By Katie Parsons of Mumbling Mommy
Teachers who are on a traditional school calendar have summers off. Of course, as these teachers know, that time isn’t completely “free” as there is much to get ready for the upcoming school year — and they more than make up for those summer hours during the school year. Still, with some extra time in the summer months, many teachers look for ways to bring in a little extra income. If you’re considering something seasonal this summer vacation, check out these 10 ways to make money in your teaching off-season.
Start a blog.
Teachers are always looking for advice from other teachers on everything from holiday crafts to homework assignments. Start a blog with entries about what you know best in your profession. As your readership climbs, start looking into ways to monetize that traffic — with traditional banner ads, native ad content and social media influencer opportunities.
Sell lesson plans.
Are there places where you can write and sell your lesson plans? Yes. Sites like Teacher Lingo and Lesson Plan Shop specialize in it and you can even create your own Etsy page to do it. Do all school districts ALLOW teachers to sell their lesson plans? Don’t count on it. You may want to check the policies of your particular district, or sell under a pseudonym.
Seek out seasonal work.
Do you live by a beach or amusement park? How about another tourist draw that sees a spike in attention during the summer months? These types of establishments always need extra hands in the summer — and won’t be offended when you need to get back to your real job come August/September. An added bonus is getting to spend some time doing something TOTALLY different from teaching. This alone will leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to attack the job again in the fall.
Try direct selling.
What sort of products do you love to buy and use? Weight loss shakes? Anti-aging skincare products? 3-D eyelashes? It’s not easy to afford any of these “extras” on a teaching salary but with some time in the summer, you could actually start selling some of them yourself and earning them for free (while pocketing some cash in the meantime). The flexibility of direct selling means that this is a job you can keep during the school year too while supplementing your teaching salary.
Work at a summer camp.
Offer your paid time in a different sort of learning environment. Summer camps are often looking for experienced teachers to help who are already qualified and have the proper background checks in place. Look for a camp theme that you really enjoy, whether that is athletics, performing arts or STEM learning.
Tutor.
This job is beneficial to both students and teachers because it gives you the chance to work one-on-one on a specific subject (or two or three!). It provides a different sort of satisfaction than the large-group classroom setting and can be a job that continues on part-time even after school is back in session.
Contract as a freelance writer/designer/editor.
There are several freelance job sites you can visit to find contract or part-time work, and in a variety of fields. You can look for one-time projects or something that will continue after the summer has ended. There is a lot of freelance work to be had and businesses are always looking for experienced people to help. You may even be able to land some textbook writing or editing in your area of expertise.
Work in a child care center.
Many child care businesses see a spike in the number of kids there during the summer when school is out and therefore hire some temporary help. Teachers are a perfect fit for this role and already know how to handle group learning situations. In many cases, a teacher will have less managerial responsibility in a temporary child care role which can be nice after taking on so much of it during the school year.
Be a virtual assistant.
Many businesses take on virtual assistants to help with day to day tasks like reading and returning emails, making appointments, and following up on sales leads. The perk to this type of job is that you can do it from home — in your flip flops if you desire.
Teachers: where have you found work in the summer months?
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Katie Parsons is the founder of MumblingMommy.com, a site that features parenting stories from families all across the country. She works from home and also writes for publications like Florida Today, GalTime, and ChamberofCommerce.com. She serves as the Community Manager for the hypeorlando blog network and is the Managing Editor here at The Edvocate.
