Social Studies Teacher Resume Guide
Social studies teachers teach students about history, geography, economics and government. They plan lessons to engage their pupils in different topics of social studies like current events or historical figures. They also help the students understand how these subjects relate to real-world situations and develop critical thinking skills.
Your passion for social studies is evident, and any school would be lucky to have you as a teacher. But they need to know who you are first. To make sure your skills in the classroom don’t go unnoticed, write an impressive resume that puts your best foot forward.
This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.
Table of Contents
The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.
Social Studies Teacher Resume Sample
Kurtis Metz
Social Studies Teacher
[email protected]
703-783-1593
linkedin.com/in/kurtis-metz
Summary
Detail-oriented social studies teacher with six years of experience instructing students in grades 5-12. Passionate about fostering a safe learning environment and motivating students to reach their full potential. At XYZ School, achieved the highest student pass rate on state exams for four consecutive years. Highly experienced in creating innovative lesson plans tailored to each student’s needs and interests. Seeking to bring my expertise as a Social Studies Teacher at ABC Middle School.
Experience
Social Studies Teacher, Employer A
Salem, Jan 2018 – Present
- Implemented creative teaching strategies to effectively engage students and boost their understanding of social studies topics, resulting in a 30% increase in student grades.
- Expedited the learning process by introducing online resources such as digital textbooks, simulations and interactive activities; reduced lesson preparation time by 15%.
- Actively organized field trips for up to 50 students at a time, providing hands-on experience with historical sites and museums throughout the region.
- Utilized various methods of assessment such as quizzes, projects & presentations to measure student progress on an ongoing basis; improved average test scores by 8%.
- Facilitated collaborative discussions among small groups of students in order to promote critical thinking skills relating to world events, cultures & societies’ dynamics over different eras in history.
Social Studies Teacher, Employer B
St. Paul, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017
- Formulated creative lesson plans to teach social studies courses such as World History, Government and Economics; reduced student absences by 15% in the last year.
- Reduced material costs for course materials by 30%, resulting in substantial savings of over $4,000 for school district budget.
- Substantially increased student engagement when introducing interactive activities including simulations, debates and group discussions into class curriculum; observed a 25% improvement on average students’ test scores within 6 months of implementation.
- Introduced new strategies to improve learning outcomes among struggling students through one-on-one instruction sessions twice per week; documented an 18 point increase across all assessment categories after 8 weeks of intervention programming.
- Presented at local education conferences on effective teaching methods based on research conducted with Social Studies classes over 4 years; developed presentations that were attended by over 500 educators nationwide each year.
Skills
- Teaching
- Curriculum Development
- Curriculum Design
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom
- Classroom Management
- Social Studies
- Tutoring
- Educational Technology
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
Certifications
Social Studies Subject Matter Authorization
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
May 2017
1. Summary / Objective
Your resume summary/objective should be a brief but powerful statement that captures the hiring manager’s attention and compels them to read on. For example, you could mention your experience teaching social studies in an urban setting, how you developed innovative lesson plans for students with diverse backgrounds, or the awards/recognition you have received from colleagues and parents alike. This will give employers a glimpse of why they should hire you as their next social studies teacher!
Below are some resume summary examples:
Talented social studies teacher with 8+ years of experience in teaching American and world history to high school students. At XYZ School, developed engaging lessons that improved student academic performance by 20%. Worked collaboratively with colleagues to develop innovative strategies for increasing student engagement and achievement. Committed to providing a positive learning environment that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Accomplished social studies teacher with 7+ years of experience in teaching middle and high school students. Adept at creating engaging, effective lesson plans to capture the attention of learners from diverse backgrounds. Successfully implemented a student-centered learning environment where classroom activities were designed to help foster critical thinking skills and encourage collaboration among peers. Proven track record for improving test scores by 20%.
Professional social studies teacher with 4+ years of experience in the public school system. Proven ability to create engaging lessons and activities that foster student engagement, understanding, and critical thinking skills. Seeking to leverage my enthusiasm for history and passion for teaching into a position as a Social Studies Teacher at ABC School where I can continue fostering lifelong learning among students.
Determined social studies teacher with 7+ years of experience in teaching students and inspiring them to think critically. Enthusiastic about joining ABC School’s team and fostering an environment that encourages cultural sensitivity, active learning, interpersonal skills development, and global awareness. Recognized for improved student engagement by 23%, resulting in higher test scores on standardized assessments.
Diligent social studies teacher with 8+ years of experience teaching high school and college courses. Developed curricula on history, civics, economics, government, and geography for students in grades 9-12. Passionate about inspiring civic engagement through the promotion of critical thinking skills. Received four Teacher Excellence awards from XYZ School District for outstanding classroom performance.
Hard-working and dedicated social studies teacher with 5+ years of experience teaching students from grade 6 to 12. At ABC High School, created a comprehensive curriculum for U. S History and World Cultures courses that resulted in improved student performance on standardized tests by 15%. Passionate about helping students develop critical thinking skills while learning the important lessons of history.
Passionate social studies teacher with 8+ years of experience developing and delivering engaging lessons that cultivate an appreciation for history. At ABC School, improved student achievement scores in social studies by 14%, earning the admiration of both students and parents alike. Seeking to leverage my enthusiasm for teaching at XYZ High School to inspire a new generation of learners.
Seasoned social studies teacher with 6+ years of experience in high-performing public school districts. Proven success educating students on world history, geography, civics and government topics while fostering important life skills such as critical thinking, research techniques and problem solving. Seeking to bring enthusiasm for learning to ABC School’s social studies department.
2. Experience / Employment
For the experience section, you should list your employment history in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job at the top.
When writing about what you did for each role, it is best to stick to bullet points. This makes it easier for readers to quickly digest the information that you are providing. You want to take some time and think of details as well as quantifiable results when describing your experience.
For example, instead of saying “Taught social studies,” you could say, “Developed comprehensive lesson plans around current events and global issues; increased student test scores by an average of 10% within one school year.”
To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:
- Instructed
- Assessed
- Evaluated
- Developed
- Implemented
- Facilitated
- Collaborated
- Motivated
- Guided
- Advised
- Researched
- Analyzed
- Prepared
- Presented
- Coordinated
Other general verbs you can use are:
- Achieved
- Compiled
- Demonstrated
- Expedited
- Formulated
- Improved
- Introduced
- Mentored
- Optimized
- Participated
- Reduced
- Reorganized
- Represented
- Revised
- Spearheaded
- Streamlined
- Structured
- Utilized
Below are some example bullet points:
- Demonstrated excellent organizational and communication skills when teaching classes of up to 30 students, covering a wide range of social studies topics such as history, politics and sociology.
- Optimized lesson plans in accordance with district curriculum requirements; successfully raised student pass rates by 15% on the state-mandated social studies exams.
- Guided over 100 high school seniors through the college application process, helping them write compelling essays and personal statements which resulted in 75% acceptance rate at competitive universities across the country.
- Reliably managed grading of 400+ papers per semester while providing detailed feedback for each assignment; improved course completion rates among students by 12%.
- Spearheaded multiple extracurricular projects such as organizing educational field trips to local museums or guest lecturing events featuring prominent historians; increased student engagement levels by 20%.
- Compiled interactive lesson plans and activities for 25+ students in grades 6-8, incorporating cutting edge technology to increase student engagement by 30%.
- Researched and implemented innovative approaches to teaching history, geography and current events; developed an online social studies platform with over 100 quizzes that increased overall test scores by 10%.
- Diligently monitored student progress using individualized assessment strategies, providing additional support when needed which resulted in a 5% decrease in dropout rates from the course.
- Motivated students through creative assessments including field trips, debates & projects which enhanced their understanding of historical concepts while fostering collaboration among peers.
- Represented the school at state level conferences as a subject matter expert on social studies topics; successfully organized 3 educational workshops focusing on intercultural education that were attended by 75+ teachers across 2 states.
- Advised a class of 25 students on current events, politics and social issues; boosted test scores by 10% in the last year.
- Reorganized existing lesson plans to meet state curriculum standards for a range of Social Studies topics such as economics, history and geography; reduced course preparation time by 40%.
- Mentored 17 students over two semesters in their independent research projects on various world cultures; improved grade point average from 2.9 to 3.5 overall amongst mentees during this period.
- Successfully implemented an innovative teaching approach that combined cooperative learning activities with modern technologies like iPads, blogs & webinars which resulted in student engagement levels increasing by 15%.
- Developed four new courses related to international studies including World Politics & Global Economics which became part of the school’s core curriculum offerings this year.
- Participated in the development of innovative lesson plans and curriculum for social studies classes, helping to raise student comprehension scores by 18% during the school year.
- Collaborated with other teachers in creating dynamic learning experiences through interactive activities; successfully integrated technology into classroom instruction on multiple occasions.
- Achieved a 95% positive feedback rating from students when implementing new teaching strategies, tools and techniques related to social studies subjects.
- Accurately assessed and graded tests, papers and homework assignments given to over 50 high school-level students each semester; provided timely feedback that helped improve overall academic performance among participants by 11%.
- Streamlined administrative processes within the department such as attendance tracking & record keeping; saved 10 hours per week in manual paperwork while maintaining accuracy at all times.
- Assessed student knowledge of social studies topics in grades 6-12, providing detailed feedback to each student and ensuring they achieved their learning objectives; increased average test scores by 8% over the school year.
- Revised course curriculum for a variety of Social Studies classes, including World History, US Government & Politics and Sociology; successfully implemented new syllabus into all lectures with minimal disruption to students’ academic progress.
- Prepared engaging activities that encouraged class participation on difficult concepts such as culture and global politics; helped clarify complex ideas for 70+ students per day at an accelerated pace without sacrificing quality instruction time.
- Instructed 200+ hours of weekly lessons using multimedia presentations, interactive exercises and hands-on approaches to stimulate interest in the subject matter among diverse learners within classrooms or virtual settings (blended learning).
- Thoroughly evaluated student comprehension through written tests/exams covering world history facts & figures while also stressing critical thinking skills development via essay writing assignments during evaluation periods.
- Efficiently managed and instructed a class of 35 students in social studies topics, improving student understanding by 20% within the first semester.
- Evaluated and graded papers for content accuracy as well as grammar and syntax; successfully maintained an overall passing rate of 90%.
- Coordinated field trips to museums, parks and other educational sites; provided supplementary learning materials such as videos, books & slideshows with every lesson plan to enhance student education.
- Improved existing curriculum by 30%, introducing new modules focusing on current events & historical figures relevant to today’s society while maintaining traditional teaching methods when needed.
- Structured lectures that incorporated engaging group activities into each lesson plan so all students could actively participate in their own learning process; reduced disruptive behavior by 15%.
3. Skills
Skill requirements will differ from employer to employer – this can easily be determined via the job advert. Organization ABC may be looking for a teacher with experience in teaching history and Organization XYZ may be seeking an educator who specializes in geography.
It is important to tailor the skills section of your resume to each job that you are applying for, as many employers use applicant tracking systems these days. These computer programs scan resumes for certain keywords before passing them on to a human. Therefore, it is essential to include all relevant skills from the job advert here so that they can easily be identified by such software.
Besides just listing skills in this section, you should also elaborate on the most important ones when discussing your qualifications/experience elsewhere within your resume.
Below is a list of common skills & terms:
- American History
- Classroom
- Classroom Management
- Coaching
- Curriculum Design
- Curriculum Development
- Differentiated Instruction
- Editing
- Education
- Educational Leadership
- Educational Technology
- Fundraising
- Higher Education
- History
- Instructional Design
- Instructional Technology
- Leadership Development
- Lesson Planning
- Literacy
- Nonprofits
- Program Development
- Secondary Education
- Social Networking
- Social Studies
- Special Education
- Staff Development
- Teacher Training
- Teaching
- Team Leadership
- Teamwork
- Time Management
- Tutoring
- World History
- Writing
4. Education
Mentioning your education section on a resume is essential if you are applying for a job as a social studies teacher. Include the name of your college or university, degree earned, any certifications held and relevant coursework related to teaching social studies.
You can also mention any awards or honors received during your academic career that demonstrate excellence in the field of social studies. Additionally, listing courses taken outside of academia such as workshops and seminars will help show employers how dedicated you are to staying current with educational trends in this area.
Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
5. Certifications
Certifications are a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and proficiency in a particular field. They show potential employers that you have taken the time to learn about an industry, as well as prove that you are up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies related to it.
Including certifications on your resume is especially important if they relate directly to the job for which you are applying. Doing so will help set yourself apart from other applicants by showcasing your commitment and dedication towards professional development.
Social Studies Subject Matter Authorization
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
May 2017
6. Contact Info
Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.
You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.
Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Kurtis Metz, this would be Kurtis-Metz-resume.pdf or Kurtis-Metz-resume.docx.
7. Cover Letter
Including a cover letter with your job application is a great way to express your interest in the role and provide recruiters with additional information about who you are as a professional. Cover letters usually consist of 2 to 4 paragraphs that are separate from an accompanying resume.
Writing a cover letter gives you the opportunity to explain why you’re uniquely qualified for the position and how it fits into your overall career goals. It also allows hiring managers to gain more insight into what makes you stand out amongst other applicants, making it well worth including one when applying for jobs!
Below is an example cover letter:
Dear Cecile,
I am writing to apply for the Social Studies Teacher position at Smith High School. I am a certified social studies teacher with five years of teaching experience. I have a strong interest in American history, and my students have consistently rated me as an excellent teacher.
In my previous role as a social studies teacher at XYZ Middle School, I developed and taught lessons on American history, world history, and government. I also advised the school’s History Club and helped students prepare for the state-wide History Bee competition. Under my guidance, three of my students qualified for the national finals of the History Bee competition.
I am confident that I can be an asset to your school district. In addition to being knowledgeable about historical content, I am also skilled in using technology in the classroom and differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners. Moreover, I have superb interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to build positive relationships with students, parents, and colleagues.
Please find attached a copy of my resume for your review. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an interview, please do not hesitate to contact me at [phone number] or [email address]. Thank you for your time and consideration; I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Sincerely,
Kurtis
Social Studies Teacher Resume Templates
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