There are three resume formats that you can choose from when writing your resume. Each structure has a different purpose and will highlight different areas of your professional profile.
The functional resume format is best if you have just graduated from college and don’t have much work experience but have all the necessary skills to succeed as a kindergarten teacher. This structure centers your resume around the skills section, allowing the work experience section to be smaller.
However, if you have previously worked as a kindergarten teacher assistant or in another educational role, you may have plenty of experience to make a note of. In this case, you should choose a chronological resume format to focus the biggest section of your resume around your work experience.
Lastly, if you have employment history gaps or are changing careers, you can consider using the combination resume format. This resume format highlights both skills and experience.
Once you have determined the correct resume format for your situation, you can proceed with writing the resume sections.
Header
The first section of your resume is the header. This section includes your contact information that the hiring manager will need to contact you. Include your name, email address and phone number. Also, include your city and state so the recruiter will know how far you would have to commute to the elementary school they are considering you for. You can also include your professional portfolio links. Be sure all your information is accurate.
Resume summary or objective
You can choose between either a resume summary or a resume objective. This short 2-3 sentence paragraph is intended to catch the hiring manager’s attention so they want to read your entire resume. If you have several years of experience, you will want to write a resume summary that highlights and summarizes your most relevant and most significant teaching accomplishments. However, a resume objective would be more suitable for you if you are just starting your career. You can give the hiring manager an insight into your ambitions while quickly detailing your teaching knowledge.
Skills
The skills section of your resume is essential to showcase that you have the desired and required skills that the employer is looking for. Take note of the skills listed in the job description and add them to your skills section. Here are some examples of skills you may find on a kindergarten teacher resume:
- Develop interactive lesson plans and learning activities
- Prepare assessments
- Classroom management
- Communication skills
- Understanding of English language arts
- Ability to supervise a range of children, including those with special needs
- First aid
- Create a positive learning environment
- Familiar with traditional and modern teaching methods
- Soft skills, such as time management and problem-solving
- Monitor student learning and student progress with evaluations
- Develop weekly lesson plans
Work experience
List your relevant work experience in the work experience section in reverse-chronological order, with your most recent job listed first. You can include any volunteer work or training you completed as your college coursework. If you held any day care or child care positions or were a pre-kindergarten teacher, school teacher, special education teacher or held any other teaching jobs, be sure to list them all as they are relevant to a kindergarten teacher job.
Education
When applying for a teacher job, you will probably need a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. You may also need a teaching certificate and licensing for the state you will be working in. You won’t need to include your high school diploma since you will have a college degree.