Substitute teacher skills for your resume and career

The four skills most prevalent in great teachers include personalizing the educational experience, teaching the whole person (not just the pupil), teaching with intention, and developing autonomy. Personalizing the educational experience includes providing multiple pathways for students to engage with the content and inviting individual, unique cultural perspectives into the learning experience. Teaching the whole person happens when teachers see students as unique individuals and support their social, emotional, and academic needs. Teaching with intention occurs when teachers make curricular and instructional choices based on their students' needs and interests while having a clear purpose behind what they are doing. Finally, developing autonomy is akin to teaching kids not to need us or, as Vygotsky referred to it, attending to zones of proximal development. In other words, this skill involves helping students think critically, learn to solve problems and become more empowered and autonomous in their own academic and personal lives.

I think that learning is on a continuum. By advancing their degrees and graduate credit, teachers can move up the district’s salary schedule while continuing to perfect their craft.

Graduates will need to be comfortable adapting to evolving conditions. More than ever, we have collectively learned that situations can change, quickly. To be successful in education during this time and in the coming years, educators will need to be patient, flexible, and willing to modify their approach to teaching/learning when situations change. Having knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of instructional strategies, both for in-person and remote learning, will be critical, as will the ability to know when and how to implement these different strategies. Furthermore, our students will need strategies to support students' socio-emotional learning and cultural competency, in addition to those focused on developing content knowledge.

Collegiality is the most important soft skill an educator can possess. This is seen in how educators interact with each other and conduct themselves in their schools. Participating in peer teaching consultations objectively and willingly sharing ideas to support new educators shows your dedication to the teaching profession and commitment to mentoring new professionals. Demonstrating flexibility with scheduling and room assignments, sharing materials and space, assisting colleagues, and team teaching when appropriate are examples of collegiality in action. Attending meetings and participating positively and professionally communicates respect for others and the value you place on your peers and supervisor. Leadership skills are essential for navigating parent-teacher conferences and earning the respect of parents. Demonstrating leadership also demonstrates to administration your FCS skills in conflict resolution and financial management. Good communication skills are critical for effective teaching. This relates to our ability to deliver the lesson's content and provide feedback to our students. Teamwork and collaborative problem solving are essential to a functional campus. With collaboration and respectful dialogue, a school can be innovative in resolving challenges. Social and emotional intelligence ensures safety for students and colleagues, promotes a positive learning environment, and provides the foundation for a growth mindset. Finally, cultural awareness is a critical soft skill all educators must achieve. We are required to understand our students to relate to them and effectively educate them across cultures and demographics.