Cover Letter Series pt.3: The Teaching-Centric Letter

 The Teaching-Centric Cover Letter

I'm focusing today's article to the teaching-centric letter in response to several requests. On a site called “Journey to Tenure Track” that claims to cover every facet of the academic job hunt, the lack of such an article on this topic until now may seem unexpected. However, this was done on purpose. The truth is that only a small percentage of tenure-track positions outside of community institutions need a teaching-centric letter, and this is a common source of misunderstanding among job seekers. Despite the fact that many liberal arts institutions, mid-rank universities, and tiny teaching colleges profess to be "teaching-oriented" and "student-centric," recruiting and tenure decisions will be firmly centered on research.

Because they mistakenly accept institutional language about the significance of teaching at its value, job seekers often misidentify the opportunities that need a teaching-focused letter. Regardless of the PR on their websites, the great majority of institutions, departments, and posts value research significantly more than teaching.

However, there are situations when a letter with a teaching purpose is acceptable. 

For a community college, they include:

• If you're looking for a career that requires a master's degree,
• For a teaching-focused institution's temporary replacement hiring

For a continuing teacher post at any university, as long as there is no expectation of research; this will be obvious from the advertisement, which will make no mention of research in any form.

For tenure-track posts at low-ranked, regional, and maybe religiously associated teaching institutions and liberal arts colleges. Williams, Amherst, Wellesley, Davidson, Smith, Grinnell, and other well-known SLACs should get research-focused letters, not teaching-focused letters.

Temporary replacements (e.g., Visiting Assistant Professorships) at research-oriented institutions and prestigious SLACs will likely need a letter that balances research and teaching equally. In other words, although teaching is obviously important, and applicants must reference particular courses indicated in the ad, the committee's discussions are likely to place a heavy emphasis on the candidates' research profiles, since they desire active researchers even among their temporary staff).

If you decide that a teaching-centric letter is required after careful consideration and conversation with mentors, start by reading the blog pieces [insert]. What Do I Mean When I Say Be Specific? Avoid blathering on about your love of and enthusiasm for student learning at all costs. Keep your feelings on the profession of teaching to yourself. While I understand that you believe your enthusiasm distinguishes you, in an atmosphere where everyone is selling the same passion, it is just white noise. Please visit my piece, [insert], for additional information.

If the job description specifies that you may be required to teach certain courses, you must address those classes directly and discuss your teaching technique, approach, readings, and assignments. If no courses have been specified by name, start with the most common ones you'll be asked to teach. A teaching-only post is unlikely to request sophisticated small seminars; instead, you're likely to be recruited to teach huge intro courses, surveys, methodologies courses, and so on (but judge each ad on its own merits).

Use the following form to write your letter; you may change the wording as needed, but keep the following sequence in mind.

First Paragraph:

        <Your Current University Letterhead>

<Sunday, April 3, 2022>

Search Committee Chair

Department
College/University
Street Address
City, State Zip

"Dear Professor XXX/Chair of Search Committee

    I am applying for JOB TITLE in the DEPARTMENT.  My Ph.D. is in FIELD OF DISSERTATION, from the DISSERTATION UNIVERSITY, in the field of DISSERTATION TOPIC, (20XX).  I am currently CURRENT JOB TITLE.  My teaching specializations are TEACHING TOPIC A and TEACHING TOPIC B, with an additional expertise in TEACHING TOPIC C."

Helpful Tips when filling out the Cover Letter Above:

• Teaching Experience: 2-3 courses in total; these will respond to the courses mentioned in the ad, or be the basic courses you are likely to be asked to teach.

"My teaching focuses on YOUR PRIMARY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY WITH IMPORTANT THEMES AND OBJECTIVES RELATED TO YOUR SUBJECT AND SECTOR.  For example, in COURSE A, I use SPECIFIC READING A and SPECIFIC READING B to help students understand THEMATIC CONTENT A IN YOUR FIELD, with the goal of increasing their awareness of THEORETICAL CONCEPT A.  Similarly, in COURSE B, I used TEACHING PEDAGOGY METHOD A to help students conceptualize THEMATIC CONCEPT B and THEMATIC CONCEPT C with the goal that students can Choose an item. CENTRAL COURSE TOPIC. Similarly, in COURSE D, I used TEACHING PEDAGOGY METHOD C to help students conceptualize THEMATIC CONCEPT D and THEMATIC CONCEPT F with the goal that students can Choose an item. CENTRAL COURSE TOPIC. I am prepared to teach courses such as COURSE A FROM THEIR UNIVERSITY/ OR JOB AD, JOB AD/CATALOG B, and JOB AD/COURSE CATALOG C." 

• Do not tether any of your past teaching experiences or courses named to the other campuses at which you taught; render your teaching capacities as general and portable.
• 1 or 2 quantitative averages, no cheesy student quotes

"My effectiveness in the classroom is attested by my quantitative evaluations, with a mean score of EVALUATIONS SCORE compared to the departmental average scores of DEPARTMENTAL SCORE. I have taught NUMBER OF CLASSES TAUGHT Choose an item. On TOPIC A and TOPIC B. I have also supervised NUMBER MA or MS and NUMBER Ph.D. theses centered on STUDENTS’ THESES TOPICS. PERCENT of my students received Choose an item.. I have Choose an item. KEY PROJECT or COMMITTEE featured by UNIVERSITY in 20XX. HERE ADDRESS ANY ADDITIONAL PEDAGOGICAL REQUIREMENTS MENTIONED BY THE AD."

• Awards: no runner-up “almost” awards. Show, Don't TELL.

"My success in the above efforts has led to AWARD A Click or tap to enter a date. by INSTITUTION whereby THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AWARD and resulted in increased responsibility in RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AWARD. I also received AWARD/FELLOWSHIP B Click or tap to enter a date. by INSTITUTION whereby THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AWARD and resulted in increased responsibility in RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AWARD."

• Research description: [if you have/if necessary for the job—not necessary for teaching-ONLY instructor positions].  Approximately six sentences: your dissertation topic; its material/data/texts; its theoretical or conceptual approach; the questions/themes pursued; your core conclusion; contribution to the field.

“Beyond my dissertation, I maintain an active research agenda and am involved in projects that examine TOPIC A and TOPIC B in SETTING. My current publications are products of my interest in BROAD RESEARCH INTEREST TOPIC. One manuscript examines the TOPIC C using STATISTICAL MODELLING, specifically focusing on the OUTCOME VARIABLE. My coauthors, CO-AUTHOR A and CO-AUTHOR B, and I find that MAIN RESULT. We find support HYPOTHESIS OF MANUSCRIPT. These findings build off AUTHORS OF LITERATURE THEORY’s (Click or tap to enter a date.) work on THEORY.  We advance understandings of TOPIC C and TOPIC D, showing that MANUSCRIPT TAKEAWAY STATEMENT. This manuscript is currently Choose an item.at the JOURNAL.“

• Publications [if you have/if necessary for the job—not necessary for teaching-ONLY instructor positions

~JTTT

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