16 Best Hobbies and Interests for a Teacher Resume

If you are applying for a teaching position, or you are looking to change jobs, how you write your resume could determine whether you get called for an interview or not.

Adding hobbies to your teacher resume helps recruiters to understand your interests, strengths, and personality. They also highlight valuable skills you may have outside of work. These can help you to stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of getting hired.

When choosing a hobby for your resume, you should think like a recruiter. What skills would you want if you were to recruit for your own school? You have to be strategic about the hobbies you list.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a hobby to include in your resume.

• Does it demonstrate your strengths and skills?
• Does it demonstrate the value you can bring to the school?
• Does it fit into the extra-curricular activities offered by the school?
• Does it help you deal with the challenges you are likely to face in school?
• Does it make you a better teacher?

In this article, I will give you some of the best hobbies to include in your resume to increase your chances of getting hired.

Here are the best hobbies and interests to include in your teacher resume

1. Psychology

If you went through a teacher training course, you were probably taught some psychology in one form or another.

A good grasp of psychology (especially child psychology) will help you to:

• Correct bad behavior in class and deal with children who are acting out.
• Counsel children who are having problems at home or school.
• Motivate and encourage weak students without shaming them.
• Deal with angry parents who feel that their expectations for their children are not being met.

Here is an example of how you can include a psychology hobby in your teacher resume:

Psychology: I have taken 3 online psychology courses including one on handling difficult behavior in children.

If you have not gone through a formal psychology course, there are plenty of online platforms with great psychology courses. Check out these free psychology courses on Alison.

2. Blogging

Blogging is a great hobby to pick up if you enjoy sharing information through writing.

Blogging has several advantages for you as a teacher:

• It has a wide reach which means you can amplify your impact when you share your knowledge and expertise.
• You can use it as a form of digital resume where you showcase your skills and provide samples of your work.
• It can open up avenues for collaboration with others.

Also, if you get good at blogging, you can make a really great income from it (see examples in my article on high-earning bloggers).

Here is an example of how you can include a blogging hobby in your teacher resume:

Blogging: I enjoy blogging during my free time and I currently have a science blog that gets over 30,000 visitors each month.

To get started with blogging, you need to have a good grasp of the fundamentals of blogging. The following articles will teach you all you need to know about blogging.

• How to start a profitable teacher blog.
• A quick-start guide to setting up a WordPress blog.
• Blogging 101: Blogging course for total beginners.

3. Coding

As the world becomes more reliant on technology, many governments are rolling out programs to teach coding in schools.

This is a good initiative because many jobs revolve around tech and this trend will only continue in the future. Anyone who knows how to code will be best placed to take advantage of them.

Given the importance of coding in schools, you can give yourself an advantage by learning how to code.

Here is an example of how you can include a coding hobby in your teacher resume:

Coding: I am proficient in JavaScript and I have developed a quiz app that has been installed 500 times.

If you don’t know how to code, I would suggest doing the following.

• Start with a programming path that is easier to learn such as web development.
• Take an inexpensive course in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It won’t take you long to complete and you will have a basic understanding of coding.
• Carry out a few projects with your newly acquired skills (such as creating a website). You can point to these projects whenever you want to prove that you have the skills.

4. Learning New Languages

Having the ability to communicate effectively in several languages can be a great asset in your teaching career. For example, if you learn English, you can teach English to other non-English speakers and you can also work in English-speaking countries.

Aim to learn at least one of the widely spoken languages such as English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin.

Here is an example of how you can include a language hobby in your teacher resume:

Languages: I enjoy learning new languages and I am fluent (written and oral) in French and Spanish. I also have basic speaking skills in Mandarin.

Here are my favorite ways to learn new languages.

• Duolingo. This is a free app that gamifies the teaching of languages.
• Italki. This platform allows you to converse with native speakers of the language you are learning.
• Fluent U. An immersion language platform that teaches through real-world videos.

5. Online Teaching

When the whole world shut down during the pandemic, those with the skills to take their work online were able to keep earning an income. Some were even able to increase their income.

These days, there are plenty of good tools and platforms that will make it easy for you to take up online teaching.

Online teaching is great because:

• It can help you make some extra money.
• You can reach more people and have a bigger impact beyond the classroom.
• It is semi-passive. The courses can run with minimum input from you. Once you have recorded the videos and written the course materials, all you need is to regularly answer questions that come up.

Here is an example of how you can include an online teaching hobby in your teacher resume:

Online teaching: I have developed 5 online courses that have over 1,000 students enrolled.

Here is how you can get started with online teaching.

• Start a blog, YouTube channel, or social media channel. These are great for getting students.
• Do group teaching on platforms like Zoom or Teams.
• Create courses and upload them on platforms like Systeme, Payhip, or Udemy.

6. Creative Arts

Creative arts includes forms of art like painting, drawing, photography, performing, and dance (see Types of Art for more).

A lot of schools have some kind of creative arts program as part of the curriculum or as an extra-curricular activity. Having additional skills can open up opportunities for promotions or overtime pay.

Some great ways to demonstrate that you have creative arts skills are:

1. Create a blog or YouTube channel where you showcase your work (such as drawings or dance routines).
2. Join a creative arts group or club where you can meet people who can vouch for your skills.
3. Create a portfolio of your work that you can carry to interviews.

Here is an example of how you can include a creative arts hobby in your teacher resume:

Photography: I have been doing nature photography for over 10 years and my photographs have been nominated for numerous awards.

If you are interested in picking up a creative art hobby, platforms like Domestika and Udemy have lots of affordable courses that you can try.

7. Reading

Reading is a great way to acquire knowledge quickly. A reading hobby in your resume shows that you are committed to lifelong learning. Your passion can also influence your students to develop a love for reading.

You can demonstrate that you have a love for reading by:

• Joining a book club. If you can’t find one, you can create one.
• Creating a book blog where you review or summarize some of your favorite books.

When listing reading as a hobby in your resume, it is important to match it to your area of expertise, for example, if you teach history, your reading list should include popular history literature.

Here is an example of how you can include a reading hobby in your teacher resume:

Reading: I read 50 books a year on average. My favorite genres are history, technology, science fiction, and art.

To get started with reading, you simply need to get a library card and you are good to go. If you are short on time, you can consider audiobooks because you can listen to them as you do something else. A great place for getting high-quality audiobooks is Audible.

8. Electronics

Having an interest in electronics can open a new and exciting way of teaching STEM subjects such as math, physics, and chemistry.

When combined with a coding hobby (especially embedded systems), you can do some really interesting things, for example:

• Building model rockets.
• Developing Raspberry Pi and Arduino projects.
• Building robots.

Here is an example of how you can include an electronics hobby in your teacher resume:

Electronics: I enjoy building self-navigating robots using embedded electronics and computer vision technologies

9. YouTube

If you love being in front of the camera, then consider taking up YouTube as a hobby. YouTube has a huge reach which can help you share your knowledge with millions of people worldwide.

Here is an example of how you can include a YouTube hobby in your teacher resume:

YouTube: I have a YouTube channel with 50,000 subscribers where I talk about Medieval history.

To get started with YouTube, all you need is a smartphone with a good camera and a decent microphone. Signing up for YouTube is easy especially if you have a Gmail account.

A popular YouTube format with teacher YouTubers is the teacher vlog. See an example of how it is done here.

10. Writing

As a teacher, you will be doing a lot of writing as part of your duties. These could include:

• Writing lesson plans.
• Writing reports on student progress.
• Writing outreach articles (such as in a blog).
• Writing proposals for grants.

Not to mention that you will also be doing a lot of grading. You, therefore, need to have the ability to write well in English. This is especially true if you want to be an English teacher.

You can demonstrate your writing ability by giving links to your blog or any books, publications, or articles you have written.

Here is an example of how you can include a writing hobby in your teacher resume:

Writing: I have written 6 articles that have been published in our local newspaper.

11. Public Speaking

As a teacher, you need to have the ability to hold your students’ attention long enough to pass on your knowledge.

Some people seem to naturally have this ability. If you are not one of the lucky few, then you have to put in the effort to learn the tricks and strategies of effective public speaking.

Some of the public speaking skills you need to learn include:

• Storytelling
• Body language
• Voice projection

If you have gone through a formal public speaking course, then you probably have these skills.

If not, you can learn these skills through activities like:

• Being a member of your local Toastmasters.
• Being a member of a drama club.
• Being a member of a debating club.

When applying for a teaching job, you should amplify these activities and club memberships in your resume.

Here is an example of how you can include a public speaking hobby in your teacher resume:

Public speaking: I am a member of my local Toastmasters club and we meet once a week to practice public speaking.

12. Music

Many schools offer music as an extra-curricular activity, therefore, any experience with music will give you an advantage over many other applicants.

Some of the musical skills you can have in your resume include:

• Playing a musical instrument (You should be willing to do a demonstration if required).
• Singing in a choir or a band.
• Music production.

When you are involved in music, it shows that you are in touch with your creative side. Creativity is a great asset in teaching as it enables you to come up with new ideas and new ways of doing things.

Also, music (especially mastering an instrument) shows that you have the discipline and perseverance to power through difficult things.

Here is an example of how you can include a music hobby in your teacher resume:

Music: I am a proficient violin player and I am part of my church choir

13. Sports

If you are involved in sports, you should definitely include this in your CV. Some great sports to have on your resume include basketball, football, soccer, gymnastics, and baseball.

Also, if you are or have been involved in coaching sports, this can be an even bigger advantage because you could come in as an assistant or substitute coach.

Involvement in sports and coaching shows that:

• You understand how to work in a team.
• You understand the nature of competition and how to deal with wins and losses.
• You have leadership abilities and experience mentoring people.
• You can motivate and bring the best out of people.

Here is an example of how you can include a sports hobby in your teacher resume:

Sports: I’m a goalkeeper for my local soccer team and we regularly participate in our state league.

14. Traveling

Having a traveling hobby in your resume is a great way to show that you enjoy having multicultural experiences and that you are not afraid of getting out of your comfort zone.

Experience with international travel can give you an advantage when applying for jobs outside your country. It can also help when applying to schools that regularly go on international trips (especially when combined with a language hobby).

Here is an example of how you can include a travel hobby in your teacher resume:

Travel: I have traveled to 12 countries in 3 continents. I enjoy exploring different cultures and meeting new people.

To start a traveling hobby, start by taking trips outside your state and then seek opportunities to travel abroad.

15. Volunteering

When you list volunteering as a hobby in your resume, you need to be strategic about the kind of activities you write down.

Here are some volunteering activities that could give you a big boost when applying for a teaching job. These include:

• Working with special needs children. In many schools these days, children with special needs are integrated with others in the classroom. Having experience or a passion for working with them can give you a leg up.
• Volunteering as a first responder. As a first-aid responder, you learn many crucial first-aid skills that could come in handy should an accident happen in the classroom.
• Volunteer firefighter. This gives you the skills you need to prevent or deal with fire hazards in school.

If you don’t have experience with these particular activities, don’t lie. Look for ways of acquiring that experience. The great thing about volunteering is that you can acquire skills without actually paying to learn them.

Here is an example of how you can include a volunteering hobby in your teacher resume:

Volunteering: I regularly volunteer to teach English to new immigrants in my town.

16. Social Media

The average person spends 2 and a half hours of their day on social media. If you want to have an impact in today’s world, you need to have a good idea of how to reach people on social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

Also, most of your students are already on these platforms and it makes it easier to communicate and share ideas with them.

Social media can help you to create and share snackable content that would not be ideal for a blog or YouTube. Some ideas of social media content you can create include photography tips, inspirational quotes, and math quizzes.

Here is an example of how you can include a social media hobby in your teacher resume:

Photography: I love sharing inspirational content on social media. I have a Twitter handle with 30,000 followers where I share self-development quotes.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, this list has given you something to think about as you make your application.

When writing these hobbies in your resume, you need to be specific and concise. Avoid fluff and tailor your hobbies to the skills required by the job. For more tips on including hobbies in your resume, see my article on whether should you include hobbies in your resume.

If you find that you do not have any of the hobbies listed above, then you can check out other teacher hobbies to see if there is something that could interest you.

What to read next

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy the following articles that are popular on this site.