Elementary Teacher Resume Example

To be a successful elementary school teacher in 2023, you must create engaging learning environments for young children — whether you’re teaching in a traditional classroom or an online learning space.

But before you can get your hands dirty with paper-mâché and virtual field trips to the zoo, you’ll need a top-notch elementary teacher resume.

For visual learners, our Career Advisor Emily shares her expert advice on making a teacher resume in this helpful video:

To build on Emily’s advice, here are four tips on how to write an elementary teacher resume that gets you hired:

1. Add key elementary teacher resume skills

Elementary school teachers need a good balance of hard and soft skills to foster a learning-rich environment. Having excellent soft skills is particularly important for a teacher as they determine how you interact with students, colleagues, and parents, as well as how you approach your work.

Here are examples of good soft skills to list on your resume:

• Interpersonal skills
• Active listening
• Empathy
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Leadership skills
• Emotional intelligence
• People skills
• Patience
• Persistence
• Creativity
• Problem-solving
• Resourcefulness
• Adaptability
• Self-motivation
• Organizational skills
• Time management

Teaching elementary school also requires other hard skills you’ve gained from education or experience, like the following:

• Classroom management
• Classroom management software (Common Curriculum, ClassDojo, and Nearpod)
• Lesson planning
• Computer skills
• Remote/hybrid teaching tools (Zoom, video conferencing cameras, and document cameras)
• Cloud file sharing (Google Drive and Dropbox)
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• SMART Board

You can demonstrate your teaching skills in the resume summary, work experience section, or skills section of your elementary school teacher’s resume.

Here’s an example of how to incorporate teaching skills into a work experience section, with skills in bold:

• Taught a class of 25 diverse students, including English language learners and students with special needs
• Led weekly small group and individualized instruction sessions for students who required additional support
• Created and maintained a positive and inclusive classroom culture, as demonstrated by a 95% satisfaction rate from students and parents on end-of-year surveys
• Collaborated with colleagues to develop and present a school-wide professional development workshop on effective differentiation strategies
• Participated in district-wide committees, including the English Language Arts Curriculum Writing Team and the School Climate Improvement Team”

2. Start strong with an elementary teacher resume objective

A resume objective is a short summary of 3-5 sentences that presents your most relevant skills and qualifications. It should grab a hiring manager’s attention and demonstrate to them how you’re the right fit for the position.

Therefore, you must fill each sentence of your objective with information that helps the hiring manager determine if you’re qualified:

1. State your professional title and how many years of work experience you have.
2. Describe your unique teaching skills or accomplishments relevant to your target position.
3. List any certifications or credentials needed for the role.
4. Announce your job-seeking goals (optional).

Here’s a sample teacher resume objective:

Fifth Grade Elementary School Teacher with 5 years of experience. Expert in project-based learning and differentiated instruction, with a track record of boosting student engagement and achievement. Texas state teaching certification and English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement. Seeking a challenging and rewarding teaching position at a progressive elementary school in Texas.

3. Include your education certifications

You might be amazing at getting students’ attention and teaching them the basics of math, but none of that matters if you don’t have a proper teaching certification.

It’s crucial to emphasize your teaching credentials on your resume to let the hiring manager know you meet the most basic employment requirements.

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. State licensing requirements vary, though, so double-check what they are in your state when preparing your resume.

Even if you’re applying to a private school that doesn’t require teaching credentials, include your teaching certifications. Doing so shows that you exceed the minimum job requirements.

4. Format your resume based on your experience level

Your most relevant qualifications should be at the top of your resume so the hiring manager doesn’t miss them. You can structure your resume sections based on how much experience you have:

If you have relevant teaching work experience, place it under your resume header and introduction. Then add your education section and skills section.

If you’re writing a resume with no experience, move your education and skills sections further up to emphasize your relevant coursework and skills.