What makes your resume/teaching portfolio stand out if you're trying to be an elementary teacher?
Asked by
Glow (
1366
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February 15th, 2011
I know that you need a degree first, but what would make your resume/teaching portfolio stand out amongst others to potential employers? Does having a lot of experience teaching help (like volunteer teaching, etc)? Does having a book of lesson plans, and examples of student work from kids you have taught as a volunteer help? What should I have to make me stand out?
For me, I want to teach elementary education, I plan to get my masters in it soon. I have heard that it is difficult to find a job, although I don’t know for sure if this is true. I want to stand out though, and I was wondering what i should have to do so?
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7 Answers
Experience is huge. Volunteer, yes. Anything to do with education (volunteer in the school system), that’s what I was told they’re looking for.
A year before I went to teacher’s college, I volunteered at a school. Great bit of experience and you’re ahead of the game when you start teacher’s college.
Education is politics, learn to network. Elementary jobs here have far, far more applicants than positions. Jobs aren’t always well advertised, and they can go quickly. Volunteering is really only helpful if it directly involves teaching, a lot of people falsely assume any kind of volunteering with kids is good, but you need to show more than just being good with kids, but that you have leadership skills. Being able to work with diverse populations is a big deal nowadays, not just culturally, but socio-economically too. They want to know you can keep contol. Definitely get experience in a school, that is how you build connections, how you do the real work of teaching. (My mom works in special education, and I know quite a few elementary teachers, in addition to workinggg in special ed for a few summers).
I would want to see evidence that you love children and that it is your goal to promote their learning and aspirations— Not to please administrators or parents, but to promote the learning and creativity of children.
Move to an area that is hiring laid off cops. These are parts of America that are growing.
Thanks all.
Oh and @hug_of_war, I actually do volunteer as a teacher in two different locations right now. I am a volunteer art teacher, both in low income neighborhoods. I’m an art teacher in an after-school center. That’s all I do right now though, and I would like to do more things to stand out.
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