How to Create an A+ Teaching Resume

Written by Savannah Smoot

How to Create the Most Effective Teacher Resume and Teacher Cover Letter

Creating the perfect resume and cover letter to land a good teaching position can be difficult. They need to show the right qualifications and demonstrate a passion for the job. On top of that, a good resume and cover letter will really grab the attention of the reviewer and make them want to keep reading. This article will cover the important steps in creating a winning resume and cover letter for teaching jobs.

Crafting a Teaching Resume

A good resume stands out above the competitors. To craft a resume that pops and catches the hiring manager's eye, candidates should pay attention to how the information is presented. A strong resume highlights the applicant's main teaching qualifications up front and makes then easy for the person reviewing the applications to find. When choosing which experiences and skills to include, teaching candidates should share experiences that not only show their skills as a teacher, but also show their individual strengths. Schools look to hire candidates that are strong teachers and that have personal qualities that will benefit the students. Candidates can show their talents by sharing skills they learned through volunteer work, internships, or student and professional organizations. Sharing these individual experiences makes a candidate stand out.

It's also essential for candidates to set the right balance with the resume. It can be fun and interesting, but should also highlight the applicant's professional and personal skills. A resume should not have so much information that it is difficult to read. It would be better to include only the most important teaching related jobs, accomplishments, and skills to make the resume easier to skim. The goal of a resume is to have the opportunity to interview for the position. By focusing the resume on the skills and experiences that are most relevant for the position, the candidate will have additional material to talk about during the interview.

Information to be Included in a Teacher Resume

Teacher resumes include the same information as the standard resume, plus some additional, teaching specific sections. Applicants can use a teacher resume template to ensure they include all necessary information, or they can draft their own resume template. Either way, a strong teacher resume should include the following sections.

Contact Information

Include name, phone number, and a professional email address. Avoid using an email that includes hobbies or interests in the name, and instead choose an address that uses a combination of first, middle, or last names. Candidates can also include a link to a professional social media account, such as LinkedIn, if they have updated their information on the site recently.

Work Experience

Include any positions that involved relevant skills, like teaching, training, leading or coaching. Volunteer positions as a camp counselor, tutor, coach, or administrative positions often require skills that translate well to teaching. List achievements for each position using bullet points that each start with an action verb.

Education

Give the specifics on when and were all degrees were earned. Recent graduates with little work experience can include GPA and any honors earned to show their work ethic. Also, unless specifically asked for, it's generally OK to omit your high school diploma.

Skills

Show any skills that are relevant to the job but not covered in the Work Experience section. This could include abilities in areas such as computer programs, foreign languages, or communication, as long as it relates to the roles and responsibilities required for the job.

Certifications

List any teaching certifications or extra education that was completed or that will be finished in the near future, such as the Praxis Exam.

Licenses

Include all current teaching licenses. For teachers, this is important because the school will be interested in knowing all areas that the teacher is qualified to teach in.

Including all information on experience, skills, education, certifications, and licenses gives the school a complete picture of all of the candidate's abilities. While the advertised position may ask for one or two specific qualifications, the school may be looking to fill other positions at the same time. Candidates should put themselves, and their resume, in the best light possible by showing the full range of their abilities on their resume. An internet search for teacher resume examples can show candidates some ways to showcase their experience in a teacher resume.

Helpful Tips

  • Always be honest about your abilities. It might be tempting to embellish or exaggerate your past roles when applying for a new position; however, the school you're applying to may have connections at your past employer or may do thorough background checks. It's always best to stick with the truth.
  • Use specifics and numbers whenever possible when describing past accomplishments. Potential employers get a better idea of a candidate's abilities when they see specific ages for students taught, number of courses created, or amount increased in test scores.
  • Edit the resume and have a friend look it over. Sites like Grammarly can also check documents for grammar and usage problems. It's easy to slip up and misplace a 'the' or use the wrong verb tense.
  • Have a professional in the field look the resume over. It never hurts to ask a teacher if they can review a resume before submission. They'll have a better idea of what schools are looking for and what the current trends are in terms of teaching resumes and hiring.
  • There are existing services designed to check resumes before a candidate submits them. By uploading a resume to one of these sites, candidates can learn if anything was left out of the resume before they submit it with an application.

Do's and Don'ts

Do's Don'ts
Use appropriate language. A resume is not the place for slang or humor. Use overly complicated fonts or small fonts under 12 point. Make resumes as easy to read as possible.
Format all sections in the same way. If one job title is in bold or the name of a company is indented in one section, use the same formatting for all other jobs listed. Use overly complicated fonts or small fonts under 12 point. Make resumes as easy to read as possible. Go over two pages. Employers should be able to read it quickly while learning about the candidate.
Use a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial. Use overly complicated fonts or small fonts under 12 point. Make resumes as easy to read as possible.
Start each bullet point with an action verb. Write in active voice and avoid using passive sentences like "was created" or "were finished." Use the pronoun "I" frequently. Instead, highlight responsibilities, achievements, and team work.
Highlight accomplishments. Resumes are a place to brag. Lie. It's important to be honest on resumes
Save resumes in PDF form. PDFs are readable by any system, and the formatting doesn't change. This gives the applicant more control over how their finished resume looks. Include photos or graphics. These could distract readers from the content of the resume.
Show how skills gained from all past experiences prepared you for this specific teaching role. Many experiences prepare teachers for work in a classroom, not just jobs in education. Include too much teaching specific language. It's good to use teaching specific language when supporting skills and achievements, but including too much makes the resume sound inauthentic and exaggerated.

Tailoring a Teacher's Resume to the Job

Candidates should tailor their resume for each prospective teaching job that they apply to. It may be tempting to save time and re-use the same resume for every application, but that can cause the filtering systems that some schools use to reject the resume. Tailoring a resume to a specific job opening shows schools that the applicant is seriously interested in the position and that the applicant is aligned with the needs of the job. Schools are more impressed and more willing to spend time with an applicant who submits a resume that has been specifically tailored to the job posting and to that school, which is always the desired effect of a resume.

Preschool Teacher Resume

A preschool teacher resume can be a little more on the fun side than standard resumes, but they should never be too cutesy. Candidates should show that they're serious about the position and have the qualifications required. A preschool teacher resume should include all relevant experience, certifications, licensure, and skills. Working with a diverse group of children is an important skill for preschool teachers, so it could be a good idea for candidates to include their experience with different groups of learners on their resumes.

Elementary Teacher Resume

Elementary teacher resumes should include all teaching certifications and licensures up front. The first thing school officials will look for on submitted resumes is that the candidates holds the certifications that are required for the position. From there, it's important to include any past achievements and impacts that the teacher made in the classroom. Candidates with little or no classroom experience should highlight any experience they have tutoring, coaching, or working with children of the same age as the grade they are applying to teach.

Middle and High School Teacher Resume

Middle and high school teacher resumes should focus on classroom successes over classroom responsibilities. Schools look for candidates who are prepared for the challenges of teaching teen age students and know what success in a classroom setting looks like. Resumes for middle and high school teachers often list the specific classes and labs that the candidate taught previously, including any experience the teacher had with AP or dual credit classes.

Substitute Teacher Resume

Substitute teachers may not have any teaching experience. If that's the case, candidates should be sure to create a substitute teacher resume that focuses on the ways in which their skills outside of the classroom can translate into the classroom. They should be sure to include and highlight the positions they've held that most closely aligned with education, like daycare, student teaching, or volunteer work with youth.

Private School Teacher Resume

Becoming a private school teacher is a little different than becoming a public school teacher. Each private school has a unique set of requirements for teachers, and candidates should pay close attention to the qualifications in each job posting. While some private schools don't require teachers to hold certifications, candidates who hold current teaching certifications should include them in their resume as it could make them stand out from other applicants. Private schools often value worldly experiences, so any other teacher certifications or training that seem relevant should be included in the resume.

Composing a Teacher Cover Letter

Cover letters are crucial tools for teacher applications. The cover letter give the applicant the opportunity to really show their personality and share information otherwise not covered in their resume. It's important that every cover letter be personalized to fit the job posting and the school. The cover letter will be the first thing that most hiring managers read, so it will be their first introduction to the candidate.

Because there's a limited amount of time available to capture a reader's attention, the beginning of a cover letter should read like an elevator pitch. Everything important should be packed into the beginning in a well-written, easily understood manner. A good cover letter showcases a candidate's skills and shows their personality all at once. If a hiring manager finds the candidate's cover letter enjoyable to read, they are more likely to read through the resume.

Style and Formatting a Teacher Cover Letter

Cover letters, much like resumes, shouldn't be artwork, but they shouldn't be boring either. It's fine to add flair to the language used in cover letters, as long as it's not excessive or over-the-top. It's best to be conservative as different employers expect different styles, and some won't enjoy something too flashy. Candidates should also avoid starting too many sentences with the pronoun "I". Instead, using a variety of sentence structures comes across as more natural and makes the cover letter easier to read.

Cover letters should be less than one page with a maximum of 3-4 paragraphs, and it's best to use the same, standard font style and size as the resume. Basic fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or other plain, serif fonts in 12 point work well for cover letters and resumes. They're usually the easiest to read and they come across the cleanest on paper and on screens. These fonts also come standard on most word processors, so the hiring manager won't need to download any new font applications in order to read the documents.

Information to Include in a Teacher Cover Letter

Cover letters should start with personal contact information. A candidate's name, phone number, and email should be easy for a potential employer to find. It's best to put this information at the top of the cover letter, right above the salutation.

The content of the letter should start with a salutation addressed to the hiring manager at the school. It's best to use a specific person's name if one is available. Many job postings list a contact, but if one isn't given, candidates can address the letter to a job title, such as "Dear Hiring Manager."

The body of the letter is an opportunity for the candidate to describe their qualifications for the position, highlight what they could add to the organization, and show their interest in the role. Throughout the cover letter, candidates should emphasize why they are a good fit for the position and why their skills and experience make them a terrific choice. It's a good idea to use language from the posting in the cover letter to show the hiring manager that the posting was read and understood.

Cover letters shouldn't be longer than a page. They should concisely say what the candidate needs to express about themselves and their skills. Cover letters should be short, sweet and to the point so they're easy for hiring managers and potential employers to read through quickly.

Tailoring a Cover Letter to the Job

When tailoring a cover letter for each position they are applying to, candidates should also consider the level of teaching position they are applying for. Different teaching roles and levels have different qualifications, and the cover letter should highlight the candidate's unique skills and abilities that each role requires. A cover letter that works well when applying for a middle or high school position would not be a good match for a job at a preschool. This section describes what to include in a cover letter for some specific teacher roles.

Preschool Teacher Cover Letter

Preschool teachers are often with the same kids all day, so potential employers want to know that they're hiring someone well-suited to the unique demands of this position. Because preschool teachers spend a lot of time with the kids they teach, it's important for candidates to let their personality shine through when writing this cover letter. Candidates should also emphasize any experiences working with, tutoring, or coaching children of this age in their cover letter.

Public School Teacher Cover Letter

Educators applying for a teaching role in a public school should emphasize their successes in their classrooms. Public schools want to know that the teachers they're considering understand the importance of classroom successes and know what they look like. A public school teacher cover letter should include a to-the-point, detailed list of past classroom successes and the candidate's role in making them happen.

Substitute Teacher Cover Letter

Oftentimes, substitute teachers have very little, or no, experience in the classroom, and the cover letter is the best opportunity they have to express why they should be a substitute teachers. Candidates should include how their experiences outside of the classroom have prepared them to bet the ideal candidates for a substitute teacher position. A substitute teacher cover letter could also describe any education, courses, or teaching observations that the candidate has completed and explain how these will make the candidate an excellent substitute teacher.

Private School Teacher Cover Letter

When applying for a position at a private school, candidates should consider that many private schools are vary proud of their histories. They may want to take the time to learn about the school's mission and past successes before submitting their application. Candidates should show their knowledge of that particular school when writing their cover letter and explain how their experience and skills will help the school achieve their mission.

Steps to Take After Earning Teacher Certification

There are several steps a new teacher needs to take in order to secure a teaching position after they pass a teacher certification exam, like the Praxis test or TExES exams. First and foremost, candidates should craft an A+ resume and cover letter. It's important to spend plenty of time on these and to check and re-check them before sending them out.

The next step is to consider where and what level to teach. Candidates should also consider whether they're more interested in teaching in public school or private school, whether they'd like to be full-time or substitutes, what grade-level they would like to teach, and what school districts they may be interested in. It could also be helpful for potential teachers to check out various schools they may want to teach in so they get an understanding of how they operate.

The final step is to check job boards, state and county sites, and school pages for job openings. Job hunting isn't an easy task, and candidates should be prepared to dedicate quite a bit of time to filling out applications, sending follow-ups, talking on the phone with hiring managers, and going on interviews. The process is often very long, but new teachers shouldn't get discouraged. Finding a great teaching job is not much slower than in any other industry, and it's definitely worth the wait.

Determining What and Where to Teach

Deciding what and where to teach isn't an easy process, and candidates should take time to determine where their perfect fit would be. Candidates should first consider what subjects they've been certified in. Not having the right certifications could prevent them from teaching certain subjects, like foreign language, math, science, or English, just to name a few. From there, candidates should think about the age group they want to work with. If they have a K-12 teaching certification, would they prefer to spend each day teaching elementary or high school students? The final item new teachers should consider is if the would prefer to work in a public or a private school. The learning environment will be different between the two, and it can even vary between two schools in the same district. Candidates should think about what their ideal teaching environment would be and where they would flourish as a teacher.

Finding Available Teaching Positions

There are a plethora of ways that candidates can find teaching positions. Because there's a shortage of teachers, many states and school districts are looking for teachers in all subjects. Many school districts, counties, and states have websites that list openings across many public schools or districts. Teachers who are interested in working for private schools can check individual school sites. Job sites are also a good place to check, as they will have postings from both public and private schools. Sites like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn are good places for candidates to search. Searching a variety of sites will let candidates see what positions are currently available and, sometimes, what positions will become available in the next school year.

Expert Answers to Common Questions about teacher certification

  • How can prospective teachers make the most out of their student teaching experiences?
  • How can student teachers get the most value of their teaching experiences in terms of determining which age groups, subjects, and types of school would be a fit for them?
  • How do you help your students best prepare to pass their teacher certification exams?
  • What advice do you have for prospective teachers going through the teacher certification process?
  • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a teacher?
  • Which classroom management strategies may be the most helpful for prospective and new teachers to learn more about?

You can read their biographies and answers below:

  • Expert contributor image

    Catherine L. Meyer-Looze

    Associate Professor

    Dr. Cathy Meyer-Looze is an Associate Professor and Unit Head for the Educational Leadership and Counseling department at Grand Valley State University. Dr. Meyer has been an administrator of all levels in K-12 public education including serving as a Professional Development Director. She has a passion for understanding students today and how they learn in order to help them best prepare for the world they will live in tomorrow. She is also a strong advocate for distributing the leadership to empower all learners. Dr. Meyer received her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. Her Master's degree is the same from Central Michigan University and her Bachelor's degree is in Elementary Education from Saginaw Valley State University. Wanting to grow her wings in community services and leadership, she is a proud graduate of both Leadership Grand Traverse and Leadership Little Traverse in Petoskey. Cathy is married to Kelly Looze, and they happily follow their active daughter, Tacey, in all of her academic and athletic pursuits.

    • How can student teachers get the most value of their teaching experiences in terms of determining which age groups, subjects, and types of school would be a fit for them?

      Student teachers are able to obtain varied teaching experiences through field work. Saginaw Valley State University ensured that I had field experiences in different grade levels and settings through each methods course I took. I felt very prepared for varied age groups, subjects and school settings.

    • How do you help your students best prepare to pass their teacher certification exams?

      I never had to take the teacher certification exam as it became a requirement after I had my teaching certificate. However, I believe if you give students authentic experiences in their methods courses and get them into the field early and often, they should have a greater chance of passing the teacher certification exam.

    • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a teacher?

      The one piece of advice I wished I received would be how to set boundaries and more about communicating with parents. In the early days I had to learn the boundaries between home and school as I wanted to solve all the challenges students brought to the classroom and obviously didn't know how.

    • Which classroom management strategies may be the most helpful for prospective and new teachers to learn more about?

      I used to teach classroom management, and the one message I had for my students was that they had to find the management strategies of which they most resonated because employing a classroom management strategy in which they didn't believe in wouldn't work well for them. Having said that, I try to influence teachers to engage in a more student centered learning environment.

  • Expert contributor image

    Dr. Carrie R. Giboney Wall

    Associate Professor of Teacher Education; Teacher Preparation Program Undergraduate Coordinator

    Dr. Carrie Giboney Wall holds a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is an Associate Professor of Teacher Education and the Teacher Preparation Program Undergraduate Coordinator at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. She teaches courses in human development, educational foundations, literacy theory and methods, and secondary teaching methods. Her research interests include trauma-informed practices, educator self-care, preservice teacher education, and community-based scholarship.

    • How can prospective teachers make the most out of their student teaching experiences?

      As a teacher educator, I urge my teacher candidates to view a 50-hour clinical placement as a 50-hour interview - 3,000 minutes to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, employability, and value as an educator to a future employer. Clinical experience hours are not merely tasks to be checked off a teacher preparation 'to do' list, but rather valuable opportunities to make oneself known, indispensible, and hopefully… employed. I exhort teacher candidates to not underestimate the power of clinical experiences to forge professional relationships, highlight employability, and open job possibilities. Here are the ten 'Ps of Professionalism' I share with my teacher candidates as they prepared to begin their clinical experience in classrooms.

      1. Be Punctual. Arrive exactly when you say you will, without exception. Arriving late (especially with a Starbucks in your hand) can communicate 'I don't take teaching seriously.'

      2. Be Prompt. Respond promptly to emails, follow through with responsibilities in an expeditious manner, and be a person of your word upon whom people can rely.

      3. Be Polite. From the first email, communication with your supervising teachers should be respectful and appreciative. Address them as 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' unless they tell you otherwise and express gratitude for their willingness to host you in their classroom. You are a guest in their learning community and your behavior should reflect that.

      4. Be Professional in speech, behavior, and attire. Compose well-worded emails to your supervising teacher, parents, and/or students that include capitals, periods, proper spacing, and unabbreviated words. Save the sloppy texts for your friends. Keep your virtual presence on social media appropriate for even your mother to see. Maintain professional boundaries with students and fellow teachers and behave in a respectful manner. Dress to impress. Though your supervising teacher may dress casually, remember that s/he has a job. You don't.

      5. Be Positive. Embrace all opportunities to learn and grow in your clinical placement. Enthusiastically take on new tasks and go the extra mile. Assisting at a sporting event, volunteering at a choir concert, or chaperoning a dance demonstrates a concern for students and an interest in being a part of the school's community.

      6. Be Prepared. On days you are scheduled to teach, carefully prepare your lesson plan, arrive early, have all copies made, and set up technology ahead of time. Demonstrate that you are organized and ready to teach.

      7. Be Purposeful. Take notes, ask questions, and be reflective. View your clinical hours as an opportunity to grow and learn as an educator. Make them count. You learn to teach not by watching others teach, but by teaching yourself. Seize all opportunities to teach as much as your supervising teacher will allow.

      8. Be Proactive. If you want a teaching job, be intentional about cultivating relationships and gaining exposure to those who do the hiring. If you are excited about an upcoming lesson, invite the department chair or principal to drop by and see you teach. Be intentional about staying in touch with former supervising teachers so that they will keep you in mind when positions become available. You are more likely to get a job at a school where you are already known and respected, than at one where your resume is just one of many in an inbox.

      9. Polish your marketability. While still in your teacher preparation program, ask, 'What can I do now to set myself apart later?' Consider learning a language, honing a technological skill, or adding an extra authorization in another content area such as a high need area like math, science, or special education. Begin with the end in mind. Think of what you would like to put on your resume and do what you can now to gain that experience or cultivate that skill.

    • What advice do you have for prospective teachers going through the teacher certification process?

      Most teacher preparation programs have a Certification Manager who guides teacher candidates through the credentialing process. Be sure to listen carefully to their credentialing instructions, complete all 'to do' items, take any required credentialing assessments early, and provide all essential documents promptly. Additionally, set up a digital folder to store all credentialing documents like TB verification forms, Certificate of Clearance documents, CPR certificates, testing score reports, etc. Begin a document in which you articulate your teaching philosophy. Most applications for teaching jobs require applicants to describe their teaching philosophy. The sooner you capture your philosophy in writing, the better!

    • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a teacher?

      My big picture advice would be to take lots of notes and be fully present and attentive to all of big and small lessons offered by your clinical classroom experiences, students, and mentor teachers. Specific practical tips I would offer are: (1) take pictures of bulletin boards or learning centers in order to replicate them in your own classroom, (2) have a digital or physical filing system in which to store instructional materials, handouts, learning activities, etc. you come across in your clinical experiences, (3) embrace all opportunities to teach - just as a cook learns to cook by cooking, so a teacher learns to teach by teaching (not just watching someone teach), (4) when you encounter an instructional decision by your mentor teacher that bothers you, take a moment to reflect on why it was off-putting and what you would do differently if it was your own classroom, and (5) in addition to honing your content-specific knowledge and pedagogical skills, be sure to also cultivate your 'teacher dispositions' such as treating all students fairly and equitably, being a collaborative team-player, responding with compassion, behaving and speaking professionally, implementing organizational skills, and being a person of integrity (just to name a few).

  • Expert contributor image

    Leah Paige Peterson

    Assistant Professor

    I hold the title of Assessment Coordinator within the Nicholls State University College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership - Higher Education Administration within the college's Teacher Education Department. My degrees are in Human Performance Education, B.S., Higher Education Administration, M.Ed., and Higher Education Leadership, Ed.D. Areas of expertise include school/strategic improvement planning, quality assurance, assessment, accreditation, and leadership. I have written approved grants in the areas of value-added teacher preparation programs, continuous improvement efforts for future teachers, in addition to fitness and technology integration in higher education. Currently, I have published manuscripts in the areas of technology enhanced field experiences for pre-service teachers, field experiences as they related to InTASC standards, and teacher education candidates providing educational technology as PD. In the past 13 years, I have led our Teacher Education Department through two successful NCATE, CAEP, and SPA accreditation cycles as well as several state inspections with promising reviews.

    • How can student teachers get the most value of their teaching experiences in terms of determining which age groups, subjects, and types of school would be a fit for them?

      The best way to get the most value out of the teaching experience is to give your best effort to be fully immersed in teaching opportunities. I think it is important for student teachers to reach out to their supervisors, mentors, and peers and to become a sponge i.e. take in as much as you can. It is also vital for student teachers to experience the beginning, middle, and end of schools years to understand the complexities of teaching and the nuances of working with different age groups, subjects, and schools. The best way to do this is to take initiative; ask questions, volunteer, and go above and beyond to try to have as many diverse classroom experiences as possible.

    • How do you help your students best prepare to pass their teacher certification exams?

      Our institution provides support for teacher certification exams through free prep courses and tutoring. I think it is also important to provide emotional support since test anxiety can be one of the greatest inhibitors of success. I always suggest to candidates to take tests as soon as possible, even early if they can. In my courses, I am intentional in aligning course content to certification exam content and work with my candidates so they have as much information as possible to be prepared academically and emotionally.

    • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a teacher?

      One piece of advise I wish I had when I was working to become a teacher is to not minimize the importance of clinical experiences. Getting hands-on experience in an actual classroom is the best way to learn some of the most important concepts like classroom management, how to develop your own teaching style, and to gain confidence. Take every opportunity available to get experience in different schools, grade levels, and with different teachers. This is an invaluable experience and one that cannot be gained through textbooks, lectures, or exams.

    • Which classroom management strategies may be the most helpful for prospective and new teachers to learn more about?

      Classroom management is one of the most important concepts for future teachers. I believe expectations, environment, and a respectful culture are three of the most important things to consider. Prospective and new teachers should learn as much as they can about how to set high and demanding expectations for every student. These new teachers should also learn how to create a learning environment where every students has the opportunity to be successful in a welcoming and organized manner. Lastly, learning how to create a respectful culture within a classroom is also important. New teachers should strive to create positive relationships and model to students how to show care and respect for one another. These often overlooked strategies can be a great foundation for a successfully managed classroom.

  • Expert contributor image

    Samina Hadi-Tabassum

    Associate Clinical Professor

    Currently, Dr. Samina Hadi-Tabassum teaches courses in cognitive and language development at Erikson Institute in Chicago and directs two child development programs. Previosuly, she taught courses in science education, literacy development and multicultural education at other universities. She has worked with student teachers in the field and knows how to administer assessments such as the edTPA. She enjoys seeing the learning curve and how students become more confident by the end of their program.

    • How can student teachers get the most value of their teaching experiences in terms of determining which age groups, subjects, and types of school would be a fit for them?

      I think it helps to gain self awareness as to what kind of a personality you have as a student teacher. I first began teaching middle school students and realized after four years that I did not do well with this age group. I was neither sarcastic nor a risk taker. Some of my colleagues did better with adolescent students and could handle the severe cognitive and biological changes that occur in that age group. I eventually became an elementary school teacher and enjoyed teaching children in grades 2 to 5 due to their maturity, creativity and openness to learn. I loved reading novels aloud, conducting science experiments, having class pets and creating a culture of camraderie with students that functioned like a family.

    • How do you help your students best prepare to pass their teacher certification exams?

      When I teach my science methods courses, I address the content knowledge as well as the skills, practice and dispositions needed to teach that subject matter. Teaching is both an art and a science. I choose textbooks that combine both curriculum knowledge and sound pedagogy. I remind students to hold onto their textbooks and use them to review for the certification exam. It also helps to study for the exam in peer groups so you can support each other through interpersonal learning.

    • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a teacher?

      I began teaching at the young age of 21 and did not understand that I was a teacher in a complex educational system and structure. I felt like a cog in the wheel. We often blamed the students and their families for academic gaps; however, now I realize that my students were members of an unequal system from housing and health care disparities to a lack of educational resources. Schools need to work with their local communities to address societal inequalities such as providing a food pantry at the school to bringing in a medical van to provide much needed innoculations. It does take a village to raise children and we all need to work together to provide educational as well as social services to our school communities.

    • Which classroom management strategies may be the most helpful for prospective and new teachers to learn more about?

      By my second year of teaching, I became more skilled. I began to learn more about the students and their social and cultural backgrounds. I talked to the families at the start of the school year and did not make judgments. I created lessons and units that were rigorous, full of academic language, but also built in supports for struggling students. I tutored students after school and allowed students to resubmit work. I never used a punitive lens because I knew how hard their struggles were at home already. I was the firm and consistent teacher who made sure each student learned something by the end of the day and grew. But I was not their friend and I took their learning seriously.

All Teacher Certification Exams