The secret to an impressive special education teacher cover letter lies in its ability to communicate all your strengths and qualities, as well as your motivation and passion for this pursuit. This comprehensive guide contains all you need to achieve just that. Whether it be cover letter templates, useful tips, examples, or samples — we've got it all!
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So keep on reading to learn:
- How to format your special education cover letter header & headline
- Why you need to personalize the greeting on your cover letter
- What to include in your special education cover letter introduction
- Ways to showcase your abilities as a special education teacher
- How to conclude your cover letter with a thoughtful closing statement
- How to access top resources for job-seeking special education teachers
Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.
1. How to properly format your special education cover letter header & headline
Your cover letter header and headline are the first key elements to create, as they help to give the document structure and attract the employer’s attention.
For a special education teacher, it's important to include both your professional information and the exact information of the school you're applying to in the header. Additionally, your headline should highlight the most important information found in the letter, such as your compassion for disabled students and your ability to meet their needs.
Below are more in-depth explanations and examples of each of these cover letter elements:
Formatting the header
To format your cover letter, you must make sure to include:
- Your name and professional title
- Your professional contact information
- The name of the school & department you are applying to
Here is an example of a well-formatted special education teacher header
Jane Doe, Special Education Teacher
(123) 456-7890 | janedoe@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jane-doe
To: Collier County High School, Special Education Department
1234 Street Address
Naples, FL, 34109
Writing the headline
The headline of your cover letter is an optional element that can be massively useful in initially grabbing the employer’s attention.
To create this headline, you should always use a keyword related to the position, an eye-catching number or trigger word, a powerful adjective or verb, and a promise.
Here is an example of an effective special education teacher headline, followed by a quick breakdown of its key components
How My Empathetic Approach to Special Education Can Support Your Students’ Needs
Trigger Word/Number: Empathetic Approach
Keyword: Special Education
Adjective/Verb: Empathetic, Support
Promise: Your Students’ Needs – this indicates to the employer that your cover letter is tailored for the specific position you are applying to.
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2. How to personalize the greeting on your special education teacher cover letter
A personalized greeting on a cover letter will address a specific person within the school faculty – ideally the school principal or the head of the special education department.
The purpose behind this type of greeting is to show the employer that you've thoroughly researched the school beforehand and know exactly who you're speaking to.
Examples of personalized greetings include
- Dear Principal Mary Joe
- To Principal Mary Joe & the Special Education Department,
- To Mr. Jack Smith, Head of the Special Education Department,
In addition to personalizing the greeting, you should also tailor the rest of your cover letter to the position as well. To do so, you'll need to research the school district and its demographics, allowing you to highlight how your skills and qualifications can meet the exact needs of the school’s students.
3. How to make your special education cover letter introduction stand out
The introductory paragraph of your special education teacher cover letter should be short and sweet while packing a powerful and eye-catching punch. To achieve this, you should aim to include:
- A brief overview of your professional history and goals
- A statement on why you are enthusiastic about applying to this company
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible) – including a mutual acquaintance, such as a principal within the same school district, helps you to establish an immediate professional reference and build credibility right off the bat.
Here is an example of a well written special education teacher cover letter introduction
To Principal Mary Joe & the Special Education Department,
I am a Special Education Teacher with more than 6 years of experience working with students with a wide range of mental disabilities, from mild to severe. Throughout my career, I have worked within your school district and established many crucial connections with parents, students, and faculty alike – including Superintendent Jack Smith, who recommended I apply for this position.
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4. How to showcase your abilities as a special education teacher
With your introduction now in place, it’s time to write the body paragraphs of your special education teacher cover letter. To make the body paragraphs well-organized and compelling, you can use bullet points and concise sentences to help create an easy-to-read flow of information.
Key questions to answer in these body paragraphs include:
- What excites you about working at this school?
- What key skills do you possess that will benefit the students?
- What is your experience level working with disabled students?
- What accomplishments or qualifications make you stand out as an applicant?
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a cover letter
As a Special Education Teacher, I have worked with high school students with a wide range of unique disabilities. This has helped me to develop a flexible approach to lesson planning, resulting in a 35% improvement in student reading and math scores.
Here are 6 examples of important skills to describe in a special education teacher cover letter
- Classroom adaptability
- Special education lesson design
- Student performance assessment
- Functional & life skills curriculum
- Verbal & non-verbal communication
- Conflict & crisis management
5. How to conclude your special education teacher cover letter with a thoughtful closing statement
You should always put just as much care into your closing statement as you have in the rest of your special education teacher cover letter. A strong and thoughtful closing statement will include:
- An enthusiastic sentence saying you are looking forward to hearing from them
- An additional sentence stating you will follow up, including how you will contact them or how they can contact you
- A formal sign-off
Here is an example of an effective closing statement from a special education teacher cover letter
I am incredibly excited to get to know your students and faculty, and I am eager to further discuss this opportunity and my qualifications. I am available to meet and interview any weekday from the hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will reach back out regarding my application in one week if I have not heard back. The best way to reach me is at (123) 456-7890.
Warm Regards,
[Applicant Name]
If you have ever wondered how a cover letter differs from a resume, this article will tell you everything about the key differences between the two.
6. Top resources for job-seeking special education teachers
Now that you've mastered the art of writing a persuasive cover letter, there's nothing stopping you from landing the job you want. Well, almost nothing. Of course, before preparing your cover letter, you need to have a particular job posting in mind. If you're still in the process of searching, these resources may help you find compelling work opportunities:
- Industry-specific job boards: Websites that specialize in aggregating job postings specifically for teachers like EdJoin, TES Jobs, or TopSchoolJobs may serve you as great entry points.
- Online job search engines: Next, you can move to websites with broader focus such as Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, or SimplyHired.
- LinkedIn: Not only can LinkedIn lead you to interesting new work opportunities, it can also connect you with fellow special education teachers and potential employers. This is your chance to approach them directly.
- Professional associations: By visiting web pages of associations like the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the International Association of Special Education (IASE), or the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen), you can gain access to networking opportunities, latest industry news, further training, and job listings.
- Specialized publications: Keep up-to-date with the newest research, methods and discoveries with media like “Teaching Exceptional Children,” “International Journal of Special Education,” or “International Journal of Inclusive Education.”
- Continuous learning: Besides professional association, you can find additional courses and certifications with online platforms like Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, or Udemy.
Pursuing this particular career path is more than just a profession. It requires a genuine desire to help others on their academic journey. And if you wish to walk down this road, make sure you haven't forgotten to take your trustee companion with you — your newly crafted stellar cover letter!
Special Education Teacher Cover Letter FAQ
Absolutely, you should! Your achievements, especially those relevant to the special education field, can make you stand out among the competition and showcase your strengths and experience right from the get-go. You can mention instances where you've made a positive impact on your students' lives, improved the learning environment, or implemented innovative teaching methods.
Yes, there are several pitfalls, in fact. For once, avoid being overly generic. Each cover letter should be tailored to the job you're applying for. And as always, double-check for grammar, typos or spelling errors that might have crept in. Any such minor mistakes might imply a lack of care or attention to detail.
You can, for example, show that you understand the specific needs of the school or organization to which you're applying. Maybe it's a cutting-edge approach to inclusive education, or maybe it's a focus on a specific type of special needs education. In any case, try to highlight how your skills match these particular needs.
No, avoid doing that at all costs! Your cover letter should complement your resume, not repeat it. Rather, use the cover letter to delve deeper into the experiences mentioned in your resume or to explain anything that might need further clarification. And don't forget to write about your motivation and enthusiasm for the position!
Yes, there is! Ideally, maintain your cover letter on one page only. Long enough to illustrate your efficacy as a special educator, but short enough to keep the reader engaged. Don’t be too verbose, cut off any unnecessary generic phrases.
