5 Tips to Build Careers for Teachers Beyond the Classroom
Are you considering leaving teaching? There are virtually endless careers for teachers beyond the classroom. Keep reading for our best tips to intentionally create your next step in education.
When I was teaching internationally, I’d use a well-known EdTech company’s hands-on activities to enrich the curriculum I taught. So when an email showed up in my inbox asking for teacher authors to contribute lessons to their website, I was super intrigued.
I’d never “formally” designed curriculum before, but was used to creating curriculum for my multilingual, multicultural students and as a special education teacher in Michigan. Even so, I was super nervous when I sent in my resume and sample lesson. My mind machine focused on the negatives and I figured I’d never hear back. But, guess what? I did!
It’s been almost a decade since landing my first contract curriculum job beyond the classroom, and over five years since I found the Educator Forever community. Since then, I’ve realized I can truly thrive as a multi-passionate educator (and you can, too!).
My current role at Educator Forever as the Director of Learning and Development allows me to be part of a thriving Network of innovative educators who are driving the change they want to see in education.
If you’re thinking of leaving teaching and curious about how to get started beyond the classroom, here are five ways you can intentionally create the next stage of your career in education.
5 Steps to Starting Alternative Careers for Teachers
Identify your niche.
There are so many jobs for teachers outside the classroom. But finding success requires reflection and time. Before you get started, jot down all the things that excite you about education and the reasons you became a teacher in the first place.
Next, reflect on the impact you want to make. Sick of standardized testing? Create assessments that actually excite and inspire students. Ready to do away with the same, boring curriculum that doesn’t work (and isn’t designed by a teacher)? Design engaging, culturally responsive curriculum that centers on the child.
Whether you are excited about developing curriculum, offering professional development, designing literacy workshops for schools around the world, or consulting on educational apps, find something that lights you up. Your enthusiasm will motivate you during challenging times and attract like-minded individuals to your work!
And after all, if you’re going to take a leap and try other careers for teachers, it should be something you’re going to enjoy!
Make a plan.
After you identify your niche, it’s time to set some goals that align with your niche and passion. For example, if your long-term goal is to land a job as a virtual education coach, reflect on a few smaller goals that can help you start that new career.
These smaller goals might be:
Research virtual education coaching companies
Network with people who work as virtual education coaches
Gain skills with tech tools such as Zoom, Canva, or Google Suites
Revamp your resume and cover letter so it highlights the skills that align with the job responsibilities
Use the Educator Forever Personalized Goals worksheet to get started!
Establish an online presence.
We all have different comfort levels when it comes to social media. But it can (and should) be utilized in sustainable ways as you gain comfort in telling your story and pitching yourself to potential employers.
This is true for people entering all kinds of new careers for teachers, whether you want to be a curriculum developer, education consultant, online business owner, virtual teacher, or education coach.
Start small by setting up a LinkedIn profile and networking with people you know and people you want to know. This is a low-stakes risk that can help you gain fluency with a new tech tool and the confidence to reach out to showcase your expertise and network with innovative educators who are on similar journeys.
Another option is Instagram, a free photo and video-sharing app where you can share your story in a visual way and expand your reach to find potential clients. Remember that establishing an online presence and finding your voice takes time! Give yourself grace and have fun along the way.
Gain confidence.
One of the biggest obstacles for educators is feeling like their transferable skills, strengths, and experiences can’t be applied beyond the classroom. But we’re here to tell you that’s totally not the case! The truth is, if you’re thinking of leaving teaching, career options are practically limitless.
Despite your doubts or feelings of uncertainty, the amazing skills you possess are valuable and in demand. Building confidence takes time, especially when society constantly exploits, underestimates, and underpays educators. As you take the steps necessary to prioritize your well-being, you will find your voice and clarity about ways to empower yourself as you step into this next phase of your career in education.
Find community.
Besides the students, my favorite part of teaching was the relationships I developed with families and colleagues. When teachers begin to think about leaving the classroom and trying new careers for teachers, many express that they feel afraid of being isolated or alone or they worry about missing their teacher friends. This is exactly why we created the Educator Forever Network!
We’ve learned from helping thousands of educators thrive that you’re more likely to take the necessary steps forward if you have a supportive community of like-minded, innovative educators. Through community, you gain insight, build connections, hold space for possibilities, and think outside the box.
The teachers in our wonderful Network are in all different phases in their careers beyond the classroom. Some have been working as consultants or business owners for nearly a decade, while others are just beginning. Having a support system of educators who are creating sustainable and meaningful lives in education can propel you forward on your journey, too.
What Do I Do If I’m Ready to Quit Teaching?
As you navigate your transition after quitting teaching, remember that your passion for education can shine just as brightly, if not more, in new and exciting roles. Explore the possibilities, challenge the norms, and create a path that aligns with your aspirations.
If you’re considering non-teaching jobs for teachers (whether freelance jobs, side hustles, or full-time work), explore those that align with your purpose, values, and goals. There are so many ways to work as an educator beyond the classroom today, including many jobs you can do flexibly from home.
A few of the many alternative careers for teachers include:
Ready to take the next step in your journey and positively impact education in innovative ways? Remember you don’t have to do it alone!
The Educator Forever Network is designed for passionate educators just like you - who want to stay in education without staying in the classroom.
We've helped thousands of teachers like you embrace the 4 C’s (Clarity, Confidence, Community, and Commitment), reimagine their role as an educator, and successfully land flexible new careers. We’d love to help you do the same!
By joining the Educator Forever Network, you'll gain instant access to our signature Beyond the Classroom course, where you'll learn exactly where to find flexible jobs in education, discover your career possibilities, and receive the support and everything you need to land those jobs.
You’ll also become part of an inspiring community of like-minded educators who are passionate about expanding their impact and income in education.
Sign up now to empower yourself and take your education career to the next level!
Have questions? Contact Educator Forever any time!
About The Author
April Brown (M.Ed) is Educator Forever’s Director of Learning and Development and a curriculum coach for the Curriculum Development Foundations and Advanced Curriculum certification programs. 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 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 Beyond the Classroom course 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 is an advocate for teachers and students – inside and outside of the classroom. You can find April in rural Vermont spending time with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and charming rottweilers.