Elementary Teacher Resume Examples for You to Use This Year

Updated February 19, 20241.2k

Learn how to craft a professional resume for an elementary school teacher role with top resume writing tips and examples from ResumeNerd.

Elementary Teacher Resume Examples

Elementary school teachers are an integral part of every young child’s development. The teaching experience can be very rewarding, but writing the best resume for every job application takes some extra effort and thought. Let’s take a closer look into how you can easily write an education resume for elementary schools.

What To Highlight in an Elementary Teacher Resume

Elementary school teachers do more than just create lesson plans to teach students. Classroom management, first aid, planning field trips and understanding early childhood development are all a part of being a great teacher. Your goal is to highlight your communication skills, any previous experience working with young children, and especially your education and certifications.

Structure of an Elementary Teacher Resume

Building a great elementary school teacher resume all starts with the resume format. There are three common resume formats: chronological, functional and combination. The chronological resume format is best for elementary teachers with several years of experience. A functional resume format is great for those who have recently graduated and received their teaching credential. A combination resume format is designed for those who have gaps in their employment history or changing careers.

Once you select your resume format, you can proceed with filling out these sections of your resume.

Header

The header of your resume should contain your contact information with your name, phone number, location and email address. You can also include your professional job networking profile links, like your LinkedIn profile. This information should all be at the very top of your resume and be accurate so recruiters can easily contact you for an interview.

Resume summary or objective

The following section will include either a resume summary or a resume objective. This is a short 2-3 sentence paragraph that makes an impact and entices a hiring manager to continue reading the rest of your resume.

If you have several years of work experience, you will want to write a resume summary that highlights your best achievements and most relevant work experience. However, if you are a recent graduate, a resume objective would be a better option. Focus on your education and skills. Describe how you create a safe and fun learning environment or how you are further developing your teaching methods and lesson plans.

Skills

Elementary school teachers must have a good mix of hard and soft skills to add to the skills section of their resume. Hard skills, or technical skills, are skills you gained as part of your education or on-the-job training to become an elementary school teacher. These skills could be around your teaching methods, teaching strategies, teaching skills and knowledge of current school standards and procedures. Your hard skills can also relate more to your familiarity with specific hardware, such as SMART boards, or software such as Microsoft PowerPoint.

Soft skills can help you connect with your students and their parents. Good communication, leadership, time management and behavior management are all great soft skills for elementary school teachers. All of these hard and soft skills can help foster better student engagement in the classroom and encourage them to be lifelong learners.

Work Experience

Most schools will be more willing to hire candidates who have some experience working in a classroom environment. Previous work in school administration or within a public school district is also a plus. You will want to place your experience in reverse-chronological order. This allows recruiters to know what your current qualifications are and track your career path.

Education

Elementary education is often its own major in many colleges and universities. It helps to have a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, early childhood development or behavioral sciences. If you have any certifications, such as in first aid, or a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, be sure to list them in the education section of your resume to prove your credentials to the recruiter.

Do’s and Don’ts for an Elementary Teacher Resume

When writing an elementary school teacher resume, keep in mind these essential do’s and don’ts:

Do:

Emphasize your education. Highlight your skills in teaching subjects, such as English, language arts or social studies, for the grade level you hope to teach. Also include your knowledge of learning standards, such as Common Core.
Proofread your resume before submitting it. A resume with spelling and grammar errors, especially for a teaching position, does not reflect well on you.
Include your education certifications and specialties. Emphasizing your credentials and certifications, such as special education certifications, is a great way to stand out to recruiters.

Don’t:

Exceed one page. Keep your resume to a single page. Any experience that is older than 10 years can be added to your professional social media profiles, such as your LinkedIn. This will help you stay within the one-page limit.
Include extra personal details or work-related stories. Focus on the most relevant work experience in your resume. You can elaborate on other information during a job interview.
Forget to customize your resume. Use a resume builder and then include keywords from the job description in your resume. Hiring managers will appreciate the extra time and effort you took to personalize your application.

FAQ: Elementary Teacher Resumes

Do I need to include a cover letter for an elementary teacher application?

Yes, always include a cover letter with your application. Many job seekers underestimate the importance of writing a cover letter. Cover letters allow you to discuss your most relevant skills and work experience in further detail. They can also help you stand out from other candidates.

How can I write an elementary teacher resume without a lot of experience?

While there may not be actual entry-level positions available for elementary teachers, you may be able to start out as a teaching assistant. Most teaching programs have student-teacher programs that allow you to shadow elementary teachers and help in their day-to-day work. Adding this experience to your resume will be acceptable even if you are a first-time teacher.

How do I change my elementary teacher resume to apply to different jobs?

Always change up your resume for every job you apply for. Read the job description carefully and highlight key terms and phrases that describe the recruiter’s perfect candidate. Then, include these keywords in your resume so your qualifications match the specific requirements of the role. This will increase your chances of being called in for an interview.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.