04/16/2024

Teacher Cover Letter: Samples for Teaching Job Posts

Ready to get your desk situated in front of the blackboard and educate the next generation of students? Our guide will help you craft the best teacher cover letter to get there.

Christian Eilers, CPRW

Career Expert

04/16/2024

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After scouring the classifieds, you’ve located the teaching job of your dreams.

It looks custom-tailored just for you, and you have the teaching skills, leadership abilities, and classroom competence to do the school proud.

After writing your teacher CV, one last thing to do before you hand in your job application.

A teacher cover letter.

However—

It can’t be just any ol’ cover letter.

You need one that boldly underlines your talent like a Sharpie.

In this article, you’ll get:

Sample teacher cover letter with experience and another entry-level teacher cover letter.
Step-by-step tips on how to write a cover letter for teaching jobs that will land you more school interviews.
A sample cover letter for a teacher you can copy, adjust, and have ready in 15 minutes.

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If you're looking for a different cover letter sample for education, here are several guides you may want to have a look at:

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Good Cover Letter Examples.

Haven't written your CV yet? Check out these guides:

To start, check out these two teacher cover letter examples:

1. Teacher Cover Letter Examples

To start things off, we’ll show you two cover letters for different teaching experience levels.

In the first one here below, we have Francine.

Francine has several years of teaching experience already, and she’s now applying to a local school, as her family’s just relocated to Pontesford. The teacher job description seeks a 4th-grade teaching candidate to instruct students in arithmetic, science, history, and language arts.

Let’s have a look at Francine’s sample cover letter for teacher jobs:

Sample Teacher Cover Letter With Experience

Francine Dubileaux

17 Wrexham Road

PONTESFORD

SY6 9SX

10 August 2019

Aaron C. Hoskins

Assistant Headteacher

Pleasant View Primary School

94 Southlands Road

PONTESFORD

SY5 8SX

Dear Mr Hoskins,

I hadn't heard much about Pleasant View School until recently. This all changed several months ago, as my partner, our children and I made the move to Pontesford. Upon researching schools to send my daughters, I settled finally on Pleasant View for its educational environment and teaching standards. At the same time, I came across an open position at Pleasant View. As a newly certified primary school teacher with 3+ years of experience teaching large classrooms of 30+ children, I am certain I would be a perfect fit for your faculty.

Within the job ad, it stated that Pleasant View is seeking a 4th grade teacher to teach English and language arts (ELA), math, social studies, and science. As a 3rd grade teacher at Kearton's School for Global Scholars, I became adept at creating an inclusive class environment and managing large classrooms while providing individual care. During my time there, my classes saw an increase of 20% in competency scores across all subjects, on average. I am certain I would be able to bring the same teaching styles and progress-centred approach over to Pleasant View.

I especially admire Pleasant View's "Panther Pledge," where you describe the 5 school values representing PRIDE: perseverance, respect, integrity, determination, and excellence. I would love to contribute to this amazing school spirit and culture as the next 4th grade primary school teacher.

Could we schedule a phone call or a face-to-face to discuss how my teaching skills can help Pleasant View succeed and meet its goals in the coming school year?

Your sincerely,

Francine Dubileaux

How about that?

Francine is sure to be considered for an interview with this cover letter for teacher jobs, if not immediately hired.

But—

Did the above sample teacher cover letter with experience feel out of your reach? Are you worried that you don’t have the level of teaching job experience Francine has here?

Don’t worry.

Every teacher had no experience at one time or another. However, if you write it right, you can easily make a new teacher cover letter that’ll outperform all the others.

Let’s meet Francine again, but her counterpart from a parallel universe. In this universe, Francine is fresh out of university and eager to become a teacher for the first time.

Though Francine here hasn’t had any paid teaching experience, this entry-level teacher cover letter below shows she’s got the drive, determination, transferable skills, and academic competence to be a great addition to the school’s teaching staff.

Cover Letter for a Fresher Teacher Job Application

Francine Dubileaux

17 Wrexham Road

PONTESFORD

SY6 9SX

10 August 2019

Aaron C. Hoskins

Assistant Headteacher

Pleasant View Primary School

94 Southlands Road

PONTESFORD

SY5 8SX

Dear Mr Hoskins,

As a recent graduate with a newly obtained Bachelor’s of Arts in Education, I was excited when I happened across your advertisement looking for a new 2nd grade teacher at Pleasant View Primary School. Having completed 120 hours of Initial Teacher Training in a 1st grade classroom, I was awarded with Qualified Teacher Status. As a parent whose child has recently enrolled in your school for the next academic year, I am quite fond of Pleasant View’s teaching program and educational culture. I believe I would make a great fit within the staff as the new 2nd grade teacher.

In the teacher job description, it states you are looking for a candidate with “experience providing differentiated instruction, cultivating an environment allowing for independence, and supporting self-directed study.” Not only is this my own brand of teaching method, but I also admire a school which actively promotes such practise in its staff. During my certification period and throughout my student teaching hours as a teacher assistant, I further developed my educational skills, leadership abilities, and classroom knowledge. I would love the chance to help Pleasant View progress into the coming years while educating a new generation of young minds.

Could we schedule a phone call or a face-to-face to discuss how my student teaching skills would be able to translate to the primary teacher position and help Pleasant View succeed and meet its goals in the coming school year?

Yours sincerely,

Francine Dubileaux

Well, there you have it!

You’ve just seen two primary teacher cover letter examples for both experienced educators and new instructors.

Now, let’s go through, step by step, and see how you can write a teaching cover letter that earns a gold star sticker.

Want the TL;DR version?

Each section below has quick and easy fill-in-the-blank cover letter examples for teachers.

Don’t have your teacher CV ready yet? Read our guide on teaching CVs here: Teacher CV Sample

2. How to Write a Cover Letter for Teaching Step by Step (Template)

Let's get right into it—

1. Stick to Business Cover Letter Format for Teaching Positions

The headmistress's office can be intimidating, whether you’re a student in trouble or a teaching job applicant.

While a student need only break a rule to get sent there, your teacher cover letter needs to impress them thoroughly to get you called in.

And, before you put pen to paper, there are several rules to follow.

These will ensure your cover letter for teaching jobs earns a hmm! of approval rather than a harumph of derision.

So—

Here’s a teacher cover letter format:

Align everything to the left—no right alignment, centre alignment, or justified text.
Apply single line spacing throughout, except for a double space in between paragraphs.
Use a 1” margin as a border around all 4 sides of the cover letter for teaching.
Pick a standard cover letter font that is immediately legible (e.g., Calibri, Cambria).
Stick to a 11pt or 12pt font size through the body text of the teaching cover letter.
Stay within one page on a primary school or secondary school cover letter.

Expert Hint: According to the National Careers Service, posts for primary and nursery education teaching professionals will have increased by 10.6% (52,266 new jobs) by 2027. Secondary school teachers will grow by 10.6% (50,747 new jobs), too. There will be more opportunities, but this also means more competition!

2. Create a Professional Teacher Cover Letter Header With Contact Info

The first rule of preparing your teacher cover letter heading area?

Make it identical to the one on your teacher CV.

Both the teaching cover letter and CV header need to display your name and contact details. Your job title or branding statement is optional.

Since a cover letter for teacher jobs is a formal affair, add the date of writing, followed by the address of the hiring principal or school board member.

Use this template for the contact details:

Cover Letter Teacher UK—Header Template

[ Your First & Last Name]

[ Street Name ]

[ Town / City ]

[ Postcode ]

[ Date of Writing ]

[ Asst. Headmaster's or Headmaster’s Full Name ]

[ Their Position Title ]

[ School Name ]

[ School Street Name ]

[ Town / City ]

[ Postcode ]

3. Introduce Yourself & Identify the Teaching Position to Which You’re Applying

Whether you’re applying to be a substitute teacher, history teacher, or teacher assistant, the opening of a cover letter has to do one thing:

Satisfy the headmaster, so they’ll want to keep reading.

How?

Begin the cover letter by introducing yourself and stating the exact teaching position you’re applying for (e.g., kindergarten teacher, 2nd grade teacher assistant). Also, give a quick summary of your teaching skills and experience.

Address them by name in the first paragraph. Research the school online to identify who the headmistress and assistant headteacher are.

Here’s a fill-in-the-blanks intro template for your use or reference:

Sample Cover Letter for Teacher Positions—Introduction

Dear [Mr/Ms Headmaster's Last Name]:

I was excited when I came across the job advertisement for the [Teaching Position] with [School’s Name]. As a [Teaching Position] with [# of Years] experience and being highly skilled in [Teaching Skills, Classroom Knowledge, Leadership Abilities, Etc.], I am certain that I am an ideal candidate for this teaching position.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

This is a template for teacher cover letters with a bit of experience. If you’re writing a new teacher cover letter, follow our entry-level example at the beginning.

Expert Hint: Try to show you’re proactive as a teacher candidate and more than just the skills they ask for. Have you learned novel teaching methods or frameworks (e.g., OECD Learning Framework 2030)? Mention it in your cover letter for a teaching position to surely impress them.

4. Highlight Relevant Educational Strengths & Teaching Skills

You’ve established your background in the first paragraph of the teacher cover letter.

Now—

The following paragraph needs to refer to the teacher job requirements for the position to which you’re applying.

Look at the teacher job description to locate particular skills and abilities they require. Explain to them how you meet and exceed their expectations. Highlight an example or two of a past teaching accomplishment or how you faced a particular challenge.

Have a look at this fill-in-the-blank example.

Teaching Cover Letter Template—Middle Paragraph

In the job ad, you stated you’re searching for a [Teaching Position] adept at [Particular Teaching Skill Mentioned in the Job Ad]. At my last position at [Former School’s Name], I successfully [A Few Responsibilities and Teaching Duties, Using Numbers to Quantify, Whenever Possible]. I know I can bring similar results over to [School’s Name].

Expert Hint: Teacher turnover is high throughout the United States, with an average of 4.6% of teachers turning over during the school year alone. If you show the hiring headmaster or faculty member you’re in it for the long haul, you’ll put yourself far ahead of the other applicants.

5. Explain Why You Want to Teach at This School

The third paragraph is all about compliments.

Hiring a teacher who’s able to be an effective educator is one thing. But, the head teacher and faculty want also to hire a teacher who is eager to teach and eager to teach at this particular school.

So—

Compliment them. Congratulate their school’s values, team spirit, or academic standing. Let them easily picture you in the role.

If you’re unsure, feel free to use this sample teacher cover letter template:

Cover Letter Teaching Job—Your Motivation

I especially admire [School’s Name] for [Something You Hold in High Regard]. The school’s culture and value statement mirror my own beliefs and values entirely. Obtaining the teaching position at your school would be the ideal chance for me to progress as an educator and further develop my teaching skills, all while providing a pleasant, inclusive, and effective learning environment at [School’s Name].

6. Close It Out Using a Clear Call to Action and a Fitting Sign-Off

When ending a cover letter, ask for a meeting in person or a call. Emphasise your proposal, and request a meeting to further discuss how you can bring value to their teaching faculty.

Here is a sample teacher cover letter ending to use as a guide:

Sample Cover Letter for Teaching Jobs—Call to Action & Formal Closing

Could we schedule a phone call or a face-to-face to discuss how my teaching skills can help [Name of School] succeed and meet its goals in the coming school year?

Yours sincerely,

[Full Name]

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Key Points

To sum it all up—

Here’s how to write a cover letter for teaching positions:

Format teacher cover letters as you would a formal business letter.
Address the head teacher, assistant headteacher, or other hiring faculty member by name.
Introduce yourself as a teaching candidate, state the teaching post you are applying to, and give them a brief run-through of your background.
Underline relevant accomplishments, past teaching jobs, and academic skills to show them you can handle any teaching responsibilities they throw at you.
Show that you’re motivated and dedicated to be a part of this school’s staff.
End with a cover letter teacher call to action requesting a call or interview to discuss further.

Need more cover letter resources? Check out these guides:

Got any teaching application cover letter questions? Need more assistance writing cover letters for teachers or a cover letter for teaching jobs? Head to the comments section below and leave a message. We’ll be happy to help!

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