about credentials and achievements

Don’t make the hiring manager or prospective school principal search through your cover letter without seeing details about your education or additional teaching certifications. Be sure to say upfront that you earned a bachelor's degree, received your state’s teaching certification and completed an educator preparation program if applicable. If you’re a recent graduate, applying for an entry-level position, or are changing careers and lack direct teaching experience, describe any student teaching or other relevant experiences that show you have the skills to lead in the classroom.

3

Tailor your letter to the employer

When it comes to writing your teacher cover letter, remember to make it unique; do not just repeat information from your resume, and don’t copy and paste from example cover letters. Instead, tailor the information you have to suit the specific teacher job description and school district that you are applying for. The person reading your cover letter needs to feel confident that you understand the school’s vision and educational philosophy. Explain how your goals align with those of the school administrators, school community and staff members.

4

Present a mix of hard and soft skills

In order to show that you have what it takes to educate students while cultivating a positive classroom environment, your cover letter will need to show that you possess the required hard skills and soft skills to meet the diverse needs of your prospective students. While tasks will vary depending on education level, teachers will need hard skills like lesson planning, providing instructional support, handling student assessments and many more. To preserve a peaceful learning environment, a teacher needs to show mastery of areas such as patience, empathy, active listening, critical thinking, commitment, multitasking and organization.

5

Proofread for grammar and accuracy

As a teacher, attention to detail is crucial. Your cover letter needs to be error free and most importantly, grammatically correct. Read your teacher cover letter carefully prior to submitting it along with your resume and job application. Let the hiring manager remember you for the cool accomplishments you say in your cover letter and not a glaring typo.

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Write a teacher cover letter in 5 steps

Whether your teacher job search is for your first teaching job or you’re an experienced educator looking for a refreshing new teaching position, you can follow these five steps to writing a strong teacher cover letter for resume to give yourself the best opportunity to land a job interview at the intended school.

A cover letter template for teacher will consist of:

1. Cover letter header

Your cover letter header will feature your full name and most up-to-date contact information. >Match header design to mimic the font design featured in the header of your teacher resume. Include your location, phone number and email address. Also include the recipient’s name, title, company, email address and phone number. For further information on how to match your cover letter and resume, look at  our ResumeHelp Cover Letter Templates and Resume Templates.

Example:

Your name
Your phone number
Your email address
Link to your professional networking profile

2. Cover letter salutation

The ideal salutation addresses a specific person’s name rather than a standard opening like “Dear Hiring Manager”. Never use a generic introduction like “To Whom It May Concern.”

Example:

Dear Mr. Breen,
Dear Ms. Breen,
Dear Dr. Breen:

3. Introductory paragraph

Quickly introduce yourself through a catchy first sentence that will immediately capture the attention of hiring managers. Try to include something memorable about your passion for teaching, years of experience, qualifications or most impressive skills. Make yourself stand out among other teacher candidates by demonstrating what makes you exceptional. Be sure to acknowledge the specific job posting and role you’re applying for.

Example:

I read with great interest your posting about the available elementary teacher opening at Saint Gertrude’s Elementary School. I’ve spent the last five years teaching sixth grade and Edgewater Public School so I’ve had the pleasure of teaching more than 180 students, and helped sixth grade overall steadily improve scores on the annual state tests. This year, sixth-grade scores were the highest ever, with a 100% passing rate. I have been looking for a great Catholic school where I can apply what I’ve demonstrated and incorporate Catholicism into my daily lesson plans. I’d be honored to teach at your school.

4. Body paragraph(s)

The body of a good cover letter for teacher will speak about key achievements gained from your current teaching experience as well as a diverse set of professional skills that make you an impactful teacher. Also provide a thoughtful explanation about why you want to work for this particular school and what you can offer the students and staff. The goal is to make a strong argument about why you’re the right teacher for the job. If you believe that as a teacher, you have the passion to change the lives of students through learning, say so in a creative way that makes the reader want to immediately invite you for a job interview.

Example:

I obtained my master’s degree from Orlando University in May 2023, with an emphasis on elementary education. In my current role as a sixth-grade teacher, I am looked upon for developing imaginative fun and engaging lesson plans for the students. This involves singing to gain math skills knowledge, writing short stories to strengthen grammar skills and teaching science lessons outdoors. I am confident that I can achieve similar results for your school through my unique teaching philosophy that emphasizes creative thinking while paying close attention to individual student development. I want to share my vision and values that directly align with your values of teaching religion as part of the curriculum.

5. Cover letter closing paragraph/sign-off

This should include a thank-you, a short closing statement reminding the reader about your passion, the specific teaching position and a call to action such as “I look forward to hearing more about this teaching role,” to invite follow-up contact for a job interview. A professional sign-off such as “Yours sincerely” should be used.

Example:

Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing my application to be your next fourth-grade teacher at Saint Gertrude’s Elementary School. Being a teacher is a rewarding career but when combined with Catholic education and daily prayer, it becomes an extraordinary teaching experience that I would be honored to have. I look forward to discussing your exemplary school and learning more about our shared goal of educational excellence. 

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]

Combining good cover letter examples with high-quality cover letter templates can make the process of creating a perfect teacher cover letter much easier. ResumeHelp has a free Cover Letter Builder which comes with a range of eye-catching templates.

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25 key skills for a teacher cover letter

Teaching is a rewarding career that requires a combination of both hard and soft skills that need to be featured on teacher cover letters. A teacher’s hard skills (technical) help the student acquire knowledge through lesson plans, creative activities and classroom management software. A teacher will also need soft skills (personality traits) such as strong presentation skills, compassion, problem solving and leadership to keep harmony in the classroom environment.

Here are 25 skills to include on your cover letter for teacher:

  1. Computer skills
  2. Leadership
  3. Virtual Teaching
  4. Communication skills
  5. Interpersonal skills
  6. Problem-solving skills
  7. Google classroom management software
  8. Curriculum planning
  9. Active listening
  10. Critical thinking
  11. Imaginative
  12. Patience
  13. Empathy
  14. Self-evaluation
  15. Commitment
  16. Organization
  17. Multitasking
  18. Conflict-resolution skills
  19. Emotional intelligence
  20. Presentation skills
  21. Strategic thinking
  22. Detail-oriented
  23. Teamwork
  24. Time management 
  25. Adaptability
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Create your teacher cover letter (and resume) with our help

From day care, elementary and middle school and high school teachers to college and university professors, we have the tools, templates and examples you need to create your own resume cover letter for teachers in minutes. Here are resources handpicked for teachers reading this page:

Cover Letter Builder: Write a professional cover letter in minutes with our Cover Letter Builder tool.

Cover Letter Templates: Select the perfect cover letter template for your cover letter for teacher and get started.

Cover Letter Examples: Whatever teaching level you’re applying for, you’ll find teacher job cover letter examples from our library to follow.

How to Format a Cover Letter: Make your teacher cover letter for resume look professional with the best fonts, colors, spacing and other formatting tips.

Elementary Teacher Cover Letter Examples

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Teacher Resume Tips and Skills

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Education Resume Example for a Teacher

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English Teacher Resume Examples

New Teacher Cover Letter Examples

Special Education Teacher Resume Examples

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Preschool Teacher Resume Examples

ESL Teacher Resume Examples

10 Most Common Teacher Interview Questions

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FAQ: Teacher Cover Letter

Have questions? We’re here to help.

A resume cover letter for teachers should clearly communicate why you’d be a great teacher for the school that you’re applying for. Through your best teacher experiences and skills, show how you possess all of the teaching requirements and out-of-the-box accomplishments that you can bring with you to the new school. Provide specific examples of how you have created engaging learning experiences, cultivated a positive classroom environment and strive to exceed the diverse needs of your students. Your teacher cover letter should also include a deep understanding of the school’s mission, values and goals by explaining how your thoughtful teaching approach aligns with the school’s.

When writing a teacher training cover letter, it’s important to mention where you are in regards to your educational pursuits in addition to demonstrating your off-the-charts passion for teaching, willingness to learn and any relevant teaching skills or qualifications you possess. Emphasize your transferable skills relevant to the role, such as:

  • Any college degrees, teaching certificates or courses you’ve completed.
  • Previous job roles, internships, volunteer work or experiences that were in a teaching setting.
  • Strong presentation skills, interpersonal, creativity and ability to work in a classroom.

Here’s a teacher training cover letter you can follow:

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I am writing to express my strong interest in the third-grade teacher’s assistant position at [School Name], as advertised [mention where you read about the job posting]. I will be finishing up my sophomore year at [College Name] so I would be thrilled to gain valuable teacher training at your elementary school. I was a [School Name] graduate so it would be rewarding to return as a teacher and pay forward the great experiences I had as a student.

Heading into my senior year of college, I have already developed a solid foundation in classroom management while engaging students in learning content through fun activities, knowledge-based assignments, group and individual discussion techniques and evaluations. My patience, compassion and organization will allow me to assist the main teacher throughout the school day, and as an added bonus, my bilingual skills can offer extra attention to diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Thank you for your time and consideration of me as a candidate for the third-grade teacher’s assistant at [School Name]. I look forward to discussing how my teaching skills and passion align with the needs of your students. I am available for an interview at your convenience.

Sincerely,>
[Your Name]

An effective teacher letter of interest will explain what you have to offer, not what you’re looking to gain from being employed at the school. You don’t want to appear as a job candidate desperate to work and money is your primary motivator. Send a letter of interest if you know a school where you think you would be a good fit so you want to find out if any positions are available.

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

For the past four years living in [Town Name], I have seen many articles in the local newspaper about the outstanding test scores of your students at [School Name]. Becoming a new parent five years ago, I chose to leave my previous teaching assignment to stay home with my daughter and obtain my Master’s degree in teaching at the same time. Now that my daughter is heading to kindergarten, I would be thrilled if you considered this letter of interest and the possibility of having an opening for a high school English teacher at your school.

As a passionate and hard-working English teacher with six years of teaching experience educating high school students, I’ve established hundreds of lesson plans, organized 16 class trips and led the high school’s literature club for five consecutive years. I am confident I can integrate smoothly back into teaching and bring valuable expertise into the classroom to inspire the students to appreciate literature, strengthen their grammar skills and continue to ace the state tests.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you so I can share more about my teaching accomplishments as a high school English teacher.

Best regards,>
[Your Name]

As with a resume, brevity is important for a cover letter. The average cover letter should be between 250 and 400 words in length and be made up of three to four paragraphs. This should take up between half a page and one full page. Unless you have a lot of relevant and important information to discuss, you should make your cover letter concise. For more guidance, look at a teacher cover letter sample that is relevant to the job you are applying for.

Choose a standard professional font like Calibri or Arial, and keep the font size between 10.5 and 12 to ensure readability. Use the same font for both your cover letter and your resume, and ensure that there is enough white space as well as appropriate margins of, ideally, one inch all around. Look at cover letter templates to ensure you follow these guidelines.

Some of the most common mistakes made by those writing a school teacher cover letter are failing to proofread and simply repeating information from their resume. These simple mistakes can ruin even the most professional cover letter. Take your time to carefully review your cover letter before submitting it with your teacher resume and job application. Correct any misspelled words or grammatical errors.

In order to stand out from the crowd, provide more details about your skills in your cover letter, highlight successes with your teaching methods or achievements from previous positions. If you have a particularly good reference from a previous school, then you can mention them. >If you still need a bit of help writing your best cover letter, our How to Write a Cover Letter page can guide you from the header on top of the page to the closing at the bottom of your great teacher cover letter for your resume.

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Donna Wright Profile
WRITTEN BY Donna Wright

Donna is a career expert with extensive experience in the fields of Marketing, Publishing, Direct Mail and Communications. She’s witnessed firsthand the importance of a powerful resume and cover letter to a job search, so she takes great pride in helping change the lives of job seekers by sharing expert career advice and tips to help land the perfect job.

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