Best Second Jobs for Teachers in 2024

As teachers, we’re constantly exploring new avenues to enrich our professional lives and, let’s be honest, to supplement our income. The pursuit of a second job is not just about financial gains; it’s also about personal growth, exploring new interests, and applying our unique skill set in diverse contexts. This blog post is dedicated to all my fellow educators who are considering a second job. Whether it’s driven by passion, curiosity, or necessity, there’s a world of opportunities waiting for you.

In this post, I delve into the realm of second jobs tailored for teachers. Our skills are not confined to the four walls of a classroom; they are adaptable, valuable, and in high demand in various fields. From online tutoring and freelance writing to educational consulting and beyond, I’ll highlight opportunities that not only align with our teaching skills but also offer flexibility and fulfillment. These roles not only complement our primary job as educators but also open doors to new experiences and learning opportunities, reinforcing our commitment to lifelong learning.

1. Online Tutoring 

One of the best side jobs you can do as a teacher is to engage in online tutoring. Online tutoring involves offering educational instruction or information to students in a virtual environment. Besides offering a great deal of flexibility, online tutoring also enables you to tap into your teaching skills and hone in your instructional competencies.

The great thing about online tutoring is you can do it anywhere in the world provided you have an Internet-enabled computer. This allows you  to easily fit this work around your regular teaching schedule.

You can choose to work with students in their local area or even tutor students from around the world. As an online tutor, you can provide tutoring in your own specialty subject(s), assist with homework, or help students prepare for tests and exams.

Online tutoring can be carried out via video call using platforms like Zoom or Skype, or through specialized online tutoring platforms that have built-in tools like virtual whiteboards.

Here are some reputable platforms where teachers can offer online tutoring services:

• 1. Chegg Tutors: Chegg is a popular platform that connects students to tutors in a wide range of subjects. Tutors can work from anywhere in the world, and they have the flexibility to set their own schedule.
• 2. Tutor.com: This is another well-known online tutoring platform. It offers tutoring in over 200 academic subjects and test prep areas.
• 3. Wyzant: On Wyzant, tutors can set their own rate and choose to tutor students either in-person or online.
• 4. VipKid: This platform is designed for teaching English online to students in other countries, particularly China. VIPKid provides the lesson plans and communicates with the parents, freeing up the teacher to focus on instruction.
• 5. TutorMe: TutorMe offers online tutoring in over 300 subjects, with tutors being able to work from anywhere, at any time.
• 6. Skooli: Skooli offers online tutoring primarily focused on K-12 education, but also has resources for college and university-level subjects.

2. Freelance Writing or Editing

Freelance writing or editing is another excellent second job for teachers as they already possess strong communication and writing skills due to the nature of their profession. The scope of freelance writing and editing is quite broad, and it offers a high degree of flexibility, as the work can be done from anywhere at any time.

Examples of the types of freelance writing and editing work a teacher might do include educational content writing, academic writing and proofreading, book editing, among others.

Here are some platforms where teachers can find freelance writing or editing work:

• 1. Upwork: This is a popular platform for all kinds of freelance work, including writing and editing. Freelancers can browse jobs posted by clients and submit proposals for them.
• 2. Freelancer: Similar to Upwork, Freelancer is a platform that connects freelancers with clients who need their services.
• 3. Teachers Pay Teachers: Teachers can write educational materials and sell them on this platform.
• 4. Fiverr: On Fiverr, freelancers can post gigs offering their services, which can include writing or editing.
• 5. FlexJobs: This site lists remote and flexible jobs, including freelance writing and editing work.

3. Consulting

Consulting involves providing expert advice to individuals or organizations in a particular field. For teachers, this can be an excellent side job because of their deep understanding of the educational system and classroom management skills. They can provide consulting services to schools, educational institutions, ed-tech startups, parents, or even other teachers.

Examples of consulting work that a teacher might engage in include:

1. Educational Consultancy: Provide expert advice to schools and educational institutions on curriculum development, school management, teaching methodologies, classroom strategies, etc.).
2. Parent Consultancy: Help parents understand their child’s educational needs, help them navigate the educational system, and provide advice on how to support their child’s learning at home.
3. Ed-tech Consultancy: With the rise of educational technology, teachers can consult for ed-tech startups, helping them design educational products that align with school curriculums and effective teaching strategies.
4. Professional Development Consultancy: Teachers can help other teachers with their professional development, providing advice on classroom management, teaching strategies, or how to navigate their teaching career.
5. Special Education Consultancy: If a teacher has experience or training in special education, they could consult with schools or families on supporting students with special needs.
6. College Admission Consultancy: Teachers, especially those with experience in high schools, can provide advice to students and parents on college applications, writing essays, and the college admission process in general.

To find consulting work, teachers can start by networking with their professional contacts to let them know about their consulting services. They could also reach out directly to schools, educational organizations, or ed-tech companies to offer their services. Joining professional organizations and attending education conferences can also be a good way to make connections and find potential clients.

There are also several online platforms that connect consultants with clients. These include:

1. Upwork: This platform connects freelancers, including consultants, with clients.
2. Clarity.fm: This platform allows experts in various fields to offer consulting services over the phone.
3. Zintro: This platform connects consultants and experts with businesses seeking their advice.
4. LinkedIn: Teachers can use this professional networking site to advertise their consulting services and connect with potential clients.

3. Creating and Selling Teaching Resources

Teachers often create their own educational resources for their classrooms, including lesson plans, worksheets, games, activities, presentations, and more. Turning this into a side job by selling these resources online can be a profitable venture, and it also gives teachers the opportunity to share their best resources with other educators.

Here are some of the types of resources a teacher might create and sell:

1. Lesson Plans: Detailed plans that outline objectives, materials, procedures, and assessments for a particular lesson.
2. Worksheets and Printables:These could include practice problems, writing prompts, coloring pages, cut-out models, and more.
3. Educational Games and Activities: These could be physical games that need to be shipped or digital games that can be downloaded.
4. Digital Interactive Resources: With online learning becoming more popular, digital resources that can be used on platforms like Google Classroom are in high demand.

There are several platforms where teachers can sell their teaching resources:

1. Teachers Pay Teachers: This is one of the most popular platforms for buying and selling educational resources. Teachers can set up their own shop and set their own prices.
2. Etsy: While not specifically for teachers, Etsy can be a good platform for selling physical educational resources like games or activities.

4. Voiceover Work

Voiceover work involves providing the voice for characters in animations, video games, commercials, promotional videos, audiobooks, and more. For teachers, this can be a great side job as it leverages their strong verbal communication skills and their ability to explain complex ideas clearly and engagingly.

Teachers often have excellent diction and clarity in their speech, which are crucial skills for voiceover work. Moreover, they are used to varying their tone and pace to keep students engaged, which can also be beneficial in voiceover roles.

Here are a few ways teachers can get involved in voiceover work:

1. Audiobook Narration: There are many platforms, like ACX (Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange), where teachers can find work narrating audiobooks.
2. Educational Videos: Teachers can lend their voices to educational videos for apps, websites, or YouTube channels.
3. Animation and Video Games: Teachers could voice characters in animations or video games. This often involves creating different voices for different characters.
4. Commercials and Promotions: Teachers can also provide voice-overs to use in commercials and promotions. Companies often need voiceover artists for their commercials or promotional videos. 

Here are some platforms where teachers can find voiceover work:

• Voices.com: This is one of the most popular platforms for voiceover jobs. It covers a wide range of voiceover work, from commercials to video games.
• Voice123: This platform also offers a wide range of voiceover job listings.
• ACX: This platform is specifically for audiobook narration. It connects narrators with authors and publishers who need their books narrated.
• Fiverr: On this platform, teachers can create a gig offering their voiceover services.
• Upwork: This is another platform where you  can find freelance voiceover work on this platform. Use the search box to search for relevant gigs.

To get started in voice-over work, teachers may want to invest in some basic equipment, like a good microphone and headphones, and potentially soundproofing for the room where they’ll be recording. They might also consider taking some voiceover training courses to learn more about the industry and hone their skills.

5. Transcription Services

Transcription,  converting audio or video content into written text,  is another area where teachers can leverage their teaching expertise and land some decent second jobs as they often have strong language skills, attention to detail, and typing skills.

In transcription, the work is often flexible and can be done remotely, allowing teachers to work around their teaching schedules. ai transcription tools have facilitated the whole process and can use them to streamline and enhance your productivity.

There are various types of transcription services a teacher can provide, such as:

1. General Transcription: This involves transcribing a wide variety of audio or video content, from podcasts and interviews to webinars and YouTube videos.
2. Legal Transcription: Legal transcription involves transcribing legal proceedings, such as court hearings, depositions, or attorney’s dictation. This typically requires some knowledge of legal terminology.
3. Medical Transcription: This involves transcribing medical reports, patient notes, or dictations from healthcare professionals. Like legal transcription, medical transcription requires knowledge of specific terminology.
4. Educational Transcription: Teachers might particularly excel at transcribing educational content, such as lectures or online courses.

Here are some platforms where teachers can find transcription work:

• Rev: This platform offers a wide range of remote transcription jobs. They provide an interface for transcribing, and pay varies based on the complexity and length of the audio or video file.
• TranscribeMe: This platform also offers a variety of transcription jobs. Transcribers can work as much or as little as they want.
• Scribie: On Scribie, transcribers can choose which files they want to transcribe, and they have the flexibility to work whenever they want.
• Upwork: And of course, Upwork! This platform connects freelancers with clients who need their services, including transcription.

6. Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)

Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) can be a rewarding and fruitful side job for teachers, especially those with a background in language arts or linguistics. As an ESL teacher, your role involves teaching English online to students whose first language isn’t English. The demand for learning English globally is high, and online platforms have made it easier for teachers to reach students worldwide.

Here are a few platforms where you can teach English online:

• VIPKid: This platform connects teachers with students in China for one-on-one English lessons.
• Qkids: Similar to VIPKid, Qkids hires teachers to provide English lessons to Chinese students aged 4-12.
• Cambly: On Cambly, teachers chat with students from around the world to help them practice their English conversation skills.
• italki: This platform connects language teachers with students looking for one-on-one lessons.
• Preply: Similar to italki, Preply is a platform where teachers can offer their language teaching services.

Keep in mind that in order to teach ESL, you may need to acquire a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification, especially if you plan to work for an ESL company. These certifications can be acquired through various online and in-person programs.

7. Summer Camp Instructor

Becoming a summer camp instructor is an excellent seasonal side job for teachers, especially for those who have the summers off. In this role, teachers can use their skills in classroom management, instruction, and child development in a more relaxed and outdoorsy environment.

Teachers can work at different types of camps based on their interests and skills:

1. Academic Camps: These camps focus on academic subjects like math, science, writing, or computer programming. Teachers can lead lessons, plan activities, or supervise academic projects.
2. Sports Camps: If a teacher has skills in a particular sport, they could coach at a sports camp, teaching kids the basics of the sport, leading drills, and organizing games.
3. Arts Camps: Teachers with skills in visual or performing arts could work at an arts camp, leading art projects, teaching drama classes, or even directing a camp play or musical.
4. Adventure Camps: These camps focus on outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing, or canoeing. Teachers can supervise and lead these activities, ensuring campers’ safety.
5. Special Interest Camps: These camps focus on a particular interest or theme, like chess, robotics, horseback riding, or foreign languages. Teachers can lead activities related to the camp’s theme.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the journey to finding a fulfilling second job as a teacher is as much about exploring your passions and skills as it is about supplementing your income. The options are plentiful, each offering unique opportunities to grow, contribute, and expand your horizons beyond the traditional classroom setting. Whether you choose to dive into the world of online tutoring, embrace the creativity of freelance writing, or venture into educational consulting, remember that your skills as an educator are invaluable and highly sought after. Embrace these opportunities not just for the financial benefits, but for the personal satisfaction and professional growth they bring.