As an elementary school teacher, you’re lucky to be a part of that formative time. The perks of grade school aren’t just for students, after all. As an elementary school teacher, you’ve got minimal grading to do, long summer breaks, and the unique opportunity to see children experience things for the very first time.
1. Education and certifications are a must
You might be amazing at getting students’ attention and teaching them the basics of math—but all this doesn’t matter without proper teaching certification.Thus, it’s crucial to clearly include your teaching credentials on your resume.
In order to become an elementary school teacher in the United States, you need at least a bachelor’s degree and a state-issued license or certificate for teaching primary school. States vary in terms of licensing requirements, though, so be sure to double check yours when preparing your resume.
2. Tie everything together with a powerful career objective
Not counting your name and contact info, the career objective is generally the topmost section of your resume. And by occupying such an important piece of real estate, it’s the first thing school administrators see when scanning through resumes.Consequently, you need to make your career objective stand out.
Remember that these short blurbs provide a concise summary of your background, skills, and qualifications. In order to write one, you can break them down into three sentences:
- Sentence 1: Announce your title and the number of years of work experience you have.
- Sentence 2: Describe unique skills or qualities relevant to your target position.
- Sentence 3: List any certifications or credentials needed for the role.
Our candidate follows this formula, but includes a special fourth sentence to highlight their job-seeking goals:
Elementary School Teacher with 6+ years of experience managing classrooms of 20-25 students. Adept at using positive reinforcement teaching techniques to encourage student behavior and growth. A licensed teacher in the state of Texas, with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies and Special Education certificate. Looking to leverage my creativity and teaching experience to engage at-risk students.
While it’s perfectly fine for a resume to exclude this section, having a career objective may make the difference between having your resume get picked up or set aside. Why? It provides a neat summary for hiring managers who don’t have the time to read every work bullet in detail.
3. Use strong, active verbs to describe your accomplishments
Elementary school teachers do a lot more than just teach. They rein in unruly students, lead fun learning activities, and inspire young minds.With that in mind, it’s imperative that you shine a light on your previous work experiences through active verbs and vivid language. Passive phrases like “responsible for” or “duties included” downplay the significance of your work and also make you appear less enthusiastic.
Check out how our candidate uses high-impact accomplishment statements in their professional experiences section:
Create and adapt lesson plans according to students’ academic needs, including both individual and group work
Fostered student curiosity and interest in learning through hands-on activities and field trips
Designed and implemented daily lesson plans for the classroom of 22 students
Verbs like “create” and “implement” convey much more authority and initiative, and also help make our candidate stand out to school administrators.
4. Show off your interpersonal skills
Besides working with students, elementary school teachers also have to regularly meet and collaborate with other adults, such as parents and other teachers. Of course, no one likes working with a grouch or social recluse—much less, trusting their children in the hands of one.Consequently, your resume should show that you’re a people person who can responsibly teach and manage elementary schoolers.
Check out our sample resume for inspiration. Our candidate emphasizes their interpersonal skills in numerous ways—for instance, by listing “Active Listening” as a key skill and writing targeted work bullets like the following:
Established an open-door policy for 6:30-8:00 am parent/teacher conferences three days a week
Fostered student curiosity and interest in learning through hands-on activities and field trips
You can similarly describe your skills in working with people throughout your resume, whether in your career objective, professional experiences, or additional skills section.
Working with and teaching young children is a gratifying experience, as well as an honor. Whether it’s math or art class, or a lesson about sharing, you’re helping shape some of the next generation’s brightest minds.
It’s a huge undertaking—so we understand if you’re struggling to put together your resume. For extra guidance, try our easy-to-use resume builder!
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