As the name implies, after-school teachers are professionals who oversee children in after-school programs. They undertake numerous activities, including assisting students with their assignments, organizing educational activities, updating attendance records and attending staff meetings.
Like every other career, the first step to getting the job is building a captivating resume that leaves a deep impression on the recruiter. Write an engaging resume using this guide and go after your dream job! Before we begin, let us go through the different resume formats to see how three different after-school teachers organized their credentials.
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Job Duties of an After-School Teacher
Working as an after-school teacher can be fun for those who love to spend time with children and conduct activities for them. However, with fun comes many responsibilities too. An after-school teacher must supervise the children and prepare and deliver engaging educational activities to support the objectives of their after-school program.
Some of the most common duties include:
Focusing on the development of children by engaging them in various activities and games.
Supervising the overall programs and activities.
Ensuring the safety of the children.
Keeping track of the overall progress of the children.
Attending staff meetings.
Assisting children in completing their homework.
Preparing programs that help in the mental and physical development of a child.
Communicating with parents to keep them informed about the child’s performance.
Giving individual care to every child to improve their performance.
Maintaining a professional attitude.
After-school Teacher Median Salaries
As per the records on PayScale, an American compensation software and data company, the average salary of an after-school teacher is $27,500 per year. However, the compensation amount can vary depending on your qualifications and location.
Top Skills for After-School Teachers
An after-school teacher is responsible for educating and caring for students outside the regular classroom hours. They should identify any learning needs or difficulties, check for homework and review lesson content, among other tasks. After-school teachers are also key to helping students develop organizational skills and responsibility to enhance their academic performance.
Let’s take a look at the top skills in this field:
- Patience: As with any teaching job, some students might be easygoing while others may prove to be more challenging. Even the easygoing kids may get too comfortable with you and try to derail your scheduled activities with irrelevant topics or by playing a different game than the one scheduled. It’s essential to be patient with them in any teaching job, whether with young children or teenagers, as they will test your patience often.
- Proficient at tutoring and coaching: Depending on the responsibilities of your specific after-school program, you may be required to help students develop specific skills for their academic success. Many programs for elementary children require you to identify the student’s exact needs and determine if they need assistance with their homework or class tests. Then, you can search for and download materials to complement or reinforce the school lessons they need help understanding.
- Expert at devising personalized learning plans: It is paramount that after-school teachers understand the needs of each child and include activities like puzzles and quizzes that are engaging and improve their learning abilities. You can prepare a list of activities for the day and ask students to choose the order they want to do the tasks. Each student is unique, so you need to engage each one individually. One’s struggles are not necessarily the same as the struggles of the others.
- Constant motivator: It is crucial that the children remain motivated throughout the after-school program. Only then can they truly excel and give their best effort. Always be ready to motivate students to do better and try harder when they face difficulties. This is especially important because children will often be tired after a long day of school. Being there to guide them through their difficult times and demonstrating compassion can go a long way.
- Excellent activity-planning skills: The main event of an after-school program lies in the activities arranged for the overall productivity of the child. You should organize fun and exciting outdoor and indoor activities to help the child grow emotionally, academically and socially.
- Blend of friendliness and strictness: A good after-school teacher should be friendly and approachable. Students should feel comfortable around you and approach you whenever needed, without hesitation. However, this does not mean you should compromise on being disciplined. You should master keeping the balance between the two. Show your strict side while conducting practice tests and your friendly side while conducting activities like games and puzzles.
Educational Requirements for After-School Teachers
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Degree
To become an after-school teacher, you should first earn your associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood education or your subject specialization, such as math, science, arts, among others. While choosing where to study, always ensure that it is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).- Associate degree: Some universities in the United States offer associate degrees in early childhood education. These programs provide courses in child development, curriculum planning, child safety and nourishment. Brookdale Community College is one such example that offers an associate degree in education.
- Bachelor’s degree: Ferris State University provides a bachelor’s degree program in early childhood education. This degree teaches topics like first aid, children’s literature and nutrition. You can also try the bachelor’s degree program in early care and education offered by Florida Atlantic University.
- Online: The University of Washington offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Early Care and Education, which integrates theory and practice to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for working with students.
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Certifications
The Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Certification are crucial for all after-school teachers. Children are free-spirited and can get injured despite active supervision, so these certifications give you the necessary skills to tackle any difficult situation that may arise.
Moreover, earning a certification in teaching with your bachelor's degree is essential to excel. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification will help you hone your teaching skills and acquire firsthand experience.
Meanwhile, the Child Development Associate (CDA) Certification is the most sought-after credential provided by the Council for Professional Recognition. This certification program includes 120 hours of child care classroom study and 480 hours of working experience with children. To obtain this certification, you must pass the exam, which must be renewed every three years. The Child Care Professional Certification (CCP) offered by the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) can also help you prosper in this field. To qualify for CCP, you must have a high school diploma, prior work experience in child care and a passing score on the National Early Childhood Education specialist credentialing exam. Each of these programs will give you deep insight into different aspects of child care practices, including establishing a safe learning environment. You will gain expertise in fostering the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children.
After-School Teacher Resume-writing Tips
Despite having excellent skills and work experience, many highly-qualified individuals struggle to get their dream job. This happens when you don't give enough importance to writing your resume. Putting together a quick resume won’t give you the same results as taking the time to craft an effective and competitive resume.
Follow these simple tips to build a resume that will make you stand out from the crowd:
- Focus on your specialization. There are many different types of after-school teachers. Some are excellent tutors, while others teach specific skills or topics that can benefit the school-age kids in their development. Whether you can keep a classroom of young children engaged for extended periods, or you can teach them to speak another language without giving direct instruction, including what you are best at in your resume. You can mention your specialty in the professional summary and/or as a task under the job you applied your expertise to.
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Tailor your resume to the position. No two after-school-teacher jobs are the same. One employer may be searching for someone to help their students improve test scores, and another may specifically want a Spanish teacher for their after-school language program. Instead of writing a generic resume with your overall skills and qualifications, read the job ad closely and identify the keywords they used to describe their ideal candidate. Include the ones you match for in your resume to speak directly to the exact role you’re applying for, thus increasing your chances of getting invited to the interview. For example, let’s say they’re looking for someone who can:
- “Research, develop and deliver creative educational activities.”
- “Use appropriate pedagogical methods.”
Use that information to inform them under your previous job responsibilities how you:- “Created and delivered daily educational activities based on pedagogical research about the appropriate methods to address the student’s unique needs.”
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Include past achievements. Whether you’re aware of your achievements or not, we’ve all had them. As an after-school teacher, you’re the source of motivation for your students, especially as they’re tired after a long day of school, which means that any win they have is also your win. Make sure to include at least one achievement you’ve had in each of your previous roles. Bonus points if your achievement is directly related to the skills or experience mentioned in the job listing. You can do this by writing in your resume:
- “Helped students conquer challenging topics by reviewing class concepts through fun and engaging activities.”
- “Built the confidence of struggling students using proven methods of instruction tailored to their strengths.”
Take it a step further and add numbers to your achievement, such as:- “Increased productivity in the classroom by 15% by incorporating gamified apps and multimedia resources into lessons.”
FAQ
The main difference between the two is that after-school teachers tutor or teach specific or general topics after regular school hours , while a typical teacher offers classes from the core school curriculum within school hours. Many schoolteachers also teach after-school programs, but not all after-school teachers work as regular schoolteachers. Another difference is that schoolteachers usually work full-time and after-school teachers tend to work part-time, although there are companies that offer full-time positions.
To become an excellent after-school teacher, you should have the potential to be the supporter, confidant and ally of your students. You should encourage them to do well and participate despite them being tired after a long day of school. You should organize systematic and goal-oriented activities and events that are fun so that they don’t get burned out from so much work. You should be an approachable friend and a mentor to them.
Teaching is very rewarding and knowing that you contributed to a child's development gives a sense of accomplishment that most other jobs don’t offer. However, most after-school work is part-time, so this may not be the best career choice for someone looking for full-time work. There are full-time options, usually online or with external companies, but these tend to be geared toward offering specialized courses like programming, robot engineering, acting and singing, foreign languages and other skills. If you’re working toward your degree and have already taken the core courses for your major, after-school programs aimed at assisting kids with their homework is a great part-time option to practice your skills and supplement your income.
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