Michael Bornhorst
132 White Bridge Road
Old Chatham, NY 12136
(518) 569-6383
Mbornhorst23@hotmail.com

October 26, 2004

Dear potential employer,

This open-ended cover letter was created with the intent to be considered by any and all district officials with whom I am a candidate for employment. I am particularly interested in a full time position as a social studies teacher at the secondary level, although I am willing to take any position which allows me to work with the youth in a productive and educationally constructive manner.

In December of 2003 I completed a bachelors degree in secondary education with a social studies concentration at Plattsburgh State University in upstate New York. The following year I received my master’s degree from the same institution. My most valuable educational experience has been student teaching at both the middle and high school level in Malone, NY. During this period I assumed the full role of the teacher for sixteen weeks employing skills in lesson planning and implementation, construction of learning objects, classroom management, classroom discipline and student assessment. This experience was invaluable to me and I have grown both as an educator and a person because of it. Since graduation, I have been working as a substitute teacher in several districts which has allowed me to continue working with students and developing my skills in the classroom.

I believe that every student has the potential for success. This is a common philosophical belief for educators but is seldom put into practice in the classroom. For me, the most beneficial aspect of teaching is the ability to develop meaningful relationships with students of various backgrounds and ability levels. I believe that students learn best through application of the material. All too often educators at the secondary level are so content driven that they overlook the fact that information must be used in a meaningful way to be retained. Therefore, I attempt to employ constructivist measures and experiential learning as a supplement to lecture whenever possible. I feel it is important to utilize preconceived notions and draw firm connections to the material to make it relevant to each of my students. My ultimate goal is to develop within students the skills and resourcefulness to become lifelong learners. Please refer to my philosophy of education for a more in-depth analysis of my educational beliefs. 

I look forward to further discussing my educational philosophy and professional experiences with you at your convenience. My resume, transcript, letter of references and work samples are available for your consideration. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Michael S Bornhorst