Resume guide · Updated October 2026
Elementary Teacher Resume Example and Writing Guide
Short answer
An elementary teacher resume should open with your state teaching license and grade band, then a summary naming the grades you teach and a strength such as literacy or math intervention. Show classroom experience with class size, curriculum, assessment data and family communication. New teachers add student teaching; everyone lists endorsements and classroom technology.
| Median pay (May 2025) | $63,820 per year |
|---|---|
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
| Job outlook, 2025-35 | 0% (Little or no change) |
| Number of jobs | 1,530,500 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, checked 27 October 2026.
Elementary Teacher resume example
Below is a full elementary teacher resume for Hannah Lindqvist, a fictional elementary Teacher, Grades 2 to 4 in Minneapolis, MN. Keep the section order, then replace each line with your own work and results.
Hannah Lindqvist
Elementary Teacher, Grades 2 to 4
Minneapolis, MN · hannah.lindqvist@example.com · (555) 011-8853 · linkedin.com/in/hannahlindqvist
Summary
Licensed K-6 elementary teacher with 6 years in second and third grade at a Title I school. Teaches classes of 24 to 27 with structured literacy and Eureka Math, leads grade-level data meetings on i-Ready results and co-teaches with special education and EL staff.
Experience
Third Grade Teacher, Cedar Lake Elementary School
Aug 2021 to present
Minneapolis, MN
- Teach reading, writing, math, science and social studies to 24 to 27 third graders, including 6 multilingual learners and 4 students with IEPs.
- Raised the share of students at or above grade level on i-Ready reading from 41% in fall to 68% in spring 2025.
- Run daily small-group reading with decodable texts and phonemic awareness routines, regrouping every 6 weeks from DIBELS progress monitoring.
- Send weekly class updates through Seesaw and reached every family for both conference rounds in 2024-25.
Second Grade Teacher, Riverbend Elementary School
Aug 2019 to Jun 2021
St. Paul, MN
- Taught a class of 25 second graders in person and, during 2020-21, through Google Classroom and live video lessons.
- Introduced Responsive Classroom morning meetings and a PBIS recognition system; office referrals fell from 18 to 5 year over year.
- Planned units and wrote common math assessments with 3 colleagues in a weekly professional learning community.
Professional development
- LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), Volume 1
- Responsive Classroom Elementary Core Course
Education
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, North Star State University · Student teaching: kindergarten and grade 4, 16 weeks total
2019
Certifications
Minnesota Tier 4 teaching license, Elementary Education K-6 · CPR and First Aid (American Red Cross)
Skills
Structured literacy · Guided reading and small-group instruction · Differentiated instruction · Classroom management (PBIS, Responsive Classroom) · Data-driven instruction · IEP and 504 accommodations · Family communication · Google Classroom · Seesaw
Elementary Teacher resume summary examples
3 elementary teacher summaries, one each for new teacher, experienced teacher and literacy specialty. Pick the closest and rewrite it with your own title, years and one real result.
Newly licensed K-6 teacher with 16 weeks of student teaching in first and fourth grade. Planned and taught full-day lessons, ran guided reading groups and used DIBELS data to group students. Passed Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects and trained in PBIS.
Elementary teacher with 9 years in grades 3 to 5. Teaches math and science in a departmentalized model to 75 students, writes common assessments with the grade-level team and mentors a student teacher each spring.
Fourth grade teacher and building literacy lead with 11 years in K-5. LETRS trained, coaches colleagues on structured literacy and runs the Tier 2 reading intervention block for 30 students using MTSS data.
Elementary Teacher resume objective examples
Use an objective instead of a summary for new graduate, paraprofessional to teacher and career changer situations: one or two sentences on what you bring and the elementary teacher job you want.
Recent elementary education graduate with a K-6 license and two student teaching placements, seeking a primary-grade classroom where training in phonics instruction and classroom routines can help early readers.
Paraprofessional with 5 years supporting K-2 students, now licensed through an alternative route program, seeking a first grade teaching position in the same district.
Former corporate trainer who completed an alternative route to elementary licensure, seeking a fourth or fifth grade position where lesson design and clear explanation skills carry over.
Elementary Teacher resume bullet points
Bullets grouped by instruction and differentiation, assessment and student growth, classroom management and culture and family and school community. The numbers are illustrations; put in your own.
Instruction and differentiation
- Planned and taught daily literacy and math blocks for 26 first graders, setting small groups from weekly running records.
- Differentiated math lessons into 3 levels with exit tickets so each group worked at the right level of challenge.
- Co-taught with a special education teacher for 5 students with IEPs, adapting materials and tracking goals weekly.
- Built a school-garden science unit with the county extension office for 50 fourth graders.
Assessment and student growth
- Raised the share of students meeting spring MAP Growth math targets from 52% to 71% in one school year.
- Gave DIBELS 8 benchmarks three times a year and progress-monitored Tier 2 students every two weeks.
- Led grade-level data meetings that regrouped 80 students for intervention every 6 weeks.
Classroom management and culture
- Set routines with Responsive Classroom morning meetings, reducing time lost to transitions in a class of 25.
- Used PBIS recognition and restorative conversations; office referrals dropped from 14 to 4 in one year.
- Created a calm-down corner and visual schedules that helped 3 students with behavior plans stay in class.
Family and school community
- Sent weekly Seesaw updates and translated notes into Spanish for 9 families.
- Ran student-led conferences with 96% family attendance.
- Started an after-school robotics club for 18 fourth and fifth graders and organized the annual family math night.
Skills for an elementary teacher resume
16 skills employers list in elementary teacher postings. Include the ones the posting asks for and that your bullets prove.
| Type | Skills |
|---|---|
| Hard skills | Lesson planning, Structured literacy and phonics, Guided reading, Differentiated instruction, Classroom management, Formative and summative assessment, Progress monitoring (MTSS/RTI), IEP and 504 accommodations, Curriculum mapping, Family communication |
| Soft skills | Patience, Organization, Clear explanation, Collaboration with colleagues, Adaptability, Empathy |
| Tools and software | Google Classroom, Seesaw, ClassDojo, Nearpod, Kahoot!, Schoology, i-Ready, MAP Growth, DIBELS 8, Interactive whiteboards |
Certifications for an elementary teacher resume
| Credential | Issued by | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| State teaching license or certificate (elementary grades) | Your state department of education or teacher licensing board | Required in public schools. List the state, grade band (such as K-6) and that it is active, or the date you expect it. |
| Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001) | ETS | A test for a generalist elementary license covering reading and language arts, math, social studies and science. Each state sets its own testing requirements. |
| National Board Certification (Generalist: Early Childhood or Middle Childhood) | National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) | A voluntary, advanced certification for experienced teachers. List it near the top if you hold it. |
| ESL, reading or gifted endorsement | Your state licensing agency | Endorsements added to your license widen the positions you qualify for. List each one by name. |
How should you list a teaching license on an elementary teacher resume?
The BLS notes that all states require public school teachers to be licensed or certified in the grade level they teach, so principals and HR screen for it first. Put the license in a Licensure section near the top with the state, grade band, license type or tier, and each endorsement.
If your license is pending, write the expected date ("Minnesota K-6 license expected June 2026"). If you are licensed in one state and applying in another, list your current license and note that you are pursuing the new state's license. Career changers can name their alternative route program, which every state offers.
What classroom details do principals look for?
A principal reading your resume is picturing you in one of their classrooms. Give them grade level, class size, the student population you teach, the curriculum you use and how you measure progress.
Specific program names help, because districts buy specific curricula and screeners. If you taught with the same reading program or assessment the district uses, it shortens your training time.
- Grades and model: "third grade, self-contained" or "grades 4 and 5, departmentalized math and science"
- Class: "24 to 27 students, including 6 multilingual learners and 4 with IEPs"
- Curriculum: reading, phonics and math programs by name
- Assessment: DIBELS 8, i-Ready, MAP Growth, running records, common assessments
How do new teachers write an elementary education resume?
Treat student teaching as your main job. List each placement with school, grade and length, and give it three or four bullets about lessons you planned, groups you ran, assessments you gave and units you taught on your own.
Add work with children outside school: substitute teaching, paraprofessional work, tutoring, summer camp, after-school programs. Then list your licensure tests as passed, without scores, and any training such as PBIS or structured literacy.
Should you include student data on a teacher resume?
Yes, when it is honest and specific. Name the assessment, the time frame and the group: "share of students at or above grade level on i-Ready reading rose from 41% to 68%, fall to spring." Hiring teams know growth depends on many things, so present it as your class result rather than a promise about future scores.
Never name students or describe them in a way that identifies them. Report group percentages and counts only, which also keeps you in line with student privacy rules.
Best format for an elementary teacher resume
Use a reverse-chronological format with sections for Licensure, Summary, Teaching Experience, Education, Skills and Professional Development. New teachers fit on one page; experienced teachers can use two if the second page adds leadership, coaching or committee work.
Skip clip art, apples and colored borders. Many districts collect applications through online systems, and a plain single-column template keeps your license, grades and experience readable there and in print.
ATS keywords for an elementary teacher resume
Terms that show up in elementary teacher job postings. Mirror the exact wording of the posting you apply to, but only for work you have done.
- Elementary Teacher
- elementary education
- teaching license
- lesson planning
- differentiated instruction
- classroom management
- guided reading
- phonics
- formative assessment
- data-driven instruction
- MTSS
- IEP
- PBIS
- Google Classroom
- parent communication
- student engagement
- curriculum development
- small-group instruction
Mistakes to avoid on an elementary teacher resume
- Burying the license. Principals and HR screen for licensure first, so put it under your name or in the first section.
- Duties every teacher has. "Planned lessons and graded papers" says nothing; give the grade, class size, curriculum and a result.
- Identifiable student details. Report growth as group percentages and never name or describe individual students.
- Decorative templates. Clip art and colored text boxes can scramble in district application systems; keep the design plain.
- Listing every workshop. Keep professional development that matches the job, such as structured literacy or PBIS training.
Frequently asked questions
What should an elementary teacher resume include?
Your state license, grade band and endorsements, a short summary, teaching experience with grade, class size, curriculum and results, student teaching if you are new, education, and classroom technology and assessment tools.
How do I write an elementary teacher resume with no experience?
Lead with your license or expected license date, then list student teaching placements as experience with three or four bullets each. Add substitute, paraprofessional, tutoring or camp work, and the training you completed.
What is the best format for an elementary teacher resume?
A reverse-chronological, single-column format with licensure near the top. One page for new teachers and two at most for experienced teachers with leadership roles.
What skills should I put on an elementary teacher resume?
Lesson planning, structured literacy, guided reading, differentiated instruction, classroom management, assessment and progress monitoring, IEP accommodations and family communication, plus tools like Google Classroom, Seesaw and i-Ready.
How much do elementary school teachers make?
The BLS reports a median pay of $63,820 per year for kindergarten and elementary school teachers in May 2025, and $63,970 for elementary school teachers outside special education. District salary schedules set the exact figure by degree and years of experience.
Should I include student teaching on my resume?
Yes, as experience, if you are a new or recent graduate. List the school, grade and weeks, and write bullets about the lessons and groups you led. Replace it with paid teaching once you have a year or two.
Do I need to list Praxis scores on my resume?
No. List the test as passed, for example "Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects, passed 2025." Districts that need scores will ask for official reports.
Related guides
Sources, checked 27 October 2026
We opened every page below on that date. Pay, rules and requirements change, so check the source before you rely on a detail.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers (median pay, education, outlook, number of jobs, licensing and alternative routes)
- ETS: ETS Praxis (Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects test and state certification requirements)
- O*NET OnLine: 25-2021.00 Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (tasks and classroom software)