Resumes for Teachers

A teaching resume is more than just a list of personal data and teaching experience. Each resume is as different as the person who writes it and your resume should showcase the unique qualities that you will bring to a teaching position.

For the most part, the previous modules will apply to your resume as well. However, your format may be different depending on your experience. This is an outline of important elements and guidelines for a teaching resume. For additional information, go to the Webliography for this Module.

REQUIRED ELEMENTS

Identification

Education

Certification

Teaching Experience

Related Experience

OPTIONAL ELEMENTS

Work Experience - other than teaching

Career Objective

Honors and Activities

Special Skills

Professional Preparation

Professional Memberships

Publications

GUIDELINES

Make your resume professional in appearance.

Focus on your teaching experience.

Choose areas that demonstrate your interest and abilities in the teaching field.

LENGTH OF RESUME

I continue to maintain that one page is the ideal length for a resume and anything after one page is unnecessary. However, there are many teachers who believe they cannot get everything of importance on one page.

I disagree. Your resume will have approximately 20 seconds for an initial reading. You need to make your points quickly and concisely. The resume is no more than a foot in the door. Save your extra information for the interview. Or better still, design a portfolio to take with you on interviews that will showcase more of your talents and abilities than any simple resume could begin to do.

To be on the safe side, keep your resume to one page.

TEACHER PORTFOLIOS

A teacher portfolio is a collection of work produced by the teacher that is designed to demonstrate the teacher's talents. Teachers design porfolios to highlight and showcase knowledge and teaching skills, and provides a means for reflection and evaluating effectiveness of lessons and interpersonal interactions with students, co-workers, administration, and parents.

A portfolio may include the following:

--Teacher background.

--Class description, grade level, content

--Written exams: NTE and state licensure tests

--Personal statement of philosophy and goals

--Implemented lesson plans, handouts, notes

--Graded student work: quizzes, tests, projects

--Video/audio of class lessons

--Colleague observation records

--Written reflections

--Photographs of bulletin boards, projects, students' work

A teaching portfolio is not simply filled with teaching evaluations and "artifacts." It is a document created by a teacher that reveals, relates, and describes the teacher's duties, expertise, and growth in teaching.

Electronic portfolios are becoming more widely used in today's market. Included in External Links are examples of electronic teacher portfolios. These ideas can also be adapted to print portfolios.