How to write a teacher resume for a master's in teaching application

The resume you send with a master's in teaching (MAT) application covers the same ground as a teacher's job-search resume: who you are, what you've studied and what you've done in classrooms. The difference is the reader. An admissions committee is deciding whether you're ready for graduate study and the teaching that follows it, so your resume should show your academic interests and your growth as an educator, not only the duties of past jobs. Start by reading each program's application instructions and following any format or sections it asks for. If you're still deciding where to apply, compare online MAT programs first.

How an application resume differs from a job-search resume

The sections are mostly the same. What changes is what you emphasize in each one:

Summary: A job-search resume names the position you want. An application resume names the subject and grade level you want to teach and the academic interest you want to pursue in the program.
Skills and competencies: A job-search resume matches your skills to a school district's priorities. An application resume pairs a few teaching skills with the areas of your discipline you want to study.
Education: On both, list your degrees and any teaching license. On an application resume, it's also worth listing relevant courses in your major, since they show your preparation for graduate study in that subject.
Experience: A job-search resume focuses on results in paid teaching roles. An application resume can also give space to student teaching, tutoring and other work with young people, especially if you're early in your career.

A resume can be broken into thirds. The top third is made up of your heading, your branding statement and your key competencies.

Heading and contact information

The heading is made up of your name and contact information. Make sure your name is in the largest font on the page, preferably size 24. List one phone number you answer, a professional email address and your city and state; a full street address is optional. A professional email is usually some version of your name, such as “YourName@SomeEmailService.com.” If you have a teaching portfolio or professional website, you can add its link here.

Branding statement (professional summary)

This section is only a sentence or two, but it can be difficult to write. Summarize who you are and what you can do in just a few phrases. Include the subject and grade level you want to teach, as well as a particular academic interest that sets you apart from other applicants. For instance, a secondary English teacher might write, “Certified professional secondary English teacher offering versatile instructional skills. Enthusiastic educator with a passionate interest in and commitment to differentiated instruction for all students.” If you haven't taught yet, lead with your subject background and the grade levels you hope to teach.

Key competencies and teaching skills

On a job-search resume, this is where you would list the skills you'd bring to the job, matched to a school district's vision and priorities. For a graduate school application resume, adjust the concept. Lead with specialties or areas of interest within your academic discipline. For instance, a prospective English teacher might list British literature, formalism or feminist criticism.

Then add a few teaching skills you can back up with an example from your experience section. Skills worth considering include:

Classroom management
Differentiated instruction for students with different learning needs
Designing formative and summative assessments and using the results to plan lessons
Integrating educational technology
Working with families, colleagues and support staff
Supporting English learners and multilingual students

Choose the four or five that best match your experience and the program's focus. A skill listed here should show up again, with a concrete example, under your teaching experience.

The middle third of your resume is where you list your education and license information.

Education and teaching license

List your degree, the college or university where you earned it and your year of graduation. Don't go overboard, but do list any unique courses you took in your major. If you hold a teaching license or certificate, list the state that issued it, the license type and the subjects or grade levels it covers; including the license number is optional. If you're still working toward your license, leave the license line out.

The last third will be a detailed look at your work history. This section will look different depending on when in your career you're applying to graduate school. If you've just finished your undergraduate degree, your work history will largely be about your student teaching experience. If you're going back to school after securing a teaching position, you'll write about your current job.

Teaching and student teaching experience

First, give a general statement about what you teach, including the grade level, class size and major concepts taught. Then move on to specifics, such as the educational technology you used, the formative and summative assessments you applied and how you differentiated instruction for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Finally, describe any collaboration with other teachers or with parents. Where you can, use numbers, such as how many students or class sections you taught.

For student teaching, list the school, grade level, subject and dates, and describe your role in planning and teaching lessons the same way you would for a paid position.

If you only have student teaching experience to discuss, add a short list of other jobs you've held while in school. Less is more here. Just list the positions to show a track record of employment. If you're changing careers, describe experience that transfers to the classroom, such as training colleagues, tutoring, coaching or leading youth programs. Our guide to moving into teaching from another career covers the rest of that transition.

Before you submit your resume

Plan before you write, and proofread once you've finished. Then check that:

You followed each program's instructions for format, length and required sections.
Each section lists entries in reverse chronological order, with consistent dates.
Every skill in your competencies section is backed by an example in your experience section.
Your contact information is current and your email address is professional.
References are left off unless the program asks for them on the resume.
The file is saved in the format the program requests, and the file name includes your name.