Substitute Teacher resume summary examples
New substitute
Recent college graduate with a B.A. in English and a state substitute teaching permit, looking for day-to-day assignments in grades 6 to 12. Tutored 12 high school students in essay writing for 2 years and coached a youth soccer team of 15 players. Available Monday through Friday with same-morning notice.
Experienced
Substitute teacher with 5 years of K-12 experience and 500+ assignments, including 3 long-term placements in middle school science. Requested by name by 30+ teachers and asked by 2 principals to cover department chair absences. Calm, organized and skilled at keeping classes on task with clear routines from the first minute.
Career changer
Retired civil engineer looking for day-to-day substitute work in middle and high school math and science. Brings 25 years of experience explaining technical ideas to teams and clients, plus 3 years as a volunteer robotics coach for a 20-student team. Holds a bachelor's degree and has completed the state permit application and fingerprinting.
Need more ideas? See resume summary examples for every career stage.
Substitute Teacher resume bullet points you can adapt
Strong bullets start with an action verb and end with a result. Swap in your own numbers.
- Completed 260+ day-to-day assignments at 14 schools in grades K-12 with zero late arrivals or same-day cancellations.
- Requested by name by 22 teachers, which filled about 40% of my working days in one school year.
- Followed lesson plans across English, math, science and social studies, finishing the planned work in 95% of class periods.
- Left a written end-of-day summary for every class, covering work completed, absent students, behavior and questions for the teacher.
- Covered a 20-school-day assignment in 7th grade math, teaching 5 periods of up to 32 students and grading 600+ assignments.
- Supported students with IEPs and 504 plans in 35+ special education and inclusion assignments by following posted accommodations.
- Worked with paraeducators and specialists to keep schedules for pull-out services on track during every special education assignment.
- Kept class time on task by posting the agenda, learning student names quickly and using the teacher's behavior system.
- Took accurate attendance in the student information system on every assignment and reported safety concerns to the office the same day.
- Led students through 6 fire, earthquake and lockdown drills using each school's emergency procedures.
- Supervised recess, lunch and bus lines for up to 120 students a day.
- Led small-group reading intervention for 18 students, and 14 of 18 met their midyear benchmark.
- Graded quizzes and homework for 2 teachers, saving each about 3 hours a week.
- Completed 12 hours of district training on classroom management, special education basics and student safety.
Best skills for a substitute teacher resume
| Hard skills | Soft skills |
|---|---|
| Following lesson plans | Flexibility |
| Classroom management | Calm under pressure |
| Positive behavior supports | Clear communication |
| Small-group and one-on-one instruction | Patience |
| IEP and 504 accommodations | Reliability |
| Student information systems | Quick rapport with students |
| Absence management systems | Attention to detail |
| Google Classroom | Professionalism |
| Grading and feedback | |
| Emergency and safety procedures | |
| Recess and lunch supervision | |
| Subject knowledge (math and science) |
Match these to the job posting before you apply. The ATS keyword checker shows which terms from a posting your resume is missing, and the skills guide covers how to list them.
Tips for writing a substitute teacher resume
Put your permit near the top
Substitute requirements are set by each state, and districts can add their own. Name the exact permit or license, the issuing agency and the expiration date, such as 'Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, expires 08/2027.' Add any fingerprint clearance or background check the district requires.
Show volume and range
The number of assignments, schools, grade levels and subjects tells a sub coordinator how flexible you are. A line like '260+ assignments at 14 schools in grades K-12' says far more than 'substitute teacher for various schools.' Pull the numbers from your district's absence management system if you can.
Prove teachers ask for you
Repeat requests are the clearest sign that you do a good job. Count how many teachers requested you by name and what share of your days came from requests. Mention any principal who asked you to cover a long assignment.
Describe classroom management in concrete terms
Every sub claims classroom management, so show what you actually do. Mention posting the agenda, using the teacher's behavior system, learning names and leaving detailed notes. If you work in special education, say how you follow IEP accommodations and work with paraeducators.
Give long assignments their own bullets
A multi-week assignment is the closest thing to a regular teaching job, so describe it with the grade, subject, class size and length. Include grading, parent contact and any lessons you planned. Check your permit's limits first, since some states cap how many days you can cover for one teacher.
Keep it to one page
One page is enough for most substitute teachers. List each district once as an employer instead of listing every school separately. Put related work, such as tutoring, coaching or instructional aide roles, below your substitute experience.