Using older teaching letters?

Two readers wrote in this week about using "old" teaching letters on the market. One reader writes:

I've noticed that a lot of schools lately require a rec letter that addresses teaching. What do people do about these? I've been in the same job long enough that the people who've seen me teach recently are all colleagues who don't know I'm on the market, and I need to keep it that way. The only teaching rec I can get, then, would be [many] years out of date. I'm sure that's not an unusual problem.

And Anon wrote in our "how can we help you?" thread:

Normally I just use one teaching letter, from someone who saw me teach at my current job. I've come across something that asks for more than one teaching letter.

I do have another teaching letter handy that describes my teaching from the last job (it's on Interfolio). The thing is, it's "out of date" - but does that matter in a case like this?

I get that my research letters change from year to year, but this is just a letter describing what I was up to in the classroom at a particular time and place. So is it okay to use an old one or does it look weird?

I'm curious to hear what other readers think--but I'm inclined to think it's just fine. A search committee member might notice that the letter is a few years old, but for all that I think they are likely to be more interested in what the letter says than anything else. I think it probably is a good idea to get a newer letter if you can--but if you're in our first reader's position and that's not really an option, I'm inclined to think it's not a very big deal.

But I'm just one person, and may be idiosyncratic. What do you all think, particularly those of you who have served on search committees?

Comments

[Number Three]

I use one teaching letter from each job that I have had. Thus, some are older, and some are newer. I have gotten 7 interviews for teaching-intensive jobs over the past two years.

[Paul]

While I've yet to be on a search committee, my colleagues assured me that it doesn't really matter to them, provided that the candidate has a least one recentish letter (say in the last two years). The advice about having one from various levels (grad school, adjunct, VAP) is also sound.

Other advice: get teaching letters from former students. Also, if your school has a center for teaching and learning (or whatever the title may be) asked them to come and observe your teaching and provide written feedback. You can ask them for a recommendation and tell your colleagues that you are just looking for ways to improve your teaching. That way you look good to both your current colleagues and you get a letter from someone who isn't just your friend in the department, but an expert in pedagogy.

[Anon]

Thanks for the comments! I will go ahead and submit my old letters, as well as my current one.

[Nathan]

Coming late to the discussion, but many community colleges stipulate that letters must be within the past 2 years (occasionally the past year). So it would be good to have recent letters to satisfy this administrative requirement if you plan to hit that market.