How to Make Your Student Teacher Resume Stand Out

You’ve finished student teaching. Next step...Find a teaching job.

Your experience as a student teacher plays an important role in your work history as an educator. Student teaching is where you practice and learn the skills you will use in a full-time teaching job. It should be included on your resume, especially if you are changing careers and it is your only educator experience.

You may be asking yourself: What do I include in a resume to make sure I stand out among other applicants? Here’s what your resume should feature to grab the attention of the principal, and land you at the front of the class.

Include the Basics

First thing’s first. No matter what type of job you’re seeking, all resumes should have these components. If you don’t have these in your resume, principals likely won’t give your resume a second look.

• Contact information: Include your address, phone number and email. Make sure you use a professional-sounding email. An example would be one that includes your name - not a nickname or favorite team, for example.

• An objective statement or resume summary statement: Which type of statement you include in the introduction is based on your work experience and qualifications. Read more about when you should use an objective versus a resume summary statement in our article, What Is A Resume Summary Statement?

• Certifications: Include any certifications that are relevant to your teaching career, listed by bullet point. These include subject test(s) you have passed in Texas and alternative certification programs such as ECAP.

• Education: In addition to the name of the institution, include its location, your degree, year of degree and any relevant certifications or minors.

• Targeted skills: Examples include classroom and general computer software, research skills, coaching and training.

Boast Your Student Teaching Experience

The Work History section of your resume is where you will highlight your student teaching experience. How you present your teaching experience can make the difference between an average resume and an attention-grabbing resume.

Include the school where you taught and dates. Principals also want to know the basics, such as how you:

• Created and taught lessons

• Learned a district’s grading software

• Worked with families

• Taught subject areas at certain grade levels

Other examples you may include that will enhance your resume are:

• Participated in parent-teacher conferences

• Developed and implemented individualized lesson plans for at-risk students

• Distributed a weekly newsletter that communicated with families

• Participated in IEP team meetings

• Used positive behavior management strategies for classroom management

When describing your student teaching experience in your resume, use action verbs. Examples include “collaborated,” “created,” “developed” and “motivated.” Using action verbs creates an impactful assessment of your work. Don’t be afraid to add some oomph as well by sharing statistics or figures that back up what you accomplished.

An example of a teaching experience may look like this:

Student Teacher, 3rd grade, Apple Springs Elementary, Apple Springs, Texas. September 2018 - January 2019.

• Developed innovative lesson plans that motivated students and met state and federal curriculum requirements.

• Participated in IEP team meetings to help individualize special education interventions for at-risk students.

• Distributed weekly newsletter to 30 families that communicated classroom strategies, projects and lessons.

Don’t Forget Additional Teaching Experience

As a student teacher, you may have participated in activities that will help set your resume apart. If you have had relevant positions - paid or unpaid - working with children, include them as well. Examples include:

• Tutoring

• Camp counselor

• Sports coach

• Volunteer work

Include a bullet point that describes your role, how you worked with students and what you accomplished in that position.

Think Outside the Box

There are other headers you may consider in your resume, especially if you have limited teaching history. Ask yourself which experiences lend appeal to you as a candidate.

Here are some examples to consider:

• Honors: Don’t overlook impressive honors. Examples include Dean’s List honors or earned teaching scholarships.

• Professional development: In addition to your student teaching experience, you may have attended conferences or workshops relevant to your teaching aspirations.

• Professional memberships: Include any associations you belong to, especially if they are related to education. This demonstrates your commitment to your chosen field.

• Study abroad experience: This can be a valuable piece of information to include in your resume. Examples include teaching or cultural experiences related to your content area.

• Unique coursework: Think about any courses you have taken that could make you stand out to a principal. This may include foreign language courses, which could be helpful in a region where many ESL families live.

Remember the Bottom Line

Your student teaching resume is an important marketing tool that can help you land the teaching job of your dreams. If you are changing careers to pursue your dream as a teacher, student teaching may be one of your only educator experiences.

That’s why including your time as a student teacher and any related experiences is important to give your resume a boost when competing against others vying for educator positions. For more tips on how to make the best first impression with your resume, read our article, 7 Teacher Resume Tips to Make You Stand Out.