Teacher Recommendation Letter (20+ Samples & Writing Tips)

A Recommendation Letter for a Teacher is written to provide a character reference for a teacher looking for employment.

The letter should highlight the teacher’s positive character and personal traits so as to increase their chances of getting employed. The letter is usually about one page long, should be simple and easy to read.

The individual (recommender) who writes this letter can be:

• A fellow teacher
• A colleague like a principal or vice-principal
• A sponsor teacher in the case of a student-teacher
• A former professor for a teacher with no work experience

The recommender should keep in mind that this letter is used by individuals applying for job positions in academia; hence, an honest and correctly written letter is required. In addition, the recommender may be required to craft this recommendation letter so that a student teacher or a fellow teacher (colleague) can use it to look for employment.

Apart from fellow teachers looking to be hired, a recommender may have to prepare this letter for educators who want to move to another school. This recommendation letter for a teacher helps to improve their chances of getting the job.

Whether you are a colleague, supervisor, or administrator tasked with writing a letter of recommendation for a teacher, we understand the importance of presenting a well-crafted and insightful letter. This article aims to provide you with valuable examples and free sample letters to help you effectively highlight the exceptional qualities and contributions of the teacher you are recommending.

A recommender writing this recommendation letter for a fellow teacher should ensure that they craft the letter correctly and include all the details required to provide a proper character reference. The teacher must know all the elements they must incorporate in the letter and how to format it.

Here is a step-by-step guide that a recommender can use when crafting this reference letter for their colleague:

Since a recommendation letter for a teacher is a formal letter, the recommender must include the letterhead. The letterhead is usually at the top-left corner of the letter.

It should contain the following information:

• Date of writing: The recommender should include the date they wrote the letter to show that the recommendation letter is valid.

• Full name: The recommender should then include their actual name in full for identity purposes.

• Title: The recommender should mention their title or job position on the letterhead.
  
  For example:

They could be a fellow teacher or a principal.

• School name: Since the recommender of the teacher is usually a colleague, it is necessary to include the school’s name where the recommender teaches.

• Complete address: The complete address includes the street address, city, state, and zip code information, which must be part of the letterhead.

• Preferred contact (optional): The recommender can choose to include their preferred contact information if they want to. This may include their phone number or email address.
  
  For example:

September 22, 2021

Ana Miller
Principal
456 Shallow Valley
Downtown, NA 456789
666-666-6666

The next step after the letterhead is the introduction. This part of the teacher recommendation letter is usually addressed by including these three pieces of information.

These are:

A professional greeting

The recommender should remain formal even when it comes to greeting the recipient. They can either write “Dear (Name of Recipient” or “To Whom It May Concern.”

Introduce yourself

The first paragraph should then be all about the recommender introducing themselves to the recipient. The recommender can mention their name, title, role, and qualifications.

For example:

I would like to personally recommend Miss Rachael for the position of 3rd-grade teacher at Starlight Academy. I am a 3rd-grade teacher here at Wisdom Academy.

State your relationship

This first paragraph should also include details about how the recommender is related to the teacher and the length of their relationship. A lengthy relationship between the recommender and the applicant will guarantee more credibility of the letter. The perfect recommender is someone who has worked closely with the teacher looking to be hired. The recommender should provide details of when and where they worked together with the applicant.

For example:

As her colleague of 6 years, it is sad to see her leave but I believe that she would be a great addition to the staff and a great teacher to the students. I have worked closely with Miss Rachael as we taught the 3rd-grade students together for the whole period.

The body paragraphs of this recommendation letter are usually two and always focus on what makes the recommender fit to recommend the teacher and all the positive information they have about this teacher who wants to be employed.

State your qualifications

The recommender should provide details that represent their qualifications in regard to writing the letter. The recommender is usually a person in authority and should mention their title, role, and qualifications clearly. Their position should be directly connected to the teacher in question so as to prove that they are qualified to prepare the letter.

For example:

As a fellow 3^rd grade teacher, I have had the chance to teach side by side with Miss Racheal. I have taught at Wisdom Academy for a while and I witnessed as she joined our staff. I was among the colleagues who guided her and introduced her to the school’s culture.

Your positive assessment of the applicant

The other paragraph in the body should then focus on all the teacher’s positive qualifications and optimistic character. The recommender should include the following information in this paragraph to exhaust their positive assessment of the applicant.

Applicant’s role and position in a school

The recommender should mention the role of the applicant and highlight the position they are applying for. This will help in tailoring the letter to fit the applicant’s position correctly.

For example:

As a 3^rd grade teacher in music here at Wisdom Academy, she is qualified to be a 3rd-grade teacher in music and arts at Starlight Academy. She was great with the students and helped many of them in their music lessons. She will be the perfect music and art teacher at Starlight Academy as she was here.

Training and skills

The recommender should then highlight all the training and skills that make the applicant suitable for the job position they are looking for. The recommender should mention the applicant’s skills, especially their soft skills like being creative, compassionate, and organized. Also, a recommender should highlight how these skills will make them improve their performance in the classroom, which should be beneficial to the students. The recommender can also mention how these skills also help to create a positive environment with not only the students but also their fellow teachers and parents.

For example:

Miss Rachael has a bachelor’s degree in music and took extra courses to learn more in arts. She has great expertise and knowledge that would be beneficial for the students at Starlight Academy. She is creative and this makes her an appropriate music and art teacher. Her creativity enables her to easily recognize the talent among her students and resolve any issues with her many great ideas that will benefit her students.

Contributions

The recommender can also give information about how the applicant’s role and position are making contributions and bringing changes to the community.

For example:

Miss Racheal helped a group of her music students to start a charity organization for the school. Their parents and other sponsors got involved and together with her students; she was able to raise funds that helped to support the school’s extracurricular activities.

Student-teacher tasks and responsibilities

For a student-teacher, the recommendation letter should include how the tasks and responsibilities they need to accomplish are preparing them for the actual teaching work.

For example:

Mr. Austin was our student teacher and he was tasked with preparing and presenting daily lesson plans. This means that he is ready to oblige to the school’s policies and uphold them accordingly. This makes him a great teacher who is bound to work well with his colleagues.

Suitability for employment

This involves the recommender mentioning all the character traits, personality, and skills that make the applicant fit to be hired as a teacher. The recommender should ensure that the recommendation letter is tailored to the job position the teacher is applying for. He/she should ask the teacher a few questions about the position they are applying for so as to gather the required information for writing the recommendation letter. With this knowledge, the recommender will include only relevant skills in the letter.

For example:

Miss Racheal is responsible and diligent in her work. She is timely and can easily adapt to different situations. Her inspirational nature makes her a great gift to the students. She can motivate her students to do and achieve their best in both classwork and extracurricular activities.

Reasons for departure

For a recommender who is a current colleague or supervisor in the case of a student-teacher, it is best to include their reason for leaving in the letter. The reasons should always be positive. This option should be left out if the recommender lacks something positive to write about the teacher’s departure.

For example:

Mr. Austin has completed his training here with us at Angel’s Academy and is now ready to apply his knowledge. That is the main reason why he is leaving us. Apart from that, he has always wanted to teach at Bright Academy and I believe his skills, training, and knowledge make him fit for that position.

Give a few examples

The best way for a recommender to handle this section is by providing specific examples that describe the teacher’s characters and personality traits. The recommender should provide clear examples that highlight the teacher’s skills and accomplishments.

The last paragraph of the letter is the conclusion, where the recommender provides details of the teacher in summary.

This information should be written clearly and should include the following:

Restate recommendation

The recommender should show confidence in the applicant by restating their endorsement of that particular teacher for the job. In addition, the recommender should affirm the applicant’s effectiveness in terms of character and skills when dealing with any pressures that might arise from the job position (teacher).

For example:

I believe that Miss Racheal will be a great addition to your staff and will benefit the students. I highly recommend her for the 3rd-grade teacher position that she has applied for in your school.

Invite for further contact

The recommender can invite the recipient to reach out to them if they need more information about their colleague or want to ask them questions concerning the teacher.

For example:

For more information about Miss Rachael, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Provide your details

The final part of the letter requires the recommender to provide their details and then sign off the letter. The recommender should either provide their phone number or email address that will be used to reach them regarding the teacher they are endorsing. The recommender should again include their full name along with their position or role. The final part is to sign the letter for closing purposes.

For example:

You can reach out to me on (phone number) or my (email address). Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
(Signature)
(Ana Miller),
(Contact details of recommender)

For some tips on how to craft the best recommendation letter for a teacher, here are some do’s and don’ts that the recommender should observe when writing the letter.

This is what a recommender should observe and follow when writing a teacher recommendation letter for a colleague.

Do keep the letter structured

The letter should be straightforward and should be in a formal format to maintain its structure. A recommender should have a tight letter of one page with short and precise paragraphs. However, the necessary information required should be provided.

Do focus on important qualities

While writing the recommendation letter, the recommender should pick and focus on about three of the most important qualities of the teacher. This way, the letter is precise but detailed. Also, the letter recipient will not have an overwhelming letter to read as it will be well-presented.

Do focus on the job description

The job position the teacher is applying for should be the main part of the letter. The recommender should include this information and ensure the structure of the letter relies on the job description.

Do follow the submission guideline

The recommender should ask the teacher they are writing this letter for to provide them with details about the guidelines of submitting the letter. The recommender should then observe those requirements to learn how to format the letter alongside where and when to send the letter.

This is what should be avoided when writing it comes to writing this recommendation letter.

Don’t write for friends

A recommender should never write a recommendation letter for a teacher for friends. The letter should only be written if the recommender has interacted professionally with the teacher looking for a job. A friendship instead of a working relationship may cause the letter to be discredited.

Don’t give general descriptions without examples

Writing this letter without specific examples that relate to the general descriptions provided for the teacher may result in an ineffective letter. Specific examples help prove to the recipient of the letter that the recommender has an actual relationship with the teacher.

Don’t write for candidates you don’t believe in

A recommender should not write a letter for candidates they do not believe in. A reference letter should be honest, believable, and passionate. Without all these factors, the recommender’s credibility will be doubted, which might affect their reputation.

However, be polite when avoiding applicants you do not believe in instead of writing a lukewarm recommendation letter.

Don’t be negative

A recommendation letter for a teacher is all about writing their positive character and skills. As a recommender, being negative in the letter is not required. The letter should be positive to help the teacher stand out among the other applicants.

As a recommender, being asked to write a recommendation letter for a teacher can be easier with these tips. These tips will provide more guidance to a recommender on how to write the best recommendation letter.

These tips are as follows:

Follow business letter format

A recommender should always keep in mind that a recommendation letter is an official letter and should, therefore, use the business letter format when writing it. Furthermore, the letter should always remain formal. If the recommender is rushing against time, they can send a recommendation email instead of hurriedly writing an informal letter.

Include language from the job description

The teacher should provide a brief job description since a recommender must always tailor the letter to fit the job description. A recommender should focus on the skills and qualifications that fit the job description. The language being used in the letter should also align with the job description.

Use numbers to quantify their successes

When using examples to explain the teacher’s skills, attributes and achievements, the recommender should focus on numbers to help quantify this success. Numbers make the information more factual and credible.

Remain positive

No matter the situation, the recommender should always write positive things about the teacher. They should always show confidence in the teacher and highlight all the reasons as to why they believe in them. Positivity will help the applicant stand out among their fellow job candidates applying for the same teaching position.

Proofread, edit and test

After writing the recommendation letter for a teacher, the referrer should always proofread it to check if it is accurate, professional, well-formatted, and has no spelling and grammar mistakes. They should edit any mistakes and ask a friend to proofread and edit the letter too.

In a recommendation email, the referrer should send the email to themselves as a test to confirm that everything, especially the format, is well-written.

A recommendation letter for a teacher is an official letter that provides a character reference for a teacher looking for employment. A recommender should provide positive and honest information about their colleague as this letter will support their application and increase their chances of getting the job.

A recommender is usually the principal, a fellow teacher, a former professor, or a sponsor teacher. The letter will be viewed as credible with such authority since the recommender will write a letter that highlights their positive assessment of the applicant based on their professional relationship.