A solid, stand-out cover letter is an absolute must for any teaching professional. Teachers can apply much of what they teach their students toward its composition. Teachers often forget their own advice when they compose their cover letter. Reading, writing and arithmetic all come into play. Brush up on the basics and it should be elementary.

Come prepared. When you are ready to sit down and write your cover letter, ensure that you have all the tools you need at your disposal. A good dictionary never hurt anybody. Neither did a thesaurus but do not go into synonym overdrive. Too many synonyms will make your letter sound silly and contrived. Make sure you have correct dates, addresses and phone numbers at the ready. Being organized makes writing the letter easier and less daunting. Put your mind to it and compose a letter that will stand out from the rest of the applicants.

Be considerate. Write for your reader. It is expected that a teacher cover letter will be a little longer than a standard cover letter. Educators must go into greater detail in order to closely relate their often extensive education and experience with the available position. Administrators often read over hundreds of cover letters in a day. Deciding which letters are worth a second look often comes down to the opening sentence. A fitting title with a bit of creative flair is a good start too. Bringing important information to the reader's attention quickly is certain to help you pass the initial test with flying colors.

Tell the reader something interesting about yourself. Accomplishments and awards should occupy a prominent place in your cover letter. Do not make an administrator read all the way to the end of your letter to find out that you won an award for student teaching or pursued and received an educational research grant. Make mention of any attention-grabbing achievements early on in the letter and refer to the resume for more detailed information.

Show your spirit. Your cover letter is your chance to show your enthusiasm for one of the world's most demanding professions. People who enter the field of education are often more than just teachers. They are education advocates ? confirming the value of learning through their attitude and actions. Express your desire to facilitate learning and shape future generations. Let the reader know how you will make an indelible mark on the school and the students in a positive, upbeat, inspired way.

Do your homework. Do some research and find out more about the educational institution in question. Most schools, universities and academies have an easy-to-find website full of useful information. You can often get a feeling for the environment just from looking at administrator and faculty web pages. Make sure to address your submission to the appropriate party. It shows that you want the job enough to give it more than just the old college try.

Check your work. Then check your work again. Then have someone else check your work just to make sure you did not miss one single thing. Educators and administrators are particular about improper spelling, poor grammar and incomplete sentences. Read your letter out loud to make sure it flows and conveys your talents and skills effectively in relation to the job description.

Do not get so caught up in the composition and content of the letter that you overlook a tiny mistake. Do yourself a favor and never rely on spell check alone. Spell check does not pick up on ?there? when it should be ?their? It will not catch little typos, like missing a stroke when typing a word like ?and? or ?the?. If you type the word stork instead of stroke, as long as stork is spelled correctly the default spell checker will not bring it to your attention. One error in a teacher cover letter is liable to prevent the reader from ever making it to your resume.

Take time to compose an exciting teacher cover letter that gets the reader reading and keeps them reading long enough to make an informed decision. Your cover letter is your introduction to the potential employer and should make a strong enough impact to get them interested in your resume. With solid planning, sound preparation and a dash of dedication and passion, composing a teacher cover letter should be as easy as A,B,C and 1,2,3.