Teacher Cover Letter Examples + Template for 2025

You’re ready to grab your students’ attention and guide them through their formative scholastic years. But, before you can do that, you’ve got to grab the principal’s attention—with the perfect teacher cover letter. That means treating it like a crucial final exam instead of an unimportant pop quiz.

No worries! In this guide, I'll show you how to make a cover letter for teaching positions that deserve an A++ and a big smiley face at the top.

This guide will show you:

• Teacher cover letter examples better than 9 out of 10 other cover letters.
• The step-by-step plan for how to write a cover letter for a teaching position.
• How to sell yourself in a teaching cover letter to get the teaching job you want.

Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.

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Use this cover letter template

Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.

If you want to see more of our guides devoted to specific teaching positions, look at the following:

• Education Cover Letter Sample
• Elementary Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• Substitute Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• School Counselor Cover Letter Sample
• Teaching Assistant Cover Letter Sample
• Paraprofessional Cover Letter Sample
• Paraeducator Cover Letter Sample
• Tutor Cover Letter Sample
• Art Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• Special Education Teacher Cover Letter Sample

Want to explore your options further? See our full selection of cover letter examples for every career: Example Cover Letters for All Positions

And learn how to keep it short and sweet here: Short Cover Letter Examples for a Speedy Job Application

Teacher Cover Letter Example

That's how you do it. Now, let me show you how to write a teacher cover letter like that.

What to Include in a Teacher Cover Letter

Did you know that according to the Employer Preferences for Resumes and Cover Letters, 56% of employers want to see a cover letter added to a resume. And since you've created a great teacher resume, and now it's time to add a cover letter for teaching positions to it. Remember that it is still a formal letter, so you need to follow a certain cover letter layout.

Here’s what you should include in teacher cover letters:

1. your contact information, including the date you're writing it
2. the school’s (addressee’s) details
3. a cover letter greeting (e.g., Dear Principal Johnson)
4. an opening cover letter statement that grabs their attention
5. a short paragraph on why you’re perfect for the school
6. a short paragraph on why the teaching position is perfect for you
7. a closing cover letter statement that seals the deal
8. complimentary close (e.g., Regards, Sincerely) and your name
9. a postscript

Here, we’re following our recommended structure on the elements of the perfect cover letter for teaching jobs. To read more about the method behind our madness, see this article: What to Include in a Cover Letter

1. Address Your Teaching Cover Letter

A teaching cover letter begins at the top with the cover letter heading area. This is where you’ll put your personal information. Its look and design may vary depending on the cover letter template that you use. Go for the design that you used for your resume.

First, add and left-align your contact info at the top of the cover letter. Must-haves include:

1. your full name
2. email address
3. and phone number

An optional item is your mailing address.

Remember about inserting the date of writing as it's necessary on any formal letter, such as a teacher cover letter. Next, add the addressee. Personalize it by adding the name of the superintendent or principal. Follow that with the school or academy you’re applying to and its address.

Here’s what the finished cover letter address area could look like:

Not addressing your cover letter correctly is just as detention-worthy as not including one at all. Make sure you get yours right, whether it’s a teaching assistant cover letter, substitute teacher cover letter, or other such letters of interest: How to Address a Cover Letter

2. Open Your Cover Letter for a Teacher Eloquently

Knowing how to start a cover letter for teachers is super important to get right, as its location gets the most eye time. 

On your teaching cover letter, call the principal or superintendent by name. Something like “Dear Principal Jackson” works just perfectly for a cover letter greeting, but you can also segue from the formality in the address area by calling them by their first name: “Dear Jacqueline.”

Now, what about that “Dear” part? Dear is one of the best cover letter salutations, but there are alternatives.

Like the first line in a well-written novel, the opening paragraph of your cover letter should hook the principal immediately in a way that makes them want to hear more.

Let’s look at an example of a great elementary teacher cover letter opening:

How's that?

The sample teacher cover letter introduction is written to the school, specifically (notice the school's name mentioned). It also works because it gives them an inkling of why you'd be the perfect teaching addition to the department. 

Pro Tip: As you called out their name in the address, mention the school’s name in the opening paragraph, as well. It feels more personalized and assures the principal that they’re reading a dedicated cover letter.

For other ways to go about your introductory statement, see: How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

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3. Describe the Perfect Partnership in the Teacher Cover Letter Middle Part

Time to sell them on why you’re the perfect teaching candidate out of that stack of 250 others, the way your best pupils perform in the school fundraiser. But don’t worry. The next two paragraphs give you plenty of real estate to make your case. 

So, you’ve got them hooked. Time to reel them in with your teacher cover letter. Show them how you are the perfect fit for the school and faculty by exhibiting your most significant teaching achievements.

Remember to use keywords on your resume to ensure that it’s tailored. Add them to your teaching cover letter, as well. Oh, and make sure you use the best cover letter fonts so they can read it!

Let me show you what an applicant might say on a sample school teacher cover letter:

See that? With that paragraph, you show that your acquired skills and experience would make you the ideal new hire for the teaching job offered.

You told them why you’re the best possible future faculty member, so now it’s time to explain why this school is the perfect choice for you:

How about that? You praised the learning institution and explained why they are the center of your educational universe—who can resist that?

We’ve got a wealth of tips on these two central paragraphs and on writing a teacher cover letter that will let you stand out: 35+ Successful Cover Letter Tips, Advice & Guidelines

Pro Tip: Say you want to apply at a school, but there are no academic jobs listed. This is when you send what’s called a letter of interest for teaching positions, also known as a letter of inquiry.

4. Add a Compelling & Strong Finish to Your Cover Letter for Teaching Positions

You started off strong, and you kept that momentum going. Now, don’t quit just yet—it’s time I teach you to summon a second wind and cross that finish line in first place with a powerful cover letter closing statement.

This is the right moment to reiterate your value as a new hire. Use a closing paragraph in your teacher cover letter to sum up briefly:

See that? You bring it to a satisfying end by summarizing your cover letter for teachers and then leaving the ball in their court.

Next, add a closing sentiment and your name, and then you can let out a sigh of contentment at your accomplishment, like one of your kids when they finally finish their homework for a three-day weekend.

Here’s how easy that is:

Not much to it, right? That closing sentiment (“Sincerely” in this case) is called a complimentary close (or complimentary closing), which is then followed by your name to end the cover letter.

Pro Tip: Remember to use keywords on your resume to ensure that it’s tailored. Add them to your teaching cover letter, as well. Oh, and make sure you use the best cover letter fonts so they can read it!

5. Don't Forget to Add a Postscript to Your Teacher's Cover Letter

Adding a P.S., though unnecessary, is a great hack when writing a cover letter. Every great teacher cover letter should include a postscript.

Let me show you what it is:

What do you think? A P.S. (postscript) at the bottom of your cover letter always draws the attention of the reader, even if they don’t read the rest of it. It’s a clever way to get one last word in edgewise before they finish.

Key Takeaway

After this brief lesson, you know well what everyone needs to know before they start writing their cover letters for teachers. And as you can see, writing them is certainly not as complicated as you thought—and definitely nowhere near as tough as the magic you’ll perform daily on the job.

Remember to follow these key points for a successful teaching cover letter:

• Start with a bang: Your opening statement on your cover letter is important because it’ll determine if the principal reads on.
• Show you belong together: Use the majority of the body area to show that you’re a perfect fit for the school and they’re the ideal workplace for you.
• Finish strong: You held their attention till the final bell, but use a strong ending so they’ll be sure to move on to your resume and an interview.

Now, just send your application and prepare for the interview!

Any questions on how to write a teaching cover letter? I'm here for you. Get at me in the comments below, and I’ll answer your questions. Thanks for reading!

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Sources

• Glassdoor: 50 HR & Recruiting Stats That Make You Think
• Nancy M. Schullery, Linda Ickes, Stephen E. Schullery, "Employer Preferences for Résumés and Cover Letters"