Cover Letter Development For Teachers
Career Development Center 350 Murray-Herrick Center (MHC) – St. Paul Campus (651) 962-6761 Student Affairs Life/Work Center 110 Terrence Murphy Hall (TMH) – Minneapolis Campus (651) 962-4763 University of St. Thomas 1
Cover Letters for Teachers In many cases, your cover letter for a job in a school will receive more attention than would cover letters in most other industries. Administrators view your cover letter as an indication of your enthusiasm for teaching and of your ability to communicate. Cover letters present the opportunity for you to do several things: 1. Demonstrate that you are interested in applying to that particular school district. 2. Highlight your two or three strengths as a teacher - and reflect your unique experiences as a teacher. 3. Express your enthusiasm for teaching, for working with young people and/or for the particular grade level or subject you will teach. Getting Started Before you begin actually writing the first rough draft of your cover letter it is best to: 1. Review what you know about the particular school and position for which you are applying. Read the position description closely to find out what certification or degree is needed, experience desired and skills or personality characteristics they are seeking. 2. Review your own skills, qualifications in light of what the particular position requires.
Brainstorm -- any experiences or talents that could be related in any way. Select those that fit closely with the position description. Prioritize them according to the position.
Writing the Letter A well-put-together cover letter will have three basic parts to it: 1. Introduction: This is where you introduce yourself to the reader and explain the reason you are writing. You should include the title of the particular position you are interested in and how you found out about the opening.
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2. Body of the letter: This part of the letter could be viewed as an advertisement for your resume. It should furnish supporting details about why you have the qualifications that are best suited to the position they have open. This is the place to: Address the needs of the school Appeal to their self-interests (how you can help) Sell yourself It is helpful if you can quantify your experiences when relating them to the qualifications the position requires. (i.e. What situations you faced, how you handled them and what the results were.) 3. Closing: This section pulls the letter together and summarizes in a thoughtful and courteous way. If appropriate, you could mention your interest in an interview or request further information. These three parts of the letter should flow smoothly together so the reader stays interested and can easily follow the content. Format Professional in appearance (laser copy), with no errors, on good bond paper -- white or soft neutrals. Be sure to rewrite, edit and get feedback from others before having your final letter printed. How do you highlight your strengths? While your resume presents your background in chronological form, your cover letter offers you the opportunity to draw your readers' attention to a couple of your main strengths preferably as they relate to the expressed philosophy or needs of the district. The best cover letters use specifics to back up general statements. These specifics can reflect your unique experiences in the classroom and the strengths they represent: "To my practicum teaching experiences I have brought classroom management techniques that were honed in my two camp counseling jobs, where I was frequently in charge of 30 to 40 seven- and eight-year-olds, without any assistance."
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"I strongly believe that every child is teachable. This was made real for me when a first-grader who had been diagnosed with a learning disability, and with whom I had been working one-on-one for nearly a semester, had a breakthrough in his reading ability that surprised even his classroom teacher." The point is that your cover letter should emphasize your strengths as a teacher, which are most effectively demonstrated through positive, concrete examples.
Practical tips: 1. Keep a record of all correspondence. 2. The letter should be addressed to a particular individual in the district. If that person is not apparent from the website, call the district office for that person's name and title. 3. Use simple, direct language and correct grammar. 4. Use plain bond paper in white, off-white, light beige or light gray. Use the same paper for your cover letters and resumes, and you can use matching envelopes, as well. 5. Strive for a "picture frame effect" with your margins. Business letters are folded in thirds and mailed in long envelopes, about 9 1/2 inches long. 6. Have a friend carefully proofread your letters for errors. 7. Be sure to sign your letters, and make certain your address is plainly visible. 8. Ask for an interview, and include your phone number and email address in your closing paragraph.
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Sample Education Cover Letter 321 Vista Lane St. Paul, MN 55105 February 12, 2007 Ms. Susan Principal Director of Personnel New Hope School District St. Paul, MN 55105 Dear Ms. Principal: Please accept my letter of application for the position of Language Arts teacher at New Hope High School. With my major in English and secondary teaching certificate, I am particularly interested in utilizing my skills and knowledge in a secondary setting. My student teaching experience has enabled me to develop a special rapport with the age group that I enjoy most: high school students. As co-advisor of the Drama Club during my practicum, I also gained administrative and organizational skills that enhanced my perspective and my commitment to the extra-curricular component of the secondary school experience. As a student at the University of St. Thomas, I have excelled academically and worked part-time at the Career Development Center, where I further developed my interpersonal and communication skills. I am especially interested in the New Hope School District because of its demonstrated commitment to quality education, as evidenced by the favorable student/faculty ratio and state-of-the-art classroom technology. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you regarding the Language Arts position. Thank you for your consideration. I will contact you within the next two weeks. Sincerely,
Jane Student Enclosure
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