How to Write a Teacher Resume
Your resume has one purpose, to get you interviews for the teaching jobs you want. You can ensure your resume serves that purpose if you focus on your most relevant skills and experiences working with students.
The section-specific tips below will help you give your resume the focus and clarity it needs to move your job search forward.
1. Write a dynamic Profile summarizing your qualifications
In most cases, your resume Profile is your very first impression on hiring managers. Make it a good one. Use your Profile to call out your top qualifications. What sets you apart from other likely candidates for the same teaching position? For instance, you may have international teaching experience or fluency in a foreign language. Or maybe you’ve mastered a teaching approach that helped raise standardized test scores. Or perhaps you have an advanced degree in your subject area.
Whatever your top qualifications, feature them in your Profile, and you can compel recipients of your resume to keep reading. Also, it’s usually easier to write your Profile after you’ve built the other sections of your resume.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Art Educator with strong recent work, volunteer, and academic experience. Passionate about engaging students in art theory and practice and helping young people explore their creative potential. Skilled at adapting instructional methods to each student’s learning style. Master of Arts in Teaching.
Mid-Career Profile Example
Dedicated High School Teacher with seven years of experience teaching science and technology. Use varied education methods to optimize learning experiences and outcomes for every student. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish. Master’s Degree in Education.
2. Add a quantified Experience section
Hiring managers can get a clearer picture of your skills if you quantify your teaching experience on your resume. Use your job description bullets to help you put numbers to each position you’ve held. Try to answer questions such as “How much?” or “How many?” For instance:
- How many students were in your class?
- How many teacher assistants did you train?
- By how much did standardized test grades improve?
Mid-Career Professional Experience Example
Technology Teacher, Lincoln School, San Diego, CA | August 2016 to July 2020
[High school with 400 students and an award-winning math and science program]
- Educated classes of up to 28 students in grades 9 and 10
- Served as student adviser, offering social, academic, and emotional support to 9th graders
- Promoted a positive, interactive learning environment at all points
- Created and delivered tests to gauge students’ progress and grasp of complex topics
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Third Grade Teacher, Topeka School, Topeka, KS | August 2018 to Present
[Well-regarded local elementary school with 300 students]
- Create and adapt lesson plans to students’ needs
- Prepare and deliver regular tests to classes of up to 25 students
- Write detailed quarterly reports on student progress for parents and school administrators
- Piloted successful garden project to complement five key science unit objectives
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Your degree, license, and certifications are the basis for your teaching experience and deserve a prominent spot on your resume. List each credential in a separate section right below your Experience section and apply similar formatting. For instance, if in your Experience section you’ve italicized employer names, also italicize the school names appearing in your Education section.
Following are templates and examples to help you format your education and certification details:
Education
Template:
[Degree Name], [School Name], [City, ST] | [Year – optional]
Example:
Bachelor of Science (BA) — Art Education, Radford University, Radford, VA | 2021
Certification
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] | [Year – optional]
Example:
Kansas Professional Teacher’s License, Kansas State Board of Education | 2021
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
You can give your resume a big boost by adding keywords. That’s because most school districts now use an applicant tracking system (ATS), which scans each submitted resume for keywords relevant to the job opening at hand. When the ATS finds a resume with many relevant keywords, it flags the document for the hiring manager.
Add a keyword-rich “Skills” or “Expertise” section to make your resume ATS-friendly. In most cases, you should add this section right below your Profile summary. Here are some common keywords for teacher resumes:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Classroom Management | Complex Problem-Solving |
| Conflict Management & Resolution | Curriculum Development |
| Differentiated Learning | Learning Assessment |
| Lesson Planning | Parent & Guardian Relations |
| Public Speaking & Presentations | Reporting & Documentation |
| Student Engagement | Teamwork & Collaboration |
| Technology Integration | Test Development & Delivery |
| Time Management | |
How to Pick the Best Teacher Resume Template
For teachers, a clear and straightforward resume template is usually best. Choose a visual template that lets the hiring manager quickly and easily take in relevant information about you and your background. Avoid any template that calls undue attention to itself with more elaborate design elements.
Teacher Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Christina Lopez
(456) 345-1234 | [email protected] | Sacramento, CA 12345 | LinkedIn
Profile
Art Educator with strong recent work, volunteer, and academic experience. Passionate about engaging students in art theory and practice and helping young people explore their creative potential. Skilled at adapting instructional methods to each student’s learning style. Master of Arts in Teaching.
Key Skills
- Classroom Management
- Differentiated Learning
- Lesson Planning
- Student Engagement
- Technology Integration
Work Experience
Student Teacher, Hollywood High School, Los Angeles, CA | February 2022 to March 2022
- Supported mentor teacher by preparing materials and answering student questions for art classes of up to 30
- Co-developed and executed dynamic and engaging lesson plans
- Integrated Photoshop, Illustrator, and other design software programs with traditional art education
Volunteer Art Tutor, Radford School District After School Program, Radford, VA | January 2018 to July 2021
[Co-curricular program recognized for excellence in arts education]
- Developed various engaging art projects for students in grades K-12
- Managed groups of up to 15 students at a time
Education
Master of Arts (MA) — Teaching, University of Southern California Rossier School of Education, Los Angeles, CA | 2022 | 3.9 GPA
Select Coursework:
- Blended Learning Experiences
- Curriculum Development
- Identifying and Teaching to Student Differences
Bachelor of Science (BA) — Art Education, Radford University, Radford, VA | 2021
Select Coursework:
- Art Education and Teaching Labs
- Art History
- New Media and Crafts
- Traditional Media
Certification
California Professional Educator, State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing | 2023
Technical Skills
Adobe Creative Suite | Microsoft Office Suite
Roberta Alexander
(987) 654-3210 | [email protected] | San Diego, CA 12345 | LinkedIn
Profile
Dedicated High School Teacher with seven years of experience teaching science and technology. Use varied education methods to optimize learning experiences and outcomes for every student. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish. Master’s Degree in Education.
Key Skills
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- Curriculum Development
- Differentiated Learning
- Process Streamlining
- Student Counseling & Mentoring
- Test Preparation & Delivery
Professional Experience
High School Science Teacher, The STEM School, San Diego, CA | August 2020 to Present
- Adapt lesson plans and teaching methods to students with different learning styles
- Introduced new ways to prepare students for standardized tests, resulting in higher average scores
- Organized annual tennis fundraiser that generated $5K for the math department
- Designed and implemented a new science curriculum
Technology Teacher, Lincoln School, San Diego, CA | August 2016 to July 2020
[High school with 400 students and an award-winning math and science program]
- Educated classes of up to 28 students in grades 9 and 10
- Served as student adviser, offering social, academic, and emotional support to 9th graders
- Promoted a positive, interactive learning environment at all points
- Created and delivered tests to gauge students’ progress and grasp of complex topics
Education
University of California San Diego
- Master of Science (MS) — Education | 2016
- Bachelor of Science (BS) — Education Studies | 2014
Certification
California Professional Educator, State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing | 2022
Languages
Fluency in Spanish | Proficiency in Italian
James Major
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Topeka, KS 12345 | LinkedIn
Profile
Resourceful Elementary School Teacher with nearly ten years of experience inspiring and developing young minds. Adapt readily to new work challenges and conditions. Master of Educational Studies.
Key Skills
- Advanced Teaching Methods
- Conflict Management & Resolution
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- Differentiated Learning
- Lesson Planning
- Reporting & Documentation
- Student Engagement
- Technology Integration
Professional Experience
Third Grade Teacher, Topeka School, Topeka, KS | August 2018 to Present
[Well-regarded local elementary school with 300 students]
- Create and adapt lesson plans to students’ needs
- Prepare and deliver regular tests to classes of up to 25 students
- Write detailed quarterly reports on student progress for parents and school administrators
- Piloted successful garden project to complement five key science unit objectives
Teacher, Washington Elementary School, Topeka, KS | December 2013 to August 2018
- Taught 2nd and 3rd-grade classes of up to 30 students
- Used varied teaching strategies to provide a dynamic and interactive learning environment
- Fostered productive relationships with parents and colleagues
- Developed thematic units of study to encourage students’ curiosity and grasp of interdisciplinary subjects
Education
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Master of Arts — Educational Studies with Elementary Teacher Certification | 2013
- Bachelor of Arts | 2012
Certification
Kansas Professional Teacher’s License, Kansas State Board of Education | 2021
Frequently Asked Questions: Teacher Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for teacher resumes?+
It’s easy to get stuck when writing your resume job descriptions. You may find yourself running out of action verbs to capture your teaching work. To help you over the hump, we put together this list of strong resume verbs. Consider using any of these as the first word of your bullet points in your Experience section:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advise | Analyze |
| Collaborate | Coordinate |
| Counsel | Create |
| Deliver | Develop |
| Document | Educate |
| Engage | Evaluate |
| Garner | Generate |
| Improve | Instruct |
| Listen | Manage |
| Mentor | Organize |
| Plan | Prepare |
| Schedule | Strengthen |
| Support | Write |
NOTE: The above verbs are all in the present tense. Use the present tense to describe your current job duties. But use the past tense (e.g., “Created,” “Improved”) to describe any projects you’ve completed or achievements you’ve had in your current job. Also, use the past tense to describe both duties and achievements in all your previous jobs.
How do you align your resume with a job posting?+
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that education, training, and library jobs will increase by about seven percent between 2021 and 2031. This growth rate is roughly the same as the average for all US vocations.
You can get interviews for more opportunities in this field if you tailor your resume for each application you send. One great way to do this is by adding brief descriptions of the schools where you’ve worked. Place each description in brackets right next to or below the school’s name. It also helps to match formatting. For instance, if you’ve italicized the school’s name, italicize the school description too.
School descriptions let you show any similarities between your past employers and the organization that posted the job opening. For example, maybe you’ve worked for schools of a similar size or in a similar community. Or perhaps you’ve worked at schools with a similar mission or teaching philosophy. By working these details into your descriptions, you can make your resume more relevant to the job at hand.
What is the best teacher resume format?+
In nearly all cases, you should opt for a Combination or Hybrid resume because they are the easiest for hiring managers to learn about your pertinent skills and experience — it’s also easiest for you to modify based on your job goals.
With the Combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and experience in your Experience or Work History section and an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro may comprise a Profile summary, Key Skills section, or Career Highlights section. You may also include an Honors & Awards section to call out any teaching accolades won by you or your school. By carefully choosing the details for these sections, you can (a) position yourself for your target job and (b) give hiring managers a clear, quick view of what you offer them.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
Craft a strong cover letter to increase your chances of landing an interview. The key to optimizing your cover letter is to customize it based on each employer you apply to. Read our Teacher cover letter guide to learn how. See our Elementary Teacher and Special Education Teacher cover letter guides for other related examples.