Building a Side Hustle for Teachers This Summer
Have you been dreaming of finding work beyond the classroom? Summer can be the perfect time to make progress. If you’re not ready to leave teaching, starting with a side hustle can help you test the waters and grow your skills. From education consulting to curriculum writing, there are so many ways to start a side hustle for teachers this summer.
Often, the teachers I work with in the Beyond the Classroom course come in excited to learn about new ways to use their education expertise. Then after that initial excitement, many get overwhelmed when they realize how many options they have. All of these feelings are completely normal! The important thing is that we move through them and take action to make our dreams a reality.
Starting a side hustle is one of the best ways to explore your options for flexible jobs for teachers and start earning some extra money. But how can you actually start a side business from home this summer? Keep reading for your next steps - and some ideas for side jobs.
What Are The Best Side Hustles for Teachers?
In today’s digital world, there are countless ways to make extra money as a teacher online. And there are many organizations, businesses and families who could benefit from your teaching experience!
If you want to start a side hustle for teachers, the best place to start is by identifying what kind of side business will work best for you.
Some of the most common teacher side hustles include:
Online teacher
Online tutor
Online instructional coach
Freelance curriculum developer
Ed tech consultant
Education writer
Online course creator
To choose your perfect side hustle, think about your unique teaching skills and the parts of your job that you most enjoy. Then, consider how you could leverage those skills into a side business.
Start a Side Hustle for Teachers in Three Steps
With so many ways to make extra money while working in the classroom, taking the first step to start a side hustle for teachers can feel daunting. Follow these steps to make the process simple.
1. Set your goals
Do you want to have a full-fledged, money-making side hustle by the end of the summer? Or do you want to focus more on exploring your options and deciding what feels right for you? Whatever you decide, set some concrete goals. Then remember them! Post your goals somewhere you can see them so that you don’t lose sight of your plans.
After getting clear on what you’d like to accomplish with your teacher side hustle, set some deadlines. Be realistic about your summer plans and the pace you want to set for summer. Then think about when you will be able to have time to work towards your goals. We all know how quickly summer can slip away, so it’s important to stick to your plan.
2. Carve out time
Though summer is a great time to start a side hustle for teachers, it’s also important that you spend time resting and recuperating. Your side hustle should complement your life, not overtake it! Now that you have your goals set, think about creating a routine or schedule that will support you to make progress.
For example, maybe your goal is to start a tutoring side hustle. You might decide to spend time every Wednesday and Friday morning working on your new business. By setting a specific time to work each week, you’ll be more likely to stick to your plans than if you decide to just get to your goals when you have the time (because even in summer, when do we really find ourselves with extra time?!).
Make the most of your time by mapping out a clear action plan for each work session. One hour of your time might be spent networking to find new business, for example, while two hours are spent focused on working with clients. You’re much more likely to have success starting a side hustle if you have a clear picture of what you want to accomplish each day.
3. Spread the word!
We often make amazing plans and great progress, then never share about them. Maybe self-doubt creeps in, or maybe we just don’t know how to share about our work. But if you’ve worked hard to start a side hustle for teachers, then you need to talk about it!
Talking about your side hustle helps you gain confidence and customers! Start by talking with your friends and family about what you’ve been working on. Then consider who else you can tell! Maybe you can reach out to colleagues, neighbors, or contacts you’ve met online.
Consider starting a basic website or a LinkedIn profile to get the word out about your services. If you’re looking for freelance jobs, start applying for as many as you can! While applying for jobs is a numbers game, be sure to put thought and care into your applications.
Get Support to Start a Side Hustle
Ready to join a community of educators expanding their impact through flexible work? Our Beyond the Classroom course is for you! Get support exploring the many flexible jobs available to educators and figuring out your next career move.
Through the course, you’ll get support finding and landing jobs and creating resumes and cover letters that make an impact. Best of all, you'll become part of an inspiring community of educators committed to being the change they hope to see in the world of education.