One very unique way in which a teacher-applicant can distinguish himself or herself on a resume is through the inclusion of a teaching philosophy.  Indicative of one’s entire approach to education, and perhaps the underlying rationale for entering the field, the philosophy defines and colors a teacher’s individual perspective.  It directs the manner in which he/she plans and executes the basic functions of an instructor, and moreover, a facilitator and role model.  It underpins the development of a new course or enrichment of existing curricula, design and implementation of lesson plans, selection or creation of learning aids, and establishment of disciplinary tactics.  It determines the way that an educator interacts with students, including methods of organizing and motivating students to actually enjoy learning.  Ultimately, a teaching philosophy offers the hiring authority clarification as to how an educator transfers his or her knowledge to students.

Invariably, every educator maintains the outlook that each student possesses the ability to learn.  Individual teaching philosophies, therefore, can focus on the ways that teachers stimulate learning among students whose academic abilities, behavioral histories, and social/cultural backgrounds vary greatly.  Teaching philosophies can provide insight as to educators’ adaptive teaching approaches, techniques for promoting positive conduct, and methods of ensuring that each student receives recognition and praise for her/her efforts.

Every educator can benefit from the provision of a personal ideology via his or her resume; however, newly certified teachers will find particular value in this strategy.  Unlike their more seasoned colleagues, new teachers’ salient and often sole marketing point is their student teaching experience.  A well-crafted teaching philosophy can support as well as further highlight that experience, beyond the actual duties performed in the classroom during a single semester.

While some educators prepare detailed philosophies, lengthier versions should be relegated to one’s professional portfolio.  For purposes of providing potential employers with resumes, teaching philosophies should be crystallized into a single, succinct paragraph.  As an integral part of one’s resume, the teaching philosophy can pave the way for interviews during which one’s unique approach can be further examined.

Every instructor approaches education from his or her own point of view, or individual teaching philosophy.  Consciously or unconsciously, every educator applies this philosophy in developing and implementing lesson plans and promoting the development of student critical thinking skills.  When crafting teacher resumes, then, educators would do well to consider how their individualized approaches impacted their teaching strategies and the implementation thereof.  Once considered, their resumes can be written to reflect those strategies and their effectiveness in promoting student development.

For instance, most elementary and early childhood educators integrate manipulatives into their lesson plans.  Many school districts lack the type of budgets that would allow teachers to select and incorporate all of the resources they truly desire into the classroom.  Therefore, on teaching resumes, educators will wish to state which of those resources they themselves have created, as well as how they utilized those resources and their impact on student learning.  If their student populations included learners with Special Needs, educators will also wish to discuss, on their teaching resumes, how they modified lesson plans in order to ensure that these children received something of value, either in terms of understanding and applying new concepts or material, or reinforcing prior knowledge.

Finally, school administrators are very much concerned that job candidates for teaching positions can maintain order in the classroom, using calm and professional tactics.  This trait is vital, as disruptions during class time prevent every child, even the well-behaved ones, from learning.  So, when preparing teacher resumes, educators should speak to the issue of discipline.  They can, if applicable, articulate specific, incentive-based or other programs that they assisted in initiating or perhaps even conceived.

Among other distinctions, if an educator were able to negotiate the “buy in” of parents and/or fellow faculty members for a particular initiative, such a coup, that may have impacted the entire grade level positively, should also be highlighted to create a teaching resume that substantively distinguishes the individual teacher/job candidate from his or her competition.