level 3 teaching assistant personal statement

Examples of a Teaching Assistant's Personal Statement

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Examples of a Letter of Intent for a Teaching Job

How to avoid burnout as a preschool teacher, good objectives for resumes for working with kids.

• Role of Teacher Assistants in Kindergarten Classrooms
• List of Goals for Elementary Teacher Aides

A teaching assistant position gives you the chance to work with kids, even if you don't have a teaching license. The application and hiring process varies, but it may include writing a personal statement covering your beliefs about education, discussing your teaching skills as well as other relevant information that highlights your qualifications. Taking time to craft a well-written statement can put you ahead of the competition, when applying for teaching assistant positions.

Succinct Opening

Your entire personal statement should be to the point. A large block of text may cause the hiring manager to skim or skip the section entirely. Personal statements typically start off with a simple description of your job title as a teaching assistant, how much experience you have in education, and the expertise you have or specific position you're seeking. This is your first impression and your chance to hook the hiring manager, so choose powerful words that make an impact.

"Energetic teaching assistant with two years of classroom experience in supporting elementary students with reading, writing, math and science activities."

Education and Teaching Experience

Describing your training and education in the field shows that you're qualified and knowledgeable about how to work with students. If you have experience in the classroom as a teaching assistant, highlight that work to show that you're ready to work with students. Other experience outside of the classroom can also fit into the personal statement, if it somehow relates to teaching or can translate to work as a teaching assistant.

"While completing my studies in elementary education, I gained knowledge on child development, teaching strategies and behavior management. I completed three practicum experiences in elementary classrooms, which gave me the opportunity to plan lessons, manage behaviors in the classroom and support student learning."

Strengths and Skills

The goal of your personal statement is to set you apart from other applicants. To do that, you want to highlight your special skills and strengths that relate to being a teaching assistant. Some people excel at connecting with students. Others have excellent communication skills with parents and colleagues. Some might know how to support kids who struggle with the learning activities.

"As a teaching assistant, I have a unique ability to see where students need support, enabling me to reteach the ideas in a way the students can understand. I also communicate well with lead teachers and with other teaching assistants, to support a team atmosphere."

Reasons for Wanting the Position

Your personal statement usually includes a section that explains why you want the position. It's your chance to emphasize why you're a good fit for the role and what you can offer the school.

"This position offers the challenging environment I enjoy, while allowing me to work with elementary students, which is the level in which I have the most experience. I welcome the opportunity to support the classroom teacher, while continuing to add to my experience."

• University of Kent Careers and Employability Service: PGCE Personal Statements
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the Personal Statement
• Fish4Jobs: Teaching Assistant Personal Statement
• Total Jobs: How to Write a Personal Statement

Shelley Frost holds a degree in education and has experience in educational management, insurance and software testing. She currently runs her own business and writes frequently on business and job topics for Chron and Intuit QuickBooks.

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Special Education and Inclusive Learning

Writing a Personal Statement for a Teaching Assistant Post

Introduction..

A key part of the application process for a Teaching Assistant job is the personal statement. A personal statement is a document that tells the panel who are doing the shortlisting about your motivations for wanting to become a Teaching Assistant. This guide will teach you how to write an effective personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job in a UK mainstream or special school. We will discuss the different components of a personal statement, provide tips for writing a persuasive application, and give you a couple of sample personal statements for a teaching assistant role in a special school. By following this guide, you will be prepared to write the perfect personal statement for a teaching assistant vacancy.

1. What is a Teaching Assistant?

A Teaching Assistant is an essential role for supporting the educational provision in any school. I would argue it is a vital role in any school but especially in special schools The responsibilities of a Teaching Assistant can vary depending on the school, but generally include assisting teachers in the classroom, leading small group or 1:1 interventions, such as phonics or maths. There will probably be times where a TA will take the whole class for short periods. When writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job, it is important to be honest and upfront about your skills and experience. Even now schools may receive multiple applications for each advertised post so it is important to provide compelling reasons why you are the best candidate for the position.

To help you write a personal statement that will stand out, we have created this teaching assistant personal statement guide. This guide contains tips on how to write a personal statement that will be both interesting and informative, as well as tips on how to make your candidacy stand out.

If you like this post and want to know more we have an in-depth e-book with more examples, templates and information about writing a personal statement.

Teaching Assistant Recruitment Articles

I would recommend having a read of these articles that discuss other elements of the Teaching Assistant recruitment process.

• Teaching Assistant Interview Questions – Read Here
• How Teaching Assistants can motivate pupils to learn – Read Here
• What are the most important qualities of a Teaching Assistant – Read Here
• The Teaching Assistant Guide – Read Here

2. What qualities are necessary for a successful Teaching Assistant application?

There are a few qualities that are necessary to include for a successful Teaching Assistant application. First and foremost, you must be a highly motivated individual who is looking for a new opportunity to use their skills and knowledge. Secondly, you must be a team player who is able to work well under pressure and be positive. Finally, you must have excellent communication and organisational skills.

We have written a whole article on answering the question on the qualities of a great teaching assistant – here . If you can demonstrate all of these qualities, then you are well on your way to being a successful Teaching Assistant applicant. However, if you don’t have any teaching experience or experience working with SEN students, it will be difficult to show that you are the right candidate for this position. In order to make a strong application, you will need to gather as much information as possible about the school and the position.

3. What should be included in a Teaching Assistant Personal Statement?

When writing a personal statement, you will want to include information that will help the school make an educated decision about hiring you. This includes your educational and work experience, your motivations for wanting to be a teaching assistant, and your skills. Most schools will include a Job Description and Person Specification with the advert. Use these to your advantage. Try and mention each of the elements in the person specification in your personal statement. When writing your personal statement, be honest and concise. Try to be specific about why you would be a good fit for the position and what you can bring to the table. You should also be sure to list any teaching experience you have and any workshops or courses you have taken that relate to special education. I would recommend an absolute maximum of 1 sides of A4. Try to stick to 1/2 side or about 200 words. This is because the admin and leadership team shortlisting need to be able to quickly see who fits the criteria. You can fill in the details at interview.

List your Experience

List any volunteer work you have done in the field of SEN or teaching. This may include supporting playgroups, running a sports club or even parent groups. This will help to demonstrate your dedication and interest in the field. Be sure to include your references when submitting your application. These have to include your last and current employers. You can usually request that they are not contacted before the interview if you haven’t told them you are looking for another job.

When writing your statement, be sure to focus on your reasons for wanting to teach in that specific school. This will show that you are passionate about the field and have a good understanding of the students and the school. It will also show that you are committed to helping the school achieve its goals. Read their website, look at their tweets or facebook posts. This will give you an insight into what they value and are proud of. You can mention some of these nuggets of information in your personal statement i.e “It is clear from the pictures of your Sports Day that the school’s values of inclusion align with my own.”

Summary Of What to Include in Your TA Personal Statement:

Here is a summary of the key points you want to include when writing a teaching assistant personal statement:

• The personal statement highlights your achievements, experience, and interests. It allows you to showcase your personality and motivation.
• The opening paragraph briefly introduces yourself, your years of experience, and your accomplishments.
• Next, describe your relevant education and how it aligns with the role. Mention academic achievements.
• Detail your professional experiences such as tutoring, sports coaching or teaching, that relate to the teaching assistant role.
• List hard and soft skills that will make you effective as a teaching assistant.
• Conclude by explaining your motivations for wanting the position and how you can contribute. Thank them for considering your application.
• Align your statement with the job description and provide examples of fulfilling similar needs.
• Keep it succinct – under two pages using bullet points rather than long paragraphs.
• Create an impactful, concise opening paragraph to hook the reader.

4. Tips for writing a High Impact Personal statement for a Teaching Assistant

Having read hundreds of application forms and personal statements there are a few things to keep in mind when writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant post.

• Sell your skills – word things in ways that show you are proud of what you can bring to the role. “I am adept at finding ways to support pupils to engage with learning”. They may then follow this up with questions such as “Give me an example…” at interview.
• Sleep on it. If you are struggling to think of things to include read the Teaching Assistant job description then take a break. You will come up with better ideas sleeping on it rather than staring at the page.
• Make sure you have used capital letters correctly especially in the Information bits of the form. This seems to be a common error on online forms.
• Name the school you are applying for in the body of the text. This shows you are not just copy and pasting the same form to multiple schools.
• Personal experience is valuable – what makes you want to support teaching and learning in a school? Your own experiences? I know many TA’s who went into the job because of family members with SEN.
• Put spaces between paragraphs – it really helps the people reading.
• Fill out every box on the form
• Get a sensible email address – especially if your is um… a little edgy. GMail and outlook are free.
• Finally, be sure to proofread your statement carefully. This will help you catch any errors and make sure that your statement is easy to read and understand.

5. Key points to remember.

When you are applying for a Teaching Assistant role in a special school, the personal statement is one of the most important components of your application. You want to make sure that you present yourself in the best possible light. When writing your personal statement, you want to focus on why you are the perfect candidate for the job. What qualities do you bring to the table that make you the best candidate for this position? How can you describe your strengths and weaknesses? What are your goals for the future? Be sure to outline your teaching experience, what you are specifically good at and why, and how your teaching experience will benefit the students in the school.

There are a number of books that can help guide your thinking and gain insight into the role. Including How to be an Outstanding Primary Teaching Assistant by Emma Davie.

8. Conclusion

In conclusion, writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job in a school can be a daunting task. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you will be able to produce a statement that will have a good chance of securing the interview.

We hope you enjoyed our article about writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job in a school. A Teaching Assistant role is a great opportunity to gain experience in a specific field and to learn more about the school that you are applying to. By following these steps, you will be sure to stand out from the other applicants and make the Teaching Assistant selection process simle for you and those shortlisting. Thank you for reading, and we wish you the best of luck in your job hunt.

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Teaching Assistant Personal Statement

• CV Templates & Advice

Are you seeking advice to improve your chances of landing your dream teaching assistant role? Fish4jobs is here to help! Follow our expert advice and guidance to create a teaching assistant personal statement for your CV that helps you to shine.

We recommend that you use this 100-150 words to successfully present your knowledge, skills and past experience, as well as your great personality, to create a fantastic first impression on a prospective employer.

You can also check out our complete guide on how to write a personal statement .

What to include in your teaching assistant personal statement

Why you’re applying for the specific role:.

• Mention why have you applied for that specific role - what appealed to you in the job description?
• Highlight any past experience that relates to the role.
• Provide information on your previous education – School/University/Courses attended or completed.
• Highlight any relevant qualifications.

Your teaching experience:

• Mention what year groups have you assisted in teaching in the past.
• What subjects you have taught, or specialised in assisting with.
• Any use of assessment strategies or special features of the practices, for example, open-plan, multi-ethnic, team teaching.
• Provide examples of assistance to teachers.

Short Example:

A kind, friendly, passionate and highly experienced teaching assistant. I am an enthusiastic and motivated assistant, who has a passion for supporting children with all aspects of school life. In previous teaching assistant roles my daily tasks included encouraging students, assisting with learning, and providing support to the class teachers. This role has appealed to me as I have a keen desire to continue learning, as well as assisting students and teachers in all aspects inside and outside the classroom. With my previous experience, responsibility, dependability and enthusiasm for education I feel that I would be a great asset to your team.

Check out our guide on how to become a Teaching Assistant for more details on the role and requirements. Alternatively, check out the latest Teaching Assistant jobs on Fish4jobs today.

Related links

• How to Become a Teaching Assistant
• Teacher CV Template
• How to Write a Personal Statement

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Guide to Writing a Unique Personal Statement for a Teaching Assistant

Table of Contents

Are you looking for a personal statement for a teaching assistant job? Writing a good personal statement is essential to your job application and can make the difference between being invited to an interview or not. 

In this blog, we’ll provide some top tips on writing a standout personal statement. As well as some practical examples you can use when writing yours. Read on to find out more! 

What Is a Personal Statement for a Teaching Assistant?

 A personal statement is a short paragraph in your CV or job application that outlines who you are, why you’re applying . And also, why you are the ideal candidate for the job based on your skills and abilities. It should be to each position you apply for – this way, employers can quickly see how well-suited you are to the job. 

Steps to Writing Personal Statements for Teaching Assistant Jobs

1. highlight your experience.

 Focus on the experience that makes you the best candidate for this position. It’s important to show employers how your previous job roles, qualifications, and extracurricular activities have prepared you for a teaching assistant role. 

2. Show Your Enthusiasm

Use positive language to demonstrate your keenness and commitment to the role. Employers want to see that you’re genuinely passionate about teaching and helping others learn and develop. 

3. Demonstrate Relevant Skills

Consider what skills make you an ideal candidate for this role (e.g., communication, problem-solving, organization), and include examples of when you’ve used these skills. 

Writing Tips for a Teaching Assistant’s Personal Statement

• Keep it concise – don’t exceed two pages, but ensure you include all the necessary information about yourself. Make every word count! 
• Focus on why you want the role. Be specific about why you chose this particular job. And what skills or experience you have that makes you the perfect candidate.
• Demonstrate your commitment – explain how you’re prepared to go the extra mile for this job and why it is essential to you. 
• Show your personality – let your unique qualities shine through to stand out from other applicants.
• Proofread -read your message until you are satisfied that there are no typos or grammatical errors.

Personal Statement Examples for Teaching Assistant

I recently earned a degree in primary education, and I’m enthusiastic about changing the lives of kids. My experiences are working in an educational environment, teaching assistant roles, and leading my classroom activities. I am a patient and kind instructor with strong organizational abilities and the ability to get things done under pressure. I possess the skills needed to become a successful teaching assistant and can bring enthusiasm, dedication, and energy to this role. 

I am an experienced teaching assistant with five years experience in primary schools. During this time, I have developed excellent communication skills when working with teachers, parents, carers, and other professionals. I have also worked on various projects within the school. Such as developing new resources for use in class, helping children with special needs, and leading activities outside the classroom. My biggest strength is building relationships with all pupils, regardless of their background or ability level. This has enabled me to form strong bonds with them, which has helped me to support their learning better. 

1. What Is a Teaching Assistant?

Teaching assistants help teachers with children’s learning. They gain experience of supporting children as part of their learning. This enables them to plan lessons and work effectively in different schools.

2. What Is the Training Course Like?

The training is a combination of classroom support and classroom management. The classroom support aspect has been designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge required to support children’s learning in the classroom. The classroom management aspect prepares you in case you are asked to assist in the classroom.

We hope this blog has provided valuable tips and examples of writing a standout personal statement for teaching assistant jobs. Remember – make sure your personal statement is tailored to the specific role and showcases why you are the perfect candidate! 

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How To Write A Teaching Assistant Personal Statement

12 December 2022

Personal statements are often overlooked as a crucial element in the recruitment process, but they can be incredibly rewarding when conducted correctly.

Including a balanced blend of various sections, bringing together the perfect teaching assistant personal statement can enhance your application and give your potential employer an ideal glimpse into your professional and personal background. 

What is a Personal Statement for a Teaching Assistant?

A personal statement is a professional document that details your achievements, experience and interests. Personal statements are usually written as part of a job application to showcase the positive qualities of an applicant to a potential employer. 

In a personal statement, information such as the applicant’s work experience as well as previous education should be included. Goals and aspirations are also beneficial to include as it proves to an employer that you are focussed on working towards something.

Additionally, the personal statement should include any other relevant information that may apply to the desired position. By doing so, the employer can see how the applicant is the correct fit for the role and will gain an understanding of their personality and interests. 

What Should a Teaching Assistant’s Personal Statement Include?

There are many different combinations of aspects to include in a personal statement. Below are the five key elements we believe you should include to get the best out of your personal statement. 

A Brief Opening

A brief opening is an ideal way to introduce your personal statement to the employer. It should be descriptive and give the reader the opportunity to understand more about yourself, including your experiences and why you are right for the job. 

You should also include in this section the reasons for applying to work in this particular company and why they should offer the position to you. This brief opening is the perfect chance to express your personality, and it’s crucial that you do this before continuing on the remainder of your personal statement. 

Next, you should include an education section to align the position’s duties with your previous education. 

The education section of your personal statement isn’t just the chance to inform the employer of the school you attended. The section is designed to describe accomplishments and academic awards you may have achieved throughout your time in education.

Any significant achievements are key to include as it shows the employer how you strive to achieve the best and are willing to go the extra mile for success. 

The experience section of your personal statement should detail your professional experiences and how these would benefit you in your ideal role. 

For example, for a personal statement written for the position of teaching assistant, you should include any previous work experience that will demonstrate your competence in this sector.

By including these experiences, you can prove to your potential employer that you have the professional background to succeed in the chosen role. 

In your skills section, you should aim to include any skills that will help you in your role as a teaching assistant.

You could begin with your own educational skills and develop this to explain how this will help when interacting with students. 

Why You Want the Position

Finally, you should aim to detail exactly why you want the position offered at the conclusion stage of your personal statement. 

Explain to the employer how this position would assist you in developing your career should you be successful in the hiring process and when this opportunity would take you in the future. Including this near the end of your personal statement will force the reader to remember it as the last thing in their mind. 

Last but not least, finish your personal statement by thanking the recipient for their time. Doing so demonstrates that you are thankful for the opportunity and shows awareness of the importance of their time in considering you as an applicant. 

Teaching Assistant Roles from Always Flourishing.

At Always Flourishing, we are experienced in landing individuals in their perfect teaching roles. 

Whether you are looking to become a fully qualified teacher, a teaching assistant or a supply teacher, we have every opportunity for you. If you would like more information on the job roles we can offer, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

AUTHOR: Vicky Snee EMAIL: [email protected]

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How to Write a Personal Statement for an SEN Teaching Assistant Role

• June 27, 2022

A personal statement (usually placed near the top of your CV beneath your contact details) is your chance to summarise your qualifications, experience, and key skills to highlight what you can offer to a prospective employer. 

Ideally, you should tailor your personal statement to each job that you apply for. This should be relatively easy to do since the jobs you’ll be applying for will probably be similar if they’re all in an SEN (special educational needs) environment. However, we advise that you always read the job description every time you apply for a new role. This is to ensure that you can provide relevant information in your personal statement which will help demonstrate the qualities a prospective employer is seeking in order to fill the role. For example, if you’re applying for an SEN teaching assistant job, then you’ll need to highlight your experience of working with SEN students and the key skills you acquired.

To help you successfully gain a special educational needs teaching assistant job, you need to have a personal statement that stands out. Your personal statement should be professional, but the key word here is personal; make it distinctive by providing the facts, such as the where and when (where did you teach and in what year), and then infuse your characteristics by detailing the how and the what (how you went about the day-to-day tasks and what you achieved). 

The start of a good personal statement should look something like this:

An empathetic, patient, and extremely dedicated teaching assistant, with experience and particular enthusiasm for working in special educational needs. In my previous role, as an SEN teaching assistant, I supported students in their learning, helping them to achieve their individual goals by adapting my teaching methods accordingly.

To create a personal statement that will make you stand out to a prospective employer, there are a few key pieces of information that you must include. With this in mind, we have put together a small list that should hopefully assist you when you come to write your personal statement for an SEN teaching assistant job.

What to include in an SEN teaching assistant personal statement:

1. mention any top achievements you’ve had.

Hopefully, these are relevant to the position you are applying for. However, even if your top achievement isn’t related to special educational needs, it is worth still mentioning it as employers like to see you have other passions in life. But you should also try to add another achievement or something that you’re particularly proud of, which you can relate to SEN.

2. Describe yourself using attributes needed for the role you are applying for

An example of this would be:

An empathetic, patient, and extremely dedicated teaching assistant, with experience and particular enthusiasm for working in special educational needs.

SEN teaching assistants need to be empathetic, patient, and very dedicated in order to effectively achieve their day-to-day tasks and, ultimately, help their students meet their learning goals. But there may be other personal qualities a prospective employer is seeking, which is why you should always check the job description so that you can tailor your personal statement to suit. 

3. Highlight any previous experience you have and the skills you acquired

You should link these skills to the job you are applying for. For example, you may be applying for an SEN teaching assistant position within a school, whereas your only previous experience could be from working voluntarily at a community centre where you supported children with SEN.

Although the previous role wasn’t within a school, the skills gained while working in a community centre will still be very relevant; you would have been exposed to children of various ages with numerous needs and you would have had to adapt your communication skills and your method of support.

This level of commitment and adaptability is exactly what prospective employers are looking for. This is also your opportunity to mention any qualifications you may have gained which will further demonstrate your dedication to the sector. 

4. Think about your aspirations for the future

Explain how the job you are applying for fits in with these future goals. A prospective employer wants to see that you have a genuine interest in pursuing a career within a special educational needs environment. So, to get an idea of what you’d like to be doing further down your career path, do some research into the sort of jobs that are available, and to where/how you can progress from the job you are applying for.

This will give you further insight into the SEN sector to enable you to establish your goals. You’ll then be able to include these goals in your personal statement which means a prospective employer will, hopefully, see longevity if they were to hire you.

5. Demonstrate you know what the job entails

If you have covered all of the above four areas in your personal statement, then you should have successfully demonstrated that you know what’s expected of an SEN teaching assistant. But, again, make sure you have thoroughly read the role description of the job you’re applying for, and include a couple of short examples from your previous experience that can prove you have exactly what it takes to be an SEN teaching assistant.

Now that you know how to successfully write a personal statement, take a look at the SEN teaching assistant jobs currently available.

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Teaching Assistant Personal Statement for your next job

Aspiring to step into the role of a teacher brings its own set of challenges. 

Among them is creating a teaching assistant personal statement . 

This personal statement not only reflects your passion for teaching but also highlights your experiences within the classroom. 

Drafting your personal statement should be done with careful thought and consideration.

In it, you should clearly outline your role, detailing the specific teaching experiences you’ve had, and how these have shaped your understanding of the profession. 

• 1.1 Essentials of SEN Teaching: Preparing as a Teaching Assistant
• 2.1 Upholding Professionalism as a Teaching Assistant
• 3 Drafting Personal Statements: Highlighting Your Teaching Assistant Experience
• 4 Teaching Assistant CV with no experience?
• 5 Transforming Your CV: From Teaching Assistant to Qualified Teacher

Creating a Teaching Assistant Personal Statement

This guide provides advice on how to optimally structure your teaching assistant personal statement. 

Remember, your personal statement is your opportunity to showcase your passion for the role, your understanding of the classroom dynamics, and the skills you bring. 

Additionally, using a personal statement review service could be beneficial. Such a service can provide constructive criticism and suggestions to refine your personal statement, making it more likely to succeed!

Essentials of SEN Teaching: Preparing as a Teaching Assistant

Are you an aspiring teaching assistant in the field of SEN?

Be aware of the specialised demands of this position. SEN teaching brings its own set of unique challenges, but also immense rewards, putting your skills to the test in ways that other teaching roles may not.

As a teaching assistant working in SEN, your role will extend beyond the traditional realm of teaching. You’ll be guiding your students on their educational journey, navigating the unique challenges that come with providing specialised education in a classroom setting.

One of the primary aspects of SEN teaching and working as a dedicated teaching assistant is the ability to adapt to the individual needs of each student. 

The student population in SEN classrooms has distinct needs that require a sensitive, flexible approach. Your classroom methodology should reflect this, facilitating a rich and varied educational experience for your students.

The demand for specialised skills in SEN teaching is growing, with more schools seeking highly qualified teaching assistants to support their students and enhance the overall educational experience. 

This position offers an invaluable stepping stone into the teaching profession, paving the way towards a fulfilling career in schools that supply SEN support.

Ultimately, preparing to be a teaching assistant in SEN teaching is about embracing the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the classrooms and nurturing the breadth of talent found within the student body.

Bagging the Job: Elements of a Standout Teaching Assistant CV

A stellar teaching assistant CV is paramount to landing that sought-after teacher job. 

The key skill that a school looks for when hiring a teacher is their ability to interact effectively with students, so be sure to emphasise your interpersonal skills in your CV.

A teaching assistant’s role is multifaceted. 

It involves supporting the teacher in delivering the curriculum and facilitating a conducive learning environment. 

Thus, your job is not just limited to assisting with the teaching; it also requires catering to the individual learning needs of each child. 

It’s vital to highlight these skills in your CV to showcase your proficiency in these roles. If you’re applying for a Special Educational Needs (SEN) teacher job, elaborate on your skills relevant to this role.

Don’t forget to stress your commitment to the job – schools appreciate teaching assistants who can provide continuity. 

Elucidate on your earlier roles, articulating both your skillset as well as the breadth of your experience in schools. Promoting your adaptability, resilience, and dedication in your CV can significantly boost your chances of snagging that teacher job. 

Focus on these elements to create a standout teaching assistant CV and bag the job!

Upholding Professionalism as a Teaching Assistant

As a teaching assistant, your role extends into protective responsibilities, such as upholding students’ privacy and safety. 

Confidentiality and legitimate interest in students’ welfare, including their consent legitimacy, play a critical role in demonstrating professionalism.

In your professional journey, you’ll see your students growing, evolving and engaging with their environment. 

Your skills will be put to the test every day. You’ll experience various scenarios, each sharpening your expertise and teaching style. 

And with each new experience, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your role. 

As a teaching assistant, you’ll have the chance to bring out the best in your students, all in a legitimate interest for their advancement.

Always remember, when applying for this position, employers look for more than just teaching skills. 

They require professionals who value and understand consent and confidentiality. 

Upholding these principles will not only make you a competent teaching assistant but also a trustworthy guide for your students.

Drafting Personal Statements: Highlighting Your Teaching Assistant Experience

Writing personal statements for a teaching assistant position primarily involves highlighting your relevant teaching experience. 

Your experience as a teaching assistant acts as a testament to your ability to facilitate educational environments effectively. 

Incorporating your experiences assists in demonstrating your pedagogical competencies, while the personal touch provides an engaging narrative that resonates with selectors. 

Also, focusing on your experience as a teaching assistant offers a realistic view of your strengths and areas for improvement.

To truly make an impact, however, one must go beyond stating experiences.  

You need to reflect on these experiences, connect them with your personal teaching philosophy, and demonstrate how they have shaped you as a teacher.

Show, don’t tell.

Use examples from your teaching assistant experience to illustrate points and convince your reader that you would be a great fit for this role.

Teaching Assistant CV with no experience?

If you’re considering a teaching assistant position but lack direct experience, don’t be discouraged. 

All teaching assistants begin without specific experience in the role! 

However, a compelling CV is essential to showcase your potential. Here’s a concise guide to crafting a standout CV:

• Showcase Your Enthusiasm: Passion is pivotal in teaching. Students thrive on enthusiasm, which can be a driving force in their motivation. Highlight your keen interest in the teaching assistant role and your willingness to learn. Additionally, research the school you’re applying to and mention specific aspects that attract you to it.
• Highlight Transferable Skills: Without direct teaching experience, lean on your transferable skills. Essential skills include literacy, numeracy, planning, creativity, organisation, and administration. Use examples from your past roles to demonstrate these skills. For instance, if you’ve written detailed reports under tight deadlines, this can underscore your literacy and time-management abilities.
• Include Relevant Experiences: Any experience with children, whether through kids’ clubs, sports teams, or scouts, can be beneficial. Even informal teaching experiences with adults or in other educational settings can be valuable. These instances not only show your capability but also further emphasise your enthusiasm.
• Emphasise Your Education: Highlight your educational background, especially in reading, writing, and numeracy. Depending on the school’s requirements, also consider mentioning any IT skills or qualifications you possess.
• Ensure Error-Free Content: Demonstrating attention to detail is crucial. Thoroughly proofread your CV multiple times to eliminate any spelling or grammar mistakes. Any oversight, especially after mentioning strong literacy skills, can undermine your credibility.

Transforming Your CV: From Teaching Assistant to Qualified Teacher

As a teaching assistant , it’s essential to understand how to transform your CV when transitioning to a teacher role. 

Your CV needs to showcase your hands-on experience and knowledge of teaching methodologies and classroom management.

From managing classroom activities to being attuned to the individual needs of learners; such scenarios demonstrate your readiness for a teaching position. 

If you’ve worked closely with SEN students in the past, make sure to highlight this. Your familiarity with SEN teaching frameworks can make you an attractive candidate.

Don’t forget to provide duration details of your teaching assistant experience. 

Schools want to know the length of your exposure in an actual teaching environment. Any resets you’ve had to do because of unforeseen classroom incidents not only show adaptive ability but also resilience.

Remember, your journey isn’t about changing from a teaching assistant to a teacher only, it’s about conveying your growth, passion, and commitment to teaching children.

So make your CV speak volumes about that.

Sixth Form Personal Statement Examples and Guide

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Teaching personal statement examples

Giving you the chance to show why you'd be a great teacher, your personal statement is an important part of your application and worth taking the time over

What is a teaching personal statement?

Your personal statement is used to explain why you want to become a teacher and your suitability for the role. While your application form briefly outlines your qualifications, skills and work experience, your teaching personal statement is where your personality shines through.

Take your time with it. Many candidates often spend a few weeks on this part of the application as you don't have to write it all at once. You should get someone to read over it and be prepared to receive constructive feedback and write a few drafts before you send it off.

It's important to:

• use examples based on your recent teaching experience
• tailor your personal statement according to the school/age group
• use good, clear, written English, using first person terms such as 'my' and 'I'
• be original and honest
• avoid clichés and general statements, such as 'I've always wanted to teach'
• demonstrate a passion for teaching.

While it's crucial to get it right, your teaching personal statement is only a small part of the application process. Find out how else you'll need to prepare to  get a teaching job .

How to write a personal statement for teaching

Your personal statement should be between 500 and 1,000 words. It's crucial that you  don't copy  and that the statement you provide is  your own work .

This is your opportunity to:

• write about any relevant skills and experience you have
• explain your understanding of why teaching is important
• detail why you want to become a teacher
• list any extra skills or experience you have, such as volunteering or first aid.

See  personal statements for postgraduate applications  for more guidance.

The nature of your personal statement will vary, depending on the type of teaching you'd like to pursue. Take a look at some of our example personal statements to get an idea of how they differ.

Personal statement for PGCE primary

As well as focusing on roles in which you've gained experience with primary-age children, a PGCE primary personal statement should demonstrate your well-rounded personality and any skills that could be useful for the range of extra-curricular activities primary schools provide (such as the ability to read music for recorder lessons, or drama experience to help with school plays).

Personal statement for PGCE secondary

Many good PGCE secondary personal statements acknowledge the challenges involved in teaching older pupils and provide examples of where the candidate has worked to overcome these problems. As secondary teaching roles are geared towards teaching a specific subject, training providers are looking for more evidence of your subject and degree knowledge.

Personal statement for School Direct

If you're applying for the salaried School Direct route, you should discuss the experience you've gained in the classroom prior to your application. One of your references will need to be from an employer, or someone who can comment on your work ethic and suitability for teaching. Don't worry if your degree is unrelated to the subject you'd like to teach - you may still be able to apply by completing a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course .

Find out more

• Discover how to structure a teaching CV .
• Find out what it's really like to be a primary or secondary school teacher .
• Search postgraduate courses in teaching .

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Writing a Personal Statement

Going for your first NQT post can be a daunting prospect... especially when in teaching, you need to write a personal statement to support your application form.

Schools use your personal statement to help short list candidates for a position by checking off the criteria of the person specification that they can see in your statement. It is always a good idea to write your personal statement alongside the person specification, ensuring that you have included all the "essential" criteria and as much of the "desirable" criteria you can that are assessed through the application.

Where possible, you should also use the language of the school you are applying to - their vision, values, mission and ethos statements will help you here and should be available on the school's website. You will also sometimes find these in the application pack. Read this carefully and then read it again, reading between the lines of what they might be looking for.

Here is an example of the structure of a personal statement for a trainee teacher applying for their first NQT job:

Begin with an impact statement that summarises your philosophy on teaching or that refers to the mission/vision/values/ethos of the school you are applying to:

I believe that it is, as Einstein said, the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. As a passionate teacher, dedicated to ensuring the very best outcomes for all students I teach, this statement resonates with me as I endeavour to awaken joy in all of the learners within my classroom. It was your belief all young people have the right to a transformational educational experience, that will enable them, no matter what their starting point, to fulfil their potential and realise their ambitions that first attracted me to your school as it aligns with my own personal and professional philosophy on education.

Throughout my practice, I constantly encourage pupils to participate and contribute in an atmosphere highly conducive to learning. I have consistently set high expectations of pupils in different training contexts. There are high levels of mutual respect between me and pupils. I am very effective in promoting learners’ resilience, confidence and independence when tackling challenging activities. In my lesson, I generate high levels of enthusiasm, participation and commitment to learning.

Back this up with an example from your training.

I have also assumed a high level of responsibility for the attainment progress and outcomes of the pupils I have taught. I have demonstrated confident judgement in planning for pupil progression both within individual lessons and over time and I am able to articulate a clear and well-justified rationale as to how I am building on prior achievement. Within my lessons, I seek to actively promote engaging and effective methods that support pupils in reflecting on their learning. I have demonstrated that I am able to set appropriately challenging tasks, drawing on a sound knowledge of the pupils’ prior attainment, which has been obtained through systematic and accurate assessment. I regularly create opportunities for independent and autonomous learning. As a result the majority of pupils make very good progress.

In order to plan effective lessons, I draw on my in-depth subject and curriculum knowledge of [your subject or phase] to plan confidently for progression and to stimulate and capture pupils’ interest. Throughout my training, I have demonstrated very well-developed pedagogical subject knowledge, by anticipating common errors and misconceptions in my planning. I am astutely aware of my own development needs in relation to extending and updating my subject, curriculum and pedagogical knowledge in my early career and have been proactive in developing these effectively during my training. I always model very high standards of written and spoken communication in all professional activities. I also successfully identify and exploit opportunities to develop learners’ skills, in communication, reading and writing.

I plan lessons that often use well-chosen, imaginative and creative strategies, and that match individuals’ needs and interests. I am highly reflective in critically evaluating my practice. I am able to accurately judge the impact of my practice on individual and groups of learners and can use my evaluation to inform future planning, teaching and learning. During my training, I have shown initiative in contributing to curriculum planning and developing and producing effective learning resources in my placement settings.

I have been able to quickly and accurately discern my learners’ strengths and needs and I have been proactive in differentiating and employing a range of effective intervention strategies to secure progression for individuals and groups. I have an astute understanding of how effective different teaching approaches are in relation to impact on learning and engagement of learners

I can confidently and accurately assess pupils’ attainment against national benchmarks. I use a range of assessment strategies very effectively in my day-to-day practice to monitor progress and to inform future planning. In my practice, I systematically and effectively check learners’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where intervention may be needed and do so with notable impact on the quality of learning. I have shown that I am able to assess learners’ progress regularly and work with them to accurately target further improvement and secure rapid progress.

I have been able to rapidly adapt to the different circumstances in which I have trained, working confidently within the frameworks established in different settings and applying rules and routines consistently and fairly. I have also demonstrated an ability to adapt to remote working and remote delivery in response to the Global Pandemic. I consistently have high expectations and understand a range of strategies that experienced teachers use to promote positive behaviour and apply these very effectively, including use of school sanctions and rewards, and use of praise, in order to create an environment highly supportive of learning. I am able to manage pupil behaviour with ease so that learners display very high levels of engagement, courtesy, collaboration and co-operation. Where it is needed, I actively seek additional support in addressing the needs of pupils where significantly challenging behaviour is demonstrated.

During my training, I have been proactive in seeking out opportunities to contribute in a significant way to the wider life and ethos of the school. I have built strong professional relationships and have demonstrated that I am able to work collaboratively with colleagues on a regular basis. I have taken responsibility for deploying support staff in my lessons and for seeking advice from relevant professionals in relation to pupils with individual needs. I deliberately seek out opportunities to develop my own professional learning and respond positively to all the feedback I receive. I have also demonstrated that I can communicate very effectively, both verbally and in writing, with parents and carers in relation to pupils’ achievements and well-being when required to do so formally, but I am also proactive in communicating in relation to individual pupils’ emergent needs.

I always treat pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher's professional position. I realise the need to safeguard pupils' well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions. I show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others. I do not undermine fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. I always ensure that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils' vulnerability or might lead them to break the law. I am always punctual and have good attendance. I have attended numerous CPD sessions and will continue to do so. I have also completed a weekly duty (before school and at break} and attends daily briefings (whole school, subject or pastoral). I have taken on board the policies of the school and maintain a high standard in all my practices. I have a good understanding of the framework within which I work and my professional duties

End with a statement that implies/assumes you will be invited for interview:

I would relish the opportunity to work at your school and look forward to discussing this further with you at interview.

You can download the word version of this

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Teaching assistant CV examples & guide

If you’re looking to land a top teaching assistant (TA) role, it’s vital that you have a quality CV.

A strong teaching assistant CV needs to be well formatted, and contain the right content to impress recruiters and teaching employers.

This guide tells you everything you need to know about writing a first-class CV for teaching assistant roles, and even contains a teaching assistant CV example , to show you exactly how your CV should look.

CV templates 

Teaching assistant CV example

SEN teaching assistant CV example

Early years teaching assistant CV example

Teaching assistant CV example (no experience)

See also : Our teacher CV example 

How to write your teaching assistant CV

Now that you’ve seen how your CV ( curriculum vitae ) should look – the following guide will tell you how to write your CV step-by-step and what content should be going into it.

Guide contents

• Format & structure your CV
• Work experience 

Teaching assistant skills

• Education & qualifications
• Hobbies & interests

CV structure and Format

Before you type one word on your CV, it’s important to understand how it should be laid out and formatted .

This diagram gives you a very high-level view of how your CV should be structured.

Try to stick to this layout as closely as you can.

Key CV structure points

Personal/contact details

Make sure recruiters can contact you easily by placing your contact details at the top of your CV.

Profile/Personal statement

Grab recruiter’s attention with a catchy paragraph selling your most valuable skills.

Core skills

A bullet pointed list of your skills split over two columns will give readers a great snapshot of your value.

Work experience

Show employers the impact you make in the workplace by detailing your previous roles thoroughly.

Round your CV off with a detailed list of your education to prove you are qualified.

Remember to keep your CV at around 2 pages in length  – anything longer and you risk losing readers’ attention.

Keep your CV style very simple with a clean font and muted colours – don’t be tempted to jazz it up with wacky colours or pictures, this can look unprofessional and messy.

Now let’s take a look at those sections in detail, and see what content needs to go into each one.

Contact details

At the very top of your CV, add your name and contact details, using up minimal space on the CV.

You want to make it extremely easy for recruiters to contact you – after all, that is the purpose of your CV!

Be sure to include…

Your phone number (mobile ideally so you can answer calls about jobs 24/7)

Your email address (Use a professional looking email address and not a nickname)

Your location (Just a rough area such as London/Leeds/Oxford)

Do not include…

Your full address – it’s not needed at this stage and will take up too much space

Your date of birth – Your age shouldn’t have any effect on a hiring decision

A photograph – Employers are only interested in what skills and knowledge you can bring to their school, they aren’t concerned with how you look.

CV profile / personal statement

To hold the attention of recruiters and school staff reading your CV, it’s essential to sell yourself with a quick punchy paragraph at the top.

Your profile or personal-statement should give a nice summary of your skills , experience, qualifications and knowledge.

(You can see more CV profile examples here )

The idea is to sell yourself, and encourage readers to continue reading your CV.

So, what kind of info should you put into your teaching assistant CV profile?

At this stage in your CV, schools will want to know these types of details…

• Types of schools you have worked in
• Ages of children you work with
• Teaching related qualifications
• Subjects or curriculums you have knowledge of
• Skills related to teaching – Classroom management, supporting teachers etc
• Anything else that could be relevant to the jobs you are applying for.

Avoid writing too many cliché phrases like, “ works well in a team or individually ” because they don’t tell readers anything factual about you.

Quick tip:  If you worry that your spelling and grammar might not be correct, try using our quick-and-easy CV Builder  to eliminate the risk of making mistakes.

Core skills section

If you really want to make sure that you grab recruiters’ attention in those vital first few seconds of them opening your CV – you need to add a core skills section.

Like this one.

All you need to do is list your most vital skills and knowledge in a bullet pointed list.

By adding this section, anybody who opens your CV can get a very good idea of your abilities from just a quick glance – perfect for creating a big impact.

Your work experience

To show recruiters and potential employers that you can contribute plenty of value in the workplace, you need to give a detailed account of your work experience.

If you have experience working within schools or other educational settings, that’s great – and you should focus on it within your CV.

If you don’t have any direct education experience – that’s OK. You just need to focus on drawing out transferable skills from your previous work (I’ll talk about what those skills are later in this post) or even consider getting some voluntary experience first.

To start with, order your roles in reverse chronology, which means start with the most recent job, and work down to your older roles – like the diagram below.

Structuring your role descriptions

To ensure that your roles are easy to read and show recruiters how you contribute to employers’ success, it’s important to structure your roles properly.

Use this simple but effective method to structure your roles.

• Responsibilities
• Achievements

This annotated example shows you how it works in practice

Start by detailing the start and finish dates of your roles (month and year) along with the name of your employer and job title

Jan 2013 – Nov 2016                 Long Lane Primary School | Primary Teaching Assistant

Then head the role with an outline which tells readers, who you work for (school, year group etc.) and what the overall goal of the role is.

Then list your responsibilities for the job in a series of short sharp bullet points to explain your input, show who you interact with, and showcase your skills.

Typical responsibilities could look like this:

• “Designing and creating classroom displays to aid students in learning ongoing topics”
• “Supporting class teacher in classroom management and keeping students focused”

Once you’ve listed your responsibilities, throw in some impressive achievements to really wow recruiters.

Achievements should give examples of times where you have gone the extra mile to help your employer, students or colleagues

For example…

• Ran after school revision workshops and all attendees achieved 80% + exam scores
• Introduced new reward system which greatly improved classroom behaviour

See our  best CV templates  for more examples of role structures.

When writing your CV roles (and the rest of your CV) it’s important to know exactly what recruiters are looking for, so you can reflect relevant skills.

So here is a quick list of some important skills and knowledge that recruiters will be expecting from a teaching assistant.

Some of these will require direct experience previously working in a teaching related role, whereas some of these skills can be gained in other workplaces or even study – so be creative if you don’t have the exact experience.

• Working with children – Teaching assistant work involves constant interaction with children of varied ages, so it helps to have some previous experience working with young people. This could be gained in a school, or perhaps in youth centres, sports clubs etc.
• Communication – Communication skill are vital in the classroom, so it pays to pack your CV with examples of your written, spoken and visual communication talents.
• Supporting teachers – The TA role revolves around supporting the class teacher so be sure to include this on your CV, or at least occasions where you have supported other senior staff.
• Behaviour management – Ensuring students are well-behaved and focused on work.
• Reading, writing and numeracy – An educational role will require you to have high standards across all three of these areas.
• Planning – Helping students to make progress requires long-term planning , which TA’s will likely support their class teacher with.
• Administration tasks – Admin is a vital part of many roles, and within a TA’s role it could involve photocopying class work, or filing attendance records.
• Creating displays – Teaching assistants need a healthy dose of creativity and artistic flair to create engaging classroom displays.
• Teaching qualifications – Whilst teaching qualifications aren’t necessarily needed for TA roles, it can be helpful to have them. GCSE’s in maths in English are an entry requirement though.

Round your CV up by listing your education at the bottom, including GCSE’s, A-levels, vocational qualifications etc.

Format the roles by listing:

• School/college attended
• Attendance dates
• Qualifications

Any qualifications that are highly relevant to teaching assistant roles (such as Maths GCSEs or teaching qualifications) should also be mentioned at the top of your CV in the profile to ensure they aren’t missed.

Hobbies and interests

Hobbies are an optional section, but you can add them if you think they will add value to your applications.

For example, if you don’t have much school experience, but you volunteer at local kid’s clubs in your spare time, then it would certainly be worth mentioning that in your CV.

Conclusion – create an impressive teaching assistant CV

If you’re looking to land a top teaching assistant job, use the above outlines to ensure you attract recruiters and impress employers.

Start by doing some research and looking at teaching assistant roles online to find out more about what your target employers are looking for.

Create an easy-to-read structure for readers, kick your CV off with an eye-catching profile, and cram your roles full of highly relevant skills and knowledge.

Once you’ve perfected your CV, proofread it and remove any typos before sending it out to plenty of recruiters and employers.

Good luck with your job search

• Skip to content

Applications

How to write a great personal statement for a teaching job.

Vinny Potter

7 Feb 2024, 16:23

Discover our top tips on what to include in your personal statement for a teaching job and how to present your skills, knowledge, experience and attributes.

Supported by:

Academies Enterprise Trust

Your personal statement is the heart of your application for work as an early career teacher and should be tailored for each role. For teaching applications this is sometimes also called a letter of application, but it is essentially the same thing. This is your opportunity to provide evidence of how you match the needs of the specific teaching job you are applying for, and earn yourself an invitation to the next stage, which is likely to be a selection day held at the school.

Writing tips for personal statements

See our example personal statement for primary school teaching, below. Imagine it was written in response to the following job advert:

We are advertising for a Year 3 Classroom Teacher. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Committed to our school and our values
• Experience across a range of age groups
• Committed to reflection and improving practice
• Knowledge of the National Curriculum
• Excellent lesson planning
• Knowledge of assessment
• Good knowledge of SEND and positive interventions
• Positive approach to provide challenge and support student success
• Excellent behaviour management
• Good communication skills with parents
• Enthusiastic and creative approach to lessons
• Willing to contribute to the wider life of the school.

See our personal statement for secondary school teaching, below. Imagine it was written in response to the following job advert:

Country High School are advertising for an enthusiastic Secondary PE Teacher. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Ability to adapt and tailor your approach for the differing needs of pupils
• Knowledge of the National Curriculum for your subject
• Knowledge of a wide range of sports
• Willing to engage in extra curricular activities and the wider life of the school
• Experience of supporting high ability students, as well as those who may be less able or motivated
• Ability to use data effectively
• Teach across all ability levels including SEND
• Ability to use Technology to enhance learning.

When completing a personal statement for a teaching job, you should typically observe the following guidelines:

• Do not write a generic statement. Instead use the person specification and job advert for the vacancy as a structure for your statement or consider using the government's Teachers' Standards if no person specification is provided.
• Do not exceed two sides of A4, unless otherwise instructed.
• Tailor your statement for each new application according to the nature of the school or LA and the advertised role.
• Always read any guidance provided – many schools and LAs will tell you how they want this section set out.
• Emphasise your individual strengths in relation to the role.
• For a pool application, make sure you give a good overview of your skills and experience.
• It is essential that you give specific examples of what you have done to back up your claims.

Primary school personal statement

Examples of a personal statements for a primary school teaching job.

Primary school personal statement example

Secondary school personal statement

See our example of a personal statement for a secondary school teaching job.

Secondary school personal statement example

What you should cover in your personal statement

When schools advertise graduate teaching jobs , they write a job description which states the essential attributes they are looking for. This is their marking criteria for the job. When they read your statement, they will usually score this based on their essential and desirable criteria. Therefore, you need to read their documents carefully to find the criteria and provide an example or evidence of each point. If the job advert does not include any documents which include their criteria, then you can use the following structure for your statement and use the Teachers’ Standards as a guide for the criteria they may be looking for.

Why you are applying for the role:

• Refer to any knowledge you have of the LA or the school, including any visits to the school and what you learned from them.
• Show you would be a good fit for the school. The best way to do this is to look at the school’s values and give an example of how you match these.
• Mention any special circumstances (for example, your religious faith) which you think are relevant.

Details about your course:

• Give an overview of your training course - including the age range and subjects covered - and any special features.
• If you are a PGCE student, mention your first degree, your dissertation (if appropriate), any classroom-based research projects and relevant modules studied. Also mention if you have studied any masters modules.

Your teaching experience:

• What year groups you have taught.
• What subjects you have covered.
• Your use and understanding of formative and summative assessment practices.

Your classroom management strategies:

• Give examples of how you planned and delivered lessons and evaluated learning outcomes, including differentiation, scaffolding etc.
• Explain how you have managed classrooms and behaviour.
• Detail your experience of working with assistants or parents in your class.

Your visions and beliefs about primary/secondary education:

• What are your beliefs about learning and your visions for the future? You could touch on areas such as learning and teaching styles and strategies.
• Reflect on key policies relevant to the age range you want to teach.

Other related experience:

• This can include information about any previous work experience.
• Include training activities you have carried out and ways in which your subject knowledge has been developed.

Other related skills and interests:

• Give details of any particular competencies, experiences or leisure interests. This will help the school to know more about you as a person and could ‘add value’ in a school environment.
• Any involvement in working with children (running clubs, youth work and summer camps) is particularly useful to include.

Aim to end on a positive note. A conclusion which displays your enthusiasm in relation to the specific application and teaching in general will enhance your application - but avoid general statements and clichés.

Written by Vinny Potter, St Marys University, Twickenham, July 2023

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Center for Teaching

Teaching statements.

Print Version

• What is a teaching statement?
• What purposes does the teaching statement serve?
• What does a teaching statement include?

General Guidelines

• Reflection questions to help get you started
• Exercises to help get you started
• Evaluating your teaching statement
• Further resources

What is a Teaching Statement?

A Teaching Statement is a purposeful and reflective essay about the author’s teaching beliefs and practices. It is an individual narrative that includes not only one’s beliefs about the teaching and learning process, but also concrete examples of the ways in which he or she enacts these beliefs in the classroom. At its best, a Teaching Statement gives a clear and unique portrait of the author as a teacher, avoiding generic or empty philosophical statements about teaching.

What Purposes does the Teaching Statement Serve?

The Teaching Statement can be used for personal, professional, or pedagogical purposes. While Teaching Statements are becoming an increasingly important part of the hiring and tenure processes, they are also effective exercises in helping one clearly and coherently conceptualize his or her approaches to and experiences of teaching and learning. As Nancy Van Note Chism, Professor Emerita of Education at IUPUI observes, “The act of taking time to consider one’s goals, actions, and vision provides an opportunity for development that can be personally and professionally enriching. Reviewing and revising former statements of teaching philosophy can help teachers to reflect on their growth and renew their dedication to the goals and values that they hold.”

What does a Teaching Statement Include?

A Teaching Statement can address any or all of the following:

• Your conception of how learning occurs
• A description of how your teaching facilitates student learning
• A reflection of why you teach the way you do
• The goals you have for yourself and for your students
• How your teaching enacts your beliefs and goals
• What, for you , constitutes evidence of student learning
• The ways in which you create an inclusive learning environment
• Your interests in new techniques, activities, and types of learning

“If at all possible, your statement should enable the reader to imagine you in the classroom, teaching. You want to include sufficient information for picturing not only you in the process of teaching, but also your class in the process of learning.” – Helen G. Grundman, Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Make your Teaching Statement brief and well written . While Teaching Statements are probably longer at the tenure level (i.e. 3-5 pages or more), for hiring purposes they are typically 1-2 pages in length.
• Use narrative , first-person approach. This allows the Teaching Statement to be both personal and reflective.
• Be sincere and unique. Avoid clichés, especially ones about how much passion you have for teaching.
• Make it specific rather than abstract. Ground your ideas in 1-2 concrete examples , whether experienced or anticipated. This will help the reader to better visualize you in the classroom.
• Be discipline specific . Do not ignore your research. Explain how you advance your field through teaching.
• Avoid jargon and technical terms, as they can be off-putting to some readers. Try not to simply repeat what is in your CV. Teaching Statements are not exhaustive documents and should be used to complement other materials for the hiring or tenure processes.
• Be humble . Mention students in an enthusiastic, not condescending way, and illustrate your willingness to learn from your students and colleagues.
• Revise . Teaching is an evolving, reflective process, and Teaching Statements can be adapted and changed as necessary.

Reflection Questions To Help You Get You Started:*

• Why do you teach the way you do?
• What should students expect of you as a teacher?
• What is a method of teaching you rely on frequently? Why don’t you use a different method?
• What do you want students to learn? How do you know your goals for students are being met?
• What should your students be able to know or do as a result of taking your class?
• How can your teaching facilitate student learning?
• How do you as a teacher create an engaging or enriching learning environment?
• What specific activities or exercises do you use to engage your students? What do you want your students to learn from these activities?
• How has your thinking about teaching changed over time? Why?

* These questions and exercises are meant to be tools to help you begin reflecting on your beliefs and ideas as a teacher. No single Teaching Statement can contain the answers to all or most of these inquiries and activities.

Exercises to Help You Get You Started:*

• The Teaching Portfolio , including a section on teaching statements, Duquesne University Center for Teaching Excellence. This website includes five effective exercises to help you begin the writing process
• Teaching Goals Inventory , by Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross and their book Classroom Assessment Techniques . This “quiz” helps you to identify or create your teaching and learning goals.

Evaluating Your Teaching Statement

Writing A Statement Of Teaching Philosophy For The Academic Job Search (opens as a PDF), The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan.

This report includes a useful rubric for evaluating teaching philosophy statements. The design of the rubric was informed by experience with hundreds of teaching philosophies, as well as surveys of search committees on what they considered successful and unsuccessful components of job applicants’ teaching philosophies.

Further Resources:

General information on and guidelines for writing teaching statements.

• Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement , Faculty and TA Development at The Ohio State University. This site provides an in-depth guide to teaching statements, including the definition of and purposes for a teaching statement, general formatting suggestions, and a self-reflective guide to writing a teaching statement.
• Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement , Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Iowa State University. This document looks at four major components of a teaching statement, which have been divided into questions—specifically, to what end? By what means? To what degree? And why? Each question is sufficiently elaborated, offering a sort of scaffolding for preparing one’s own teaching statement.
• Writing a Meaningful Statement of Teaching Philosophy , McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University. This website offers strategies for preparing and formatting your teaching statement.

Articles about Teaching Statements

• Grundman, Helen (2006). Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement (opens as a PDF), Notices of the AMS , Vol. 53, No. 11, p. 1329.
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does it Matter? , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .

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How to write a great teaching assistant covering letter and CV

Teaching assistant, tes editorial.

You’ve decided to apply for a teaching assistant (TA) job. Now you just need to nail that covering letter and CV.

Most job adverts will either ask for a CV or for you to fill out an application form. They will also expect either a covering letter or they will leave space on the application for a “personal statement”. This is your opportunity to allow your personality to shine through and let the HR manager know exactly why you are the perfect person for this role.

• How to become a teaching assistant
• TA interview: potential questions
• How to move from TA to teacher

1. Make it personal

Hannah Wilson, headteacher of Aureus Secondary School in Oxford, advises that you personalise your letter to the school you’re applying to.

“Do your research: you’ve got to visit the school, review the website, read the prospectus,” she advises. Then use this information to inform your application.

“You have to make it clear why you want to work at this school specifically,” says Wilson.

2. Don’t dwell on what you don’t have

Instead of wasting precious word count explaining why you don’t have experience, make the most of what you do have.

“Share your experiences looking after children, volunteering in your community, raising your own children. Show your understanding of child development and supporting children with additional learning needs,” Wilson says.

3. Any SEND experience is valuable

As an learning support assistant (LSA) or TA, you’re likely to be tasked with working with those students who have special educational needs and disability (SEND). Therefore, any experience you have of children who have additional needs is beneficial.

“You should mention all the experience you have, even if it is your own children or family members,” says Wilson.

“You can show you have read up on SEND issues, and you are willing to learn. If you have not had experience, you can still demonstrate your understanding and link to your own temperament and character, and how you are suited to this type of work.”

4. Cheque you’re spellign

“Make sure your statement is proofread, and that your application is grammatically correct,” Wilson warns.

Some applications won’t allow you to edit the form or submit online. In those situations, Wilson warns against writing straight on to the form.

“Write it in Word first, and then proofread it before you copy it on to the application form.”

Many teaching assistants go on to become qualified classroom teachers. With Tes Institute’s Straight to Teaching course you can train while working in your current school.

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Early childhood education personal statement example.

I believe that early childhood is the most crucial stage in a child’s life, it has become my goal to be an early years teacher so I can offer support at this important stage and help children learn and grow as they interact with the world around them. The skills children learn at this age will stick with them for life such as reading, writing and communication, to be able to a part of this process would be very rewarding.

During my A-levels, I completed a weeks work experience at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. I was a teaching assistant for year groups two and three. This role allowed me to work closely with the children and support them in their lessons. This experience was gratifying, and I enjoyed helping the children learn and solve problems. I found myself excited to get to work and see the children and they seemed just as excited to see me. Although I only spent a week at St Joseph’s, I still formed a friendship with lots of the children and learned some essential skills for working with young children such as safeguarding and following a curriculum. Lastly, I taught a child with special needs and supported him in his lessons.

After my A-levels, I decided to take a gap year. Although the pandemic disrupted my original plans I tried my best to make the most of this time and keep motivated. Throughout lockdown, I completed an online course on the Open Learn website through the Open University called “An Introduction to Social Work.” This course covered a variety of subjects including the Attachment Theory developed by John Bowlby. This theory highlights how the brain develops differently depending on what kind of experiences it receives, especially in the early years. I found this very fascinating as I have loved learning about people since I started studying sociology at GCSE. I am intrigued by what influences people to act the way they do and have a particular fascination with how children develop in society. Becoming an early years teacher would allow me to make a difference in children’s lives and see this development first hand.

During my gap year, I also developed leadership and teamwork skills while working at my local café: Deli-Licious. I started this job in 2019 as Saturday help and gradually progressed and gained more responsibility, such as gaining more hours and eventually becoming a key holder. This customer-facing role allowed me to develop good people skills and taught me how to deal with the many characters I came across every day. I was also often in a leadership role allowing me to gain the skills and experience needed to be a good team leader. Furthermore, this job required great communication skills which are very useful when working in a team, especially while looking after children.

I have recently been offered and enthusiastically accepted a job at Bright Horizons Day Nursery as a Nursery Assistant. My responsibilities will include supervising children at playtime, engaging with the children in learning and play activities as well as working with the other nursery staff and attending staff meetings. This job will allow me to build skills such as childcare, proactivity, and time management which will help me build a strong foundation for early years teaching. I am excited to start this job as it is the first step I am taking to pursue a lifetime career in early education.

Studying early childhood studies at university will be a perfect opportunity for me to further my understanding of children in early years and allow me to learn about new areas I haven’t come across yet. My goal is to gain practical experience working with young children while also gaining relevant qualifications to be the best early years teacher I can be.

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Author's Comments

I got an offer for a degree in Early Childhood Studies with this personal statement so I hope it can help someone out there :)

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