Teacher - Learn How To Write The Best Resume You Can

 by: Laura Adams

It should come as no surprise that there is a currently a shortage of teachers in the United States. This unfortunate trend has been seen for well over a decade. To compound the issue, recent labor studies have predicted that teaching positions will likely continue to grow faster than the national average for the next several years due to recent government regulations to reduce class size and increase educational accountability. The need for teachers has never been greater.

Though this trend is good news for teachers on the job market, it does not diminish the fact that competition will remain tough for the most desirable teaching positions. Competition is especially fierce for English, Social Science, Humanities, and Elementary grade positions. Teacher will need to pay close attention to the presentation of their credentials, as detailed in their resume, in order to ensure that they can compete in the race for prime positions in the educational system.

To write a solid resume tailored specifically for teaching opportunities, consider the following guidelines:

Highlight your Educational and Licensure Qualifications

In addition to including the details of your teaching or academic degree (school name, when you graduated, your degree), you should mention any academic honors, grants, scholarships, or fellowships awarded during the course of your studies.

If you are an experienced teacher, you should include any relevant continuing education courses or seminars you have taken to demonstrate to prospective employers that you are keeping your skills sharp.

If you are a newer graduate or have limited teaching experience, a list of related education courses and any completed student teacher or mentorship rotations will enhance your qualifications to prospective employers. Graduates who completed their degree with an impressive grade point average should highlight this fact by including their GPA in the Educational section of their resume.

All teachers who have completed the process and testing requirements to get their teaching license will need to provide details of their license(s) in this section. Include the state(s) and subject area(s) in which you are licensed to teach and the date that your license went in effect. Since your employer will ask for a copy of your license once you are made an offer, you do not need to include your licensing number on your resume unless otherwise requested.

Emphasize your Teaching Expertise and Key Skills

A quick 10-second scan of your resume should reveal important keywords that summarize your teaching experience and give school administrators an overview of your qualifications. The most effective way to do this is to incorporate a section of your resume dedicated to teaching expertise and key skills. Include a bulleted list of your subject area specializations (such as biology, mathematics, special education, or K-3) and any pertinent teaching skills, such as curriculum development or teaching to style, that will enhance your resume presentation.

If you have several years of teaching experience, it may beneficial to list your years of experience in each area. For example, indicate that you have three years of experience teaching high school biology, two years of experience teaching middle school general science, and one year of experience teaching high school earth science.
  (continued...)

Teacher - Learn How To Write The Best Resume You Can
  Page 2

About The Author Laura Adams is a qualified careers advisor with 11 years experience. Teaching Jobs Information - Resources, News, Tips and Views to help Teachers find their dream jobs. http://www.Teaching-Job.info. Copyright Teaching-Job.info This article may be reproduced as long as the resource box and live links remain intact. info@cinneide.net

Additional Resources

category - Education Grants

The Future Leaders Exchange Program: Host Family and School Placement and Monitoring
The ECA has constituted the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program wherein it seeks to promote mutual understanding between the citizens of the United States of America and the inhabitants of Eurasia by way of sending secondary school students from Eurasia to live in an American community for a full academic year.

---

Computing Education Grants Program for the 21st Century
The National Science Foundation has recently established the Computing Education Grants Program for the 21st Century (CE21), wherein the agency primarily aims to create a robust computing research community, as well as a computationally competent 21st century workforce, and ultimately, a computationally empowered citizenry.

---

Educational Grants - Financing Your Education with State Assistance
The Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) provides grants to States that can be used in financial assistance programs to help support eligible postsecondary students.

---

Are You Eligible To Receive A Federal Student Aid?
The Department of Education offers several types of educational financial assistance such as grants, federal loans, and work-study programs. It is very much essential for student to determine which type of assistance will best suit his/her financial needs.

---