When you apply for a teaching position, you will need to get several letters of recommendation to support your credentials.  These letters give potential employers a better perspective of your unique qualifications for the position you are seeking.  Many times these letters are a critical factor in “landing” the teaching job that you want. 

Three letters of recommendation are standard for most of the positions for which you will apply.  However, asking more than three people to write letters for you will give you the option to pick which ones you believe are the strongest or most appropriate for each position and/or district.  It will also ensure that you have enough, should someone not follow through on your request.

Your letters of recommendation are often the first independent assessment of your capabilities, performance, and potential that is seen by a search committee.  Your résumé lists what you did, but your letters of recommendation tell how well you did it.

There are several points to consider in requesting letters of recommendation:

1. Select people who know your qualifications and have seen those characteristics essential to teaching.  If possible, ask people who have actually observed you in the classroom.  You may want to ask your cooperating teacher, university supervisor, the principal or assistant principal, another teacher in the building, university faculty who know you well, a support teacher who worked in the classroom in which you student taught, early field experience mentor teacher, or someone else who has “seen you in action.”
2. Personally contact people who you would like to write a letter.  First call (or ask in person) and then follow with a formal letter thanking the person for agreeing to write the letter of recommendation for you.  If it has been a little while since you’ve seen the person, remind them how you know them and in what capacity they had observed or worked with you.  The thank you letter should reiterate what you discussed on the phone and supply the specific data that the writer will need to compose the letter.  Also include your contact information in case the person needs additional information.
3. When asking someone for a letter of recommendation, you may also want to ask if he/she feels they know you well enough to give a positive recommendation.  Ask, “Do you know me well enough to write a strong, supportive letter of recommendation for [identify position you are seeking]?” or, “Would you have enough time to write me a positive letter of recommendation for [identify position you are seeking]?”  This gives the person a gracious way to let you know that he/she wouldn’t fell comfortable writing such a letter.  Watch the person’s face and body language for a “key” to what they may write.  If a person is hesitant or noncommittal, it may be better to ask someone else.  Remember, you want excellent letters of recommendation.
4. Let the person know exactly what position you are seeking and identify your unique talents and accomplishments that qualify you for it.  Provide a copy of your résumé and a quick synopsis of your experience that could be used to write a more personal letter of recommendation.  Tell the writer what information you’d like him/her to emphasize.  Say something like, “Do you think you could mention … ?”  Remind the person of concrete examples of things you have done to demonstrate those traits you’d like emphasized.  It is the responsibility of the person requesting the letter to ensure that the writer has all the relevant facts.
5. Tell the person what to do with the completed recommendation.  If it was a form or letter that the writer should send directly to the district, include a postage-paid addressed envelope.  If you would like a “generic” letter to include in your portfolio, include a postage-paid addressed envelope to your home address.  If you need multiple signed originals, tell the person how many you will need.
6. Allow plenty of time (at least two weeks, preferably a month) for the person to write the letter.  This gives them enough time to compose a quality, personalized letter.  Do let them know of any deadlines by which their letters must reach their destination.
7. As sometimes mail gets lost and sometimes people forget to write the letter, it’s a good idea to double–check to make certain the letters have arrived.  If not, contact the person again to ask them to please send another copy.  This will serve as a gentle reminder if, indeed, the person forgot to write the letter.
8. Send a thank-you letter to the person to let him/her know that you appreciate the time and effort it took to write the letter of recommendation.
9. Stay in touch with your references throughout your job search.  Let them know when you accept a position to emphasize the importance of their contribution to the process.

As prospective employers like current letters of recommendation, only keep them for three years.  If you seek a new position after that time you will need new letters of recommendation.  Remember to cultivate referees throughout your career, so that you will always have a bank of people who know your abilities and can write glowing letters on your behalf.

It is essential that you now completely devote yourself to both student teaching assignments.  This will probably be your last opportunity to “showcase” your teaching talents.  Your cooperating teachers, university supervisors, and other building staff are in the best position to describe your abilities as a teacher.

Quick Checklist

Have I:

____  Personally contacted the individual?

____  Reminded him/her of our shared experiences?

____  Told the person a little about the position I am seeking?

____  Given the person a copy of my résumé?

____  Suggested which of my characteristics that I’d like emphasized?

____  Provided specific examples of things I’ve done to support the traits I’d like stressed?

____  Told him/her how many originals/copies I’d need?

____  Told the person what to do with the letter?

____  Provided stamped addressed envelopes?

____  Given him/her my contact information for clarification or more information?

____  Written a thank you note?