Teacher Assistant Resume Example

Teacher assistants perform an important role in the classroom. Working under the direction of a lead teacher, they can be called on to supervise students and provide extra instruction.

Hiring managers want to see that you have the credentials required to be a great teaching assistant, as well as the skills to keep students engaged and learning. We’ll show you how to use your teaching assistant resume to showcase your qualifications and convince hiring managers you’re the right fit for the position.

If you’re feeling nervous about starting the resume writing process, don’t be. Check out our video for writing a resume as a teacher, which outlines clear steps you can follow along with as you make your own:

To expand on the advice we provide in our video, here are four tips to help you write an impressive teacher assistant resume:

1. Start your resume with a strong resume objective for a teacher assistant

Your resume objective (or career objective) is a short introductory paragraph that includes the qualities, skills, and accomplishments that make you a good teaching assistant. It’s the first thing a hiring manager sees when they look at your resume, so you want to make sure it immediately grabs their attention.

Beyond demonstrating that you’re a great teacher’s assistant, your resume objective should show how you’re different from other applicants. It helps to research your prospective school and find out what skills they might particularly value. You can also check the job listing for keywords indicating what qualities and experience they are looking for.

In our example, the applicant highlights her ability to excel in a public school environment, as well as what motivates her as a teaching assistant:

Over the past few decades, the average class size in most public schools has grown, and handling classes of this size is demanding. By noting that she is comfortable teaching large classes, the applicant sets herself aside from the competition and inspires confidence in employers.

2. Quantify teaching assistant experience on your resume

Quantifying your resume means using hard numbers when listing specific accomplishments. Quantified claims are clearer, stronger, and more convincing. Instead of writing that you’re “committed to helping your students reach their maximum potential”, cite a time when you increased student comprehension, or raised their grades by a specific percentage.

Here are two examples that illustrate this point:

Without hard numbers

Provided weekly homework packets with creative questions that students enjoyed

With hard numbers

Provided weekly homework packets that averaged a 95% completion rate

In the first example, the candidate claims that the students enjoyed the homework packets. In the second example, they back up that claim with evidence, which makes it a more convincing statement.

There are a lot of opportunities in your job for quantification, including:

• Improvements you made in your students’ grades
• Awards you received
• How large your classes were
• How many assignments you prepared
• The number of colleagues you assisted or trained

3. List your teaching certifications

The requirements to become a teacher assistant vary significantly state by state. You don’t need a teaching certificate or a bachelor’s degree, but you do need a high school diploma (or equivalent). You’ll also probably be required to complete some college coursework, log a certain number of hours working with children, or pass a state examination.

It’s possible that your resume will be reviewed by a computer program, called an applicant tracking system, before being seen by a hiring manager. Including certifications on your resume makes it more ATS friendly and prevents it from getting automatically rejected.Certifications are also something hiring managers look for even if they’re not using an ATS.

To ensure that your certifications get seen, highlight them both in your resume objective and in a separate certification section.

Here’s an example of how to list certifications on your teacher assistant resume:

FIRST AID AND CPR

American Red Cross / 2021

4. Know what skills to put on a teaching resume

While teaching assistants are expected to be familiar with educational software and technology used in the classroom such as Lumio and SMART Boards, what truly makes an educator great is their soft skills. Employers will be on the lookout for candidates who possess qualities that make them naturally suited for the classroom environment.

Demonstrating that you’re able to connect with children and understand their individual needs is essential for anyone applying to work with young students. It’s the key to effective classroom management, and to creating an environment conducive to learning.

Here are some examples of teacher assistant resume skills to highlight: