There’s no shortage of demand for quality educators, but to secure a position in your ideal school district, you need to build a strong student teacher cover letter to complement your resume. Emphasize your genuine passion for education and highlight the methodologies you’ve used to help students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Our guide features examples and expert tips to craft an accomplishment-driven cover letter and land your first teaching position.
Student Teacher Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Student Teacher Cover Letter
Paul Dimarco
Student Teacher | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Wilmington, DE 12345 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Andrew Carter
Hiring Manager
Newark Elementary
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Carter,
As a student teacher at Wilmington Elementary, I taught language arts, math, and science lessons to classes of 20 to 25 fourth-grade students. I monitored student performance over the year and utilized differentiated instruction to drive academic growth. My secondary education background will help me excel as the new elementary school teacher with your organization.
Newark Elementary’s reputation for delivering high-quality experiential instruction strongly aligns with me as an education professional. My ability to use multiple learning modalities to reach students will be an asset to your organization based on my past career achievements:
- Utilized differentiated and experiential instruction techniques to foster engagement across three fourth-grade classrooms, which resulted in a 10% increase in grade point averages for reading
- Collaborated with faculty and school administration to support the transition from in-classroom instruction to virtual learning, which included developing classroom management strategies for e-learning settings and Zoom classrooms
- Attended regular meetings with parents and students to discuss academic progress
I would like to schedule an interview to provide more details regarding how my expertise in differentiated instruction can help drive student success for your learning institution. Feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience for any questions you may have regarding my experience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Paul Dimarco
Student Teacher Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
Writing a great student teacher cover letter can be challenging in the early stages of your career. To secure an entry-level teaching position, emphasize your passion for education and showcase your individual approach to student development. Highlight your knowledge of cutting-edge teaching strategies that align with the needs of the school you’re applying to. Below, we’ll walk you through each section of your student teacher cover letter:
1. Contact information and salutation
List all essential contact information at the top of your student teacher cover letter, including your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL. Greet the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name]. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.” This shows you’ve researched the school before applying and conveys your genuine interest in the opportunity.
2. Introduction
To grab the reader’s attention, open your student teacher cover letter with one of your proudest early career achievements. While this may be difficult for a student teacher due to limited work experience, it’s essential to make a strong first impression on the hiring manager. If possible, feature an accomplishment you can quantify using academic data or other metrics, immediately sending a message you have the teaching acumen to succeed in the position.
In the example below, the candidate emphasizes their unique approach to teaching English. By demonstrating how they help students explore literary themes through deeper analysis and historical examples, they paint a compelling picture of who they are as an educator. Telling your unique story using a similar strategy will help bolster the impact of your student cover letter’s introduction.
Example
As a student teacher at Amherst High School, I delivered first-year language arts courses to four classes of over 30 high school students. I also developed engaging lesson plans to aid students in developing critical analysis skills and acquiring a broader understanding of literary themes and historical significance. My ability to improve student engagement will allow me to thrive in the high school teacher position at your school.
3. Body paragraphs
Continue to feature achievements from your teaching experience in the body paragraphs of your student teacher cover letter. Start by mentioning something specific about the school’s reputation, values, or mission statement and how this aligns with your background. Emphasize your ability to collaborate with faculty and build positive relationships with parents and students. In the example below, the candidate focuses on highlighting their knowledge of various instructional techniques and the positive impact they’ve had on student performance:
Example
Newark Elementary’s reputation for delivering high-quality experiential instruction strongly aligns with me as an education professional. My ability to utilize multiple learning modalities to reach students will be an asset to your organization based on my past career achievements:
- Utilized differentiated and experiential instruction techniques to foster engagement across three fourth-grade classrooms, which resulted in a 10% increase in grade point averages for reading
- Collaborated with faculty and school administration to support the transition from in-classroom instruction to virtual learning, which included developing classroom management strategies for e-learning settings and Zoom classrooms
- Attended regular meetings with parents and students to discuss academic progress
4. Student teacher skills and qualifications
Avoid providing a long list of skills on your student teacher cover letter, as much of this information should already be captured on your resume. Instead, carefully integrate key terms from the job posting into your paragraph. Highlight examples of you using specific teaching methodologies and skill sets in the early stages of your career. Below, you’ll find a variety of keywords to consider featuring on your student teacher cover letter:
| Key Skills and Qualifications | |
|---|---|
| Behavioral analysis | Classroom management |
| Communication | Cooperative learning |
| Curriculum development | Differentiated instruction |
| Early childhood education | Education technology |
| E-learning | English |
| Individualized education plans (IEPs) | Interactive learning |
| Interdisciplinary | Lesson planning |
| Math | Preschool teaching |
| Science | Secondary education |
| Student advocacy | Student assessment |
| Student-centered learning | Teaching |
| Tutoring | |
5. Closing section
Think of the closing paragraph of your student teacher cover letter as a call to action that invites the hiring manager to interview you. Emphasize how your knowledge of cutting-edge teaching methodologies can help facilitate student growth. Be sure to thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration in the last sentence.
Example
I would like to schedule an interview to provide more details regarding how my expertise in differentiated instruction can help drive student success for your learning institution. Feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience for any questions you may have regarding my experience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Paul Dimarco
Student Teacher Cover Letter Tips
1. Quantify your teaching achievements
Although it may be challenging to incorporate student data and metrics into your cover letter as a student teacher, it’s important to quantify your achievements whenever possible. This adds a new dimension to your accomplishments and illustrates your capacity for driving both academic and emotional growth for your students. In the example below, the candidate specifically focuses on how their teaching strategies helped increase grade point averages:
- Utilized differentiated and experiential instruction techniques to foster engagement across three fourth-grade classrooms, which resulted in a 10% increase in grade point averages for reading
- Collaborated with faculty and school administration to support the transition from in-classroom instruction to virtual learning, which included developing classroom management strategies for e-learning settings and Zoom classrooms
- Attended regular meetings with parents and students to discuss academic progress
2. Emphasize your interpersonal skills
Communicating effectively with students, parents, and faculty is a key aspect of being a successful teacher for any grade level. As you build your cover letter, be sure to provide tangible examples that demonstrate your interpersonal skills. In the example below, the candidate showcases how they utilized positive reinforcement strategies to improve student conduct and behavior in the classroom:
- Created dynamic lessons to drive cognitive development and emotional growth, including designing activities that combined math lessons and sports to drive student engagement
- Communicated with parents to discuss student progress, behavioral issues, and learning strategies to facilitate academic and personal growth
- Oversaw all aspects of classroom management and utilized positive reinforcement strategies to improve student conduct
3. Tailor your cover letter to the school you’re applying to
A generic cover letter rarely generates the results you’re looking for during the job search. Before applying for a position, research the organization you’re targeting and demonstrate how your background and values align with the school. In the example below, the applicant mentions specific aspects of the high school’s English program and explains how they can engage and challenge students to excel:
Falmouth High School has a reputation for providing high-quality English courses that challenge and engage student minds, which strongly aligns with my background as an educator. I can continue to help improve the English program at your high school based on the following achievements from my career:
Student Teacher Cover Letter FAQs
Why should I include a student teacher cover letter?-
Even if a job application lists the cover letter as optional, writing one can help increase your odds of landing the interview. This allows you to make a strong first impression on the hiring manager and express passion for education using a more personal approach, which may help differentiate you from other candidates.
How long should my cover letter be?-
The ideal length for a cover letter is roughly between 200 to 400 words, limited to three or four strong paragraphs. Hiring managers have limited bandwidth to thoroughly review each applicant, so it’s important to keep your content focused on the most compelling and relevant aspects of your teaching experience.
Should I use artificial intelligence to write my cover letter?-
It’s generally not advisable to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT to build your cover letter. While you could potentially use AI as a starting point, allowing it to write all your content will normally result in a generic, uninspiring document. Remember, the goal of the cover letter is to tell more of your story as an education professional, and the best way to accomplish this is through your own unique voice.
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