Teacher assistant cover letter example & writing guide
Teacher assistants play a key role in the education of young people by supporting teachers in a variety of tasks including preparing the classroom, taking care of the emotional needs of the pupils and aiding during lessons along with a range of other responsibilities.
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A cover letter is one of the best ways to stand out from other candidates and land a role as a teacher assistant. The cover letter is brief so it will need to be concise. In this cover letter guide, supported by the cover letter examples, we’ll cover the follow topics:
- The most appropriate type of cover letter format to use, and the essential paragraphs it should contain.
- How to get the most out of each paragraph on your cover letter, and to make sure you gt the key points of your successes across.
- How to avoid making mistakes on your cover letter.
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Best format for a teacher assistant cover letter
Planning is key when it comes to writing your teacher assistant cover letter, and it all starts with determining the best format to use. When you have your format locked down, it will make the writing process much easier. This is the format we suggest:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
You can always check out our comprehensive cover letter guide which will give you additional help and support on writing your cover letter and ensuring you get the most out of each paragraph.
Cover letter header
At the top of the page, your cover letter header is where you will place your name, together with key contact details like your telephone number, email address and LinkedIn or other professional social media accounts.
The aim of the cover letter header: Your cover letter header should attract the hiring manager’s attention and let them know how to reach you. It’s one of the only places to add colorful formatting to the page.
This is a great time to look for a new job as teacher assistants are one of the positions facing the highest shortages in the UK with over 41,000 job postings, according to the Skills and Employment Trend Report 2020.
Check out the header on our teacher assistant cover letter sample for more ideas on creating your own.
Cover letter greeting
The greeting of your cover letter is the way you address the person who will be reviewing your application. Since education is a fairly formal field, it’s best to stick with “Dear” followed by the correct salutation and last name of the hiring manager or principal as the case may be. If you can’t find that person’s name, you can just use ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ or ‘Dear Recruitment Team.’ However, we would suggest personalising it where possible.
The aim of the cover letter greeting: The cover letter greeting should be personalised whenever possible. This helps you create a personal connection and friendly tone.
Here’s the greeting from our adaptable cover letter sample.
Dear Mrs. Smith,
Cover letter introduction
As a teaching professional, you already know the importance of making a positive introduction. You wouldn’t start a job by going straight into a lesson plan, you would introduce yourself first. The same approach should be taken with the cover letter introduction. All you need is a couple of sentences to showcase your motivation and ability to do the job. As teaching is a profession, it is important that your passion for education shines through in your introduction.
Consider the reasons why you are interested in education and the skills/qualifications you have that allow students to engage with you.
The aim of the cover letter introduction: The hiring manager should instantly understand your passion for the profession and the key elements of your background that make you an ideal candidate.
Here’s the introduction from our adaptable cover letter example:
“I have spent the last 2 years working as a Teacher Assistant at St. Paul’s in Birmingham and during this time, I have helped motivate students and encouraged them to achieve their goals.”
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle part, or body, of the cover letter is the next section, and this is where you can highlight your key experience, skills and achievements.
A teacher assistant is expected to be confident and to be able to play a huge role in supporting the teacher with lessons. They need to be someone with a positive attitude, who can speak to students and help them when required. Teaching assistants are not usually in the job for the money, as it’s not a job that pays particularly well. It is, therefore, vital that you can express your desire to work as a teacher assistant and support both the teacher and the students. It is a good idea to quantify your experience, where possible.
Purpose of the cover letter body: The hiring manager should get a feel for how a class would be run with your support. How would you ensure the students are happy and motivated?
Check out the body of our cover letter sample below.
In my last two years working as a teaching assistant, I have achieved the following:
- Helped students to reach their targets in reading and mathematics.
- Ensured that the classrooms were prepared 1 hour in advance of the start of the lesson.
- Dealt with challenging behaviour and helped to get to the root of the student’s issues to allow for a harmonious environment.
- Created reports based on outcomes and progress data.
The reader of the cover letter gets a good insight into what the teacher assistant has achieved and the fact that they are able to help with progression and deal with a demanding group of students. Make sure to keep it short and to the point.
How to close a teacher assistant cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
To close your cover letter, it’s best to create a Call to Action that leaves a hiring manager wanting to get in touch. Make sure to express your enthusiasm and tell them how they can reach you. Then, add a professional signature like “Sincerely” or “Best Regards.”
Check out the conclusion from our cover letter example below:
As a dedicated and passionate teaching professional, I am now ready to embark on my next challenge. St. Edmunds is one of the most reputable schools in my area and as an ex-pupil myself, it is somewhere I’ve always held with great respect.
I welcome the chance to discuss my experience in more detail.
Purpose of the cover letter conclusion: The closing reiterates your interest and is also a good place to weave in a positive comment about the organisation you are applying to.
Basic mistakes in a teacher assistant application letter (and how to avoid them)
If you are applying for a role as a teacher assistant, it is imperative that your cover letter is error-free. These are some key mistakes often made on cover letters and how to avoid them:
- Spelling and grammar. You should not be making spelling or grammatical mistakes on your cover letter in any case, but it’s even more important for someone applying for a role within education. Use spell check and ask a friend to proofread before you submit.
- Overly in-depth. In some cases, candidates will send cover letters that are 2-3 pages long. This is not what the hiring manager wants to see, and it is doubtful they’ll finish reading it. Keep your cover letter to one page.
- Informal. Always keep your teaching assistant cover letter formal. Personalise it where possible but stick with a professional tone.
- Poor formatting: Make sure to keep a balance of white space to text and create a header that is eye-catching and functional. A cover letter template can make this task quick and easy.
Key takeaways
- Give the reader an insight into a day in the life of you as a teaching assistant. What do you strive to achieve?
- Focus on results and how you help students achieve these.
- Check out our teacher assistant cover letter example for more formatting ideas.
- Support any claims with statistics where possible.
For even more writing inspiration, check out our teacher cover letter example.
