Tips for Thriving in Flexible Careers After Teaching
Dreaming of leaving the classroom and exploring alternative jobs for teachers? Get our best tips for thriving in careers after teaching.
As educators, we have so many skills. We plan lessons, find creative ways to reach students, and adapt constantly to new demands. Teaching is truly meaningful work—and it’s also exhausting.
Some of us dream about ways we can use our teaching experience beyond the classroom. Sometimes, we crave more flexibility, more autonomy, or simply a new way to use our gifts and expertise. The classroom isn’t the only place where we can make a difference. That’s where flexible work in education comes in.
But leaving teaching is just the beginning. To truly thrive in flexible work, you need to know your worth. It’s easier said than done, as teachers are coming from a system that constantly exploits, demeans, and undervalues us.
At Educator Forever, we believe your teacher skills are powerful. You already have what you need to create a thriving, sustainable career that works for your life right now, whether inside or outside the classroom.
Get ready for life after teaching by getting clear on your expertise, exploring your ideal work-life balance, and conquering self-doubt.
Marketable Teacher Skills You Already Have
When you’re in the day-to-day of teaching, it’s easy to forget how much you do. Step back and you’ll see:
You design engaging learning experiences that center on students’ needs (all 25 of them!)
You break down concepts in ways students understand and differentiate learning so all students can access the content.
You adapt when things don’t go as planned. You’re a pro at flexibility!
You create a safe learning environment where all students feel like they belong.
You communicate with families and colleagues in a multitude of ways.
These aren’t “just” teaching tasks—they’re leadership, communication, design-thinking, and problem-solving skills that benefit all organizations. The first step in building a flexible career after teaching is remembering this: you hold so many marketable skills that are valuable and in demand.
What Flexible Work Can Look Like
Flexible work doesn’t have to mean abandoning your love for education—it can mean reshaping how you share your passion and expertise. Some educators stay part-time in the classroom while exploring other roles; others pivot fully.
Options for work after teaching include:
Curriculum design for education publishers or edtech companies
Creating online courses that share your expertise
Consulting or coaching schools and teachers
Tutoring on your terms
Writing, podcasting, or speaking to inspire and inform
Each path builds on what you already know. The best part? You get to design work that fits your life.
Claim Your Worth
There is a wide range of pay when you work flexibly in education. You might be brought on for a package consulting gig or design curriculum on a part-time basis.
Because of the variance, it’s important to understand how much money to charge and how much money you’re comfortable accepting. In addition, teachers are used to being underpaid, so asking for higher rates can feel uncomfortable.
Here are some tips to help ensure you’re paid your worth for work after teaching:
Shift your mindset. You’re not “just teaching”—you’re leading, innovating, and solving problems every day. Your expertise matters!
Do your research. Look at freelance rates, consulting fees, or tutoring costs in your field. Take into consideration the amount of time certain tasks will take before signing the contract.
Protect your time. If you’re hired to work 15 hours per week designing curriculum, but you find yourself spending 20 hours per week on research and design, talk to your direct supervisor. It’s important to be honest and open so you can earn the compensation you deserve.
Every time you set a fair rate or say no to unpaid labor, you reinforce the message: educator skills are valuable.
Persevere Through Fear
Before working flexibly, your mind might start spiraling into all the “what ifs”.
You might wonder:
What if I fail?
What if I can’t replace my income?
What if I lose my identity as a teacher?
Know that these fears are common, but you don’t have to leap overnight into a career after teaching.
Start small. Try a freelance project or tutoring client while teaching. See what lights you up and continue building your expertise.
Find support. Communities like the Educator Forever Network connect you with supportive peers who’ve been there.
Celebrate progress. Each small win reminds you that you can do hard things!
Design Work That Fits Your Life
The beauty of trying flexible work after teaching is the ability to adapt during different seasons of your life. Instead of fitting your life around your job (which is so common for teachers!), you deserve to fit your job around your life.
That might mean:
Working part-time (and earning the same amount as your full-time teaching position), so you have more family time
Choosing projects that align with your values and energize you
Taking on short-term contracts or seasonal projects so you can plan extended breaks for travel, continuing education, or simply rest.
Shaping your schedule around when you work best—early mornings, evenings, or in focused chunks—rather than being tied to a school bell (and after-school meetings).
Building a portfolio of different roles (like consulting, tutoring, and content creation) that keeps your work varied and engaging.
Saying yes to opportunities that stretch you professionally—and no to ones that drain your energy.
Thrive With the Educator Forever Network
At Educator Forever, we know this journey because we’ve lived it. The Educator Forever Network exists to support teachers who want more flexibility, sustainability, and impact. We’re a community of educators holding each other accountable and building flexible, sustainable careers after teaching together.
Through the Educator Forever Network, you’ll benefit from:
✅ Step-by-step guidance as you discover your career possibilities, gain clarity, and learn exactly how to find and land flexible jobs in education
✅ Empowering live group calls (every week!) for career guidance and job search support
✅ Exclusive access to ongoing wellness, creativity, skill growth, and co-working sessions, along with special career-related workshops designed for transitioning teachers
✅ Instant access to exciting, flexible job leads on our private jobs board, along with expert support at your fingertips
✅ An incredible, supportive community of like-minded educators cheering you on as you expand your impact and income in education
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Join the Educator Forever Network today, we’re here to remind you of your worth—and help you create a life that honors it.
About The Author
April Brown (M.Ed.) is Educator Forever’s Director of Learning and Development. In 2015, April began designing curriculum and writing articles for an EdTech company as a side gig while she was teaching in Placencia, Belize. After having her eldest daughter in 2016, April was eager to use her unique experience teaching and leading in mainstream and alternative settings in the United States and internationally to work remotely while still making a difference in education.
The Educator Forever Network empowered April to leverage her skills as a compassionate disruptor and out-of-the-box thinker to excel as an instructional/well-being coach, adjunct instructor of Trauma Supportive Schools and Mindfulness courses, curriculum developer, and writer for publications such as PBS SoCal, Education.com, and Britannica for Parents. April resides in Southern Vermont with her daughters and husband and is the Director of Learning Support at a small progressive independent school serving preschool through eighth grade. She is an advocate for teachers and students – inside and outside of the classroom.