Submitting a generic teaching cover letter doesn’t work. It is imperative to take the time to tailor your letter of intent to meet the school district’s needs.
Start with writing a top-notch teaching cover letter that is unique to you and what you have to offer a school community and modify it to each application.
Before crafting any career-related document, as well as planning for an interview, you must do research. Once you have chosen a school district you are interested in, find its goals, philosophy, and standards.
Communities tend to focus on different key issues such as literacy, multiculturalism, inclusion, special needs, outreach programs, etc. Find out two central concerns that the district concentrates on and adapt your teacher resume and cover letter accordingly.
Let’s start with writing your resume and cover letter to target the position. This means including relevant information only. Meeting the school’s requirements in your application letter is vital to landing a teaching interview.
If a learning community is most concerned about incorporating literature in the classroom, you can showcase related competencies in your expertise section areas. For instance, you might include Reading Strategies, Interdisciplinary Reading, Literature Circle, Writer’s Workshops, etc.
In the main body of your resume, under teaching experience, you should highlight your expertise in literature-based activities and units. Describe the results you achieve by implementing certain activities or lessons.
This is evidence of your expertise.
For example, “Developed a fun thematic unit on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and integrated correlating units that examined key themes throughout the book. This group sparked students’ interest and imagination, left them wanting to learn more, and helped instill a love of reading and writing”.
You do not need to dwell explicitly on the topic of literature, as you want to demonstrate that you are well-rounded, but make sure you touch on it as much as possible.
Your resume profile, located at the top of your resume, should reflect the same ideals. Explain your commitment to the X issue and convey why you feel it is important to incorporate it in the classroom. Again, do not solely focus on the one or two main concerns of the district.
A potential employer needs to see that you are committed to addressing the same concerns that they have. Also, communicate you enjoy tackling the everyday issues that most schools face (i.e., classroom discipline, attendance, appropriately challenging the students).
The education resume and cover letter need to keep the style and voice.
Ensure they complement each other.
It is a bit easier to convey your passion and dedication to the school community in a teaching cover letter. Take advantage of this opportunity and make your personality and commitment intrigue the reader to learn more.
If you know for a fact that the school district you are applying to is, for example, very diverse, explain how you have incorporated culturally diverse literature, celebrated cultural diversity, and promoted inclusion in your past teaching positions. Also, reinforce that you seek to bring these same talents and expertise to your new job.
Aside from the cover letter, writing a philosophy of education statement is an added marketing document and should set you apart from the other candidates. It is an excellent opportunity to communicate your thoughts and beliefs of learning. Furthermore, you get a chance to show authenticity.
Make certain your cover letter, also known as a letter of interest, highlights your other outstanding traits, instructional methods, and teaching style. By communicating concrete evidence, always sell yourself as a versatile and adaptable educator who is willing to face new challenges and employ innovative methods to cultivate a supportive and nurturing school community.
Add a call to action at the end of the cover letter to further discuss job opportunities in person.
Need help writing your cover letter or other job search documents? Don’t procrastinate; you may miss an extraordinary career opportunity.
Contact us if you require assistance to gain a competitive advantage to secure a job interview for a dream position. For 16+ years, we have been writing education-targeted resumes and cover letters that get results, even in a competitive job market.
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