How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Teachers (Samples & Tips)

A letter of recommendation for a teacher should be written either by the principal or vice principal from their previous school. If you are a teacher with no experience, then the letter of recommendation should be written by your former professor.

If a former student or former colleague asks you to write them a recommendation letter, do you know how to go about it? If you also ever require a teaching recommendation letter, do you know how it should be written? Read on to know how to write one and what to expect if you ever need someone to write you a recommendation letter.

Table of contents

1. How to write a letter of recommendation for a teacher
2. The format for writing a letter of recommendation for a teacher

How to write a letter of recommendation for a teacher

The letter of recommendation you write will identify your colleague or student as the best candidate for a position. It depicts characteristics, abilities, and skills that are not highlighted on the applicants’ teaching resume.

Colleagues and superiors are in a better position to talk about an applicant because they worked with them. They have a different image or perspective that the employer will not get from their cover letter or resume. By interacting with the applicant, they notice things about their intellect, how they engage with students, other teachers, and their personality. The interviewer will not have a complete understanding of the applicant without the recommendation.

This, therefore, requires you to focus on specific aspects of the teacher’s experience and expertise. It will also require some definite and clear examples. You need to focus on important and relevant qualities which make the applicant stand out. Here is how to go about it:

1. Meet the teacher
After you receive a letter from them, schedule a meeting. The meeting will allow you to find out what aspects of their teaching, skills, and abilities they want on their recommendation. What examples do they want you to highlight? Is it their positive classroom behaviour? Alternatively, how they used SMART Boards to improve test scores? These examples will help you tailor your letter to the focus on the points they want you to highlight.

2. Tailor the letter to the job description
Request a copy of the job offer or posting and highlight requirements they need. You can use this to highlight some of the achievements and accomplishments that are relevant to the requirements of the job.

3. Make the letter official
The language on the letter should be official. It should also be detailed, precise and to the point.

4. Specify your relationship with the applicant
It’s important to include how you know the teacher. What kind of working relationship did you have with them? Include what position you hold, the position the person you are recommending held and how you interacted with them during your time working together.

5. Write a positive recommendation
As the saying goes, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything. Don’t include anything negative on the recommendation letter. It would help if you showed that you believe in the person’s skills and you have no reservations. Use adjectives like reliable, creative, honest and so forth when describing them. If you have reservations, kindly deny the request to write the letter.

6. Give examples
Show, using examples, how that person demonstrated the qualities or skills you mentioned. As this is a teacher’s job application, use numbers to prove how they achieved success. For example, how they took up coaching a dying hockey team in your school, the students improved and managed to win in competitions.

7. Ask for a follow-up
Provide your contact information so that the interviewer can reach you in case they need further information. Include your telephone number and email.

The format for writing a letter of recommendation for a teacher

The letter should only be one page and include:

1. A letterhead
This should be on the top left corner and contain

• The date you are writing the letter
• Your full name
• Your title
• The school names
• Street address
• Your city, state and zip code

2. Salutations
Address the person you are sending the recommendation to in person. Make sure you get their title and name right. You could ask the applicant to provide you with the name and title. Specifying the name and title personalizes the letter.

If they do not know the name of the person, then a general letter will suffice. However, be respectful and ensure the letter remains official throughout.

3. An introduction
On this part, introduce yourself, and then the applicant. Include the length of time you worked with the applicant and the nature of your acquittance. In what professional capacity do you know the applicant? Include why you think they did a good job and that you highly recommend them for the position.

4. The body
This will include several paragraphs depending on how well you know the applicant. Use these paragraphs to specify the applicant’s role in the school you worked together in; their skills, the kind of training they had and how they contributed to the school goals. Include the length of time they worked for you.

Make sure your assessment is positive. Include examples to demonstrate how the applicant achieved the recommendations required on the job post. Ensure your examples show how well the applicant worked with the other teachers, the students, parents, and other faculty members. Include proficiencies that the applicant has and how they used them in the classroom.

Abilities you can highlight for the teacher should show he or she is a professional who can be trusted. For example:

• They have excellent teaching and communication skills.
• That the teacher does not only teach intellectual growth but are also interested in the safety of the children and growing the student’s talents outside the classroom.
• They are good role models for the students.
• They are empathetic to the students and make sure their wellbeing is looked after.
• They are good listeners and can sort children problems, concerns, and conflicts.
• They provide useful advice to the students.
• They are law abiding. Include ways in which they contribute to the community.
• That they monitor students’ performance and are quick to notice students with problem areas, they find ways to help these students achieve the best.
• That they want to develop professionally and took courses to build their skills especially in technology, show how these skills have led to the support and development of the students.

5. Conclusion
The concluding paragraph should reaffirm your recommendation of the applicant. It should also include an invitation for further contact. Finish the letter with your name and signature.

Sample letter of recommendation for teacher
[Your Name]
[Your title]
[School name]
[School street address]
[City, State, Zip]

[Today’s date]

[Addressee’s name]
[Addressee’s title]
[School name]
[School Street Address]
[City, State, Zip]

Dear [Professor’s Name/ Department Head’s name/ Principal name]

I take this opportunity to recommend [name of the teacher you are recommending] for the position of [role/ position they are applying to] at [name of the school]. As the [name your role when you worked with applicant], I had the pleasure of working with [Applicants name] for [number of years]. [She/he] was a treasured member of our faculty and was loved by the teachers and students. [The applicant] is an outstanding, driven and organized teacher.

[Applicant] began [his/her] teaching career in our school and was eager to develop [his/ her] teaching skills. [She/ he] took up extra responsibilities like [name the responsibilities the applicant took on that will give a positive view on the job application]. [His/ her] extensive knowledge of [name the subjects the applicant taught] and exceptional teaching abilities can be seen in how, within the first year, the students’ test scores in [subject applicant instructed] improved by [name the percentage].

During [Applicant’s] tenure with us, [she/he] also contributed significantly to the [name other non-class activities the applicant participated in. For example, extracurricular activities or faculty responsibilities]. [She/ he] also introduced new projects that the school has taken up as part of the curriculum including [name several projects applicant started and how they have helped the students.] [The applicant] has exciting ideas that [she/he] works hard to see accomplished and am confident that this will continue in your school.

[Applicant] is also interested in professional development and took classes on [name classes that improve the candidates teaching skills]. [She/ he] is creative, charismatic, committed and has excellent classroom management skills. [She /he] developed a rapport with everyone she encountered based on respect. Several parents have praised [his/her] influence on their kids and the huge impact it had on them.

I recommend [Applicant] with no reservations for the [position applicant is applying for]. I am confident that as a member of your faculty, [she/he] will be a valuable addition. Feel free to contact me at [provide phone number and email], if you have additional questions about [her/his] skills, abilities, and qualities.

Sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

This letter of recommendation for teacher template will help you quickly write a recommendation for your fellow teacher or student teacher. The employer will be looking to find documented evidence based on the experience the teacher had at your school. They want examples that depict the strength and abilities that would be valuable at their school. Remember to be honest and write while looking out for the good of your fellow teacher.