Online Education Jobs for Retired Teachers

When you’re approaching retirement, you might be done with the classroom, but not done with working. You’ve had extensive experience as a teacher, so why let that expertise go to waste? 

From curriculum development to coaching, there are so many online jobs for retired teachers that you can do beyond the classroom. 

When there are so many options, it can feel overwhelming how to move forward. But if you haven’t applied for a job in several decades, it’s time to dust off your resume and cover letter and start making an intentional plan for the next chapter of your education career. 

As you move forward, spend time thinking about your unique skills and reflecting on all that you’ve learned as a teacher. Then practice presenting your skills in an irresistible way and putting yourself out there! 

Taking action is the best way to move forward with your dreams. Start by exploring some of the best online jobs for retired teachers available today, then follow three simple steps to get started. 

What Can I Do After I Retire from Teaching?

This is one of the most common questions we get from long-time teachers who are preparing to leave the classroom. And the good news is, you have so many options for finding work online (or in person)!

Maybe you’re looking for a side hustle to make a little extra income during retirement or you’re just not ready to stop making an impact in education. No matter what your goals are, it can be really hard to envision what a flexible career in education could look like after years of classroom work.

But here’s some good news: you don’t have to leave education to be done working in the classroom! Many of the best careers for retired teachers give you the opportunity to continue making an impact on students, teachers and learning.

How to Get Started with Online Jobs for Retired Teachers

Use the 3 steps outlined below to help you figure out what alternative career for teachers could be right for you.

Know Your Worth + Frame Your Skills

I often hear from teachers who are concerned that no one will hire them because they are approaching retirement. This is not true! Many retired teachers find flexible and rewarding work after they’ve left the classroom. 

The key is learning how to frame your transferable skills and show how they can be used in one of the many online jobs for retired teachers. You have extensive experience in education that would be an asset to so many organizations. 

Instead of going into the application process feeling like people are going to pass you up because of your age, reflect on your experience and reframe your skills as something potential employers would be lucky to have access to. 

The key is to know how to present your skills as valuable. Study job descriptions and pull out the words and phrases that align with your skills and experience. Add these words and phrases to your resume and cover letter to show how your personal experience connects to the particular job people are hoping to hire for. 

Find the Best Fit for You 

Consider if you’d like to land part-time or full-time work. Would you rather work in person, at home, or a mix of both? While there are lots of online jobs for retired teachers out there, there are plenty of ways to keep working outside the home, too.

After spending years as a classroom teacher, it can feel foreign to consider what you really want for this next chapter of your life. This is your time to really tune into your desires. Spending time dreaming and envisioning your ideal situation can be inspiring and helps you find a way forward. 

After you get a sense of what your ideal days would be like, consider the work that you’d like to do. You could work in curriculum design, education consulting, coaching new teachers, providing professional development, teaching online… the list goes on and on! 

So how can you find available jobs for retired teachers?

Think about the different teaching tools, ed tech sites, and curricular resources that you have used throughout your teaching career. Think about if there are any companies or organizations that really feel aligned with your values and what you hope to create. Then look at the websites of those companies and organizations and see if they are hiring. 

Consider following organizations on LinkedIn and making professional connections with people who are doing work similar to what you’re interested in. 

Commit to Learning

Once you get a sense of the types of jobs you’d like to do, consider how your unique expertise would be a great fit for the job. If you feel like you still have more to learn, that’s okay! As teachers, we are experts in learning. 

Maybe you want to work in curriculum design and have years of lesson planning experience under your belt, but you haven’t written many instructional materials that are used by other teachers. Or maybe you want to find online education jobs, but need to learn about different ways to use technology. 

Everyone has things to learn! Make a list of all the skills and experience you think you need to be successful in your new role. Categorize the things you list to distinguish between skills/experience you already have and skills/experience that you’d like to develop. Choose one new thing to learn about at a time. Make a plan for developing your skills beyond the classroom, then commit yourself to following it. 

Get Support for Your Next Chapter

Whether you’ve decided to explore online jobs for retired teachers or want to start your own education business, the best thing you can do is to start taking action right away. But getting started is sometimes easier said than done and you might find yourself fighting self-doubt or limiting beliefs. 

The best way to overcome these challenges is to seek extra support. That’s why Educator Forever began - to help teachers and former teachers find rewarding alternative careers in education.

Join our Beyond the Classroom course and get personalized guidance on how to make your dreams a reality. Learn exactly where to find flexible jobs in education, then get support to help you land those jobs. 

Have questions? Contact us any time to learn more!