How to Find the Right Online Teacher Community Beyond the Classroom
Teachers are notorious for connecting with fellow teachers on deep and meaningful levels. We hang out in each other’s classrooms, reimagine education together, and hold space for each other during difficult times. If you’re thinking of leaving the classroom, the thought of leaving behind a community of support can make it even scarier. You might feel like you’re about to embark on the journey alone. But you can find an online teacher community of support that motivates, inspires, and supports you.
4 Things Every In-Person & Online Teacher Community Should Have
If you’re looking for support beyond the classroom, whether in person or virtual, it’s important to make sure the community you join checks off these boxes.
Empowerment
When you become part of an educator community, it’s important that you feel a sense of belonging. If you’re exploring work beyond the classroom, there’s usually a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty that comes along with trying something new. Remember – you deserve a community that celebrates you and empowers you to tap into your multitude of transferable skills.
Along with empowerment comes a commitment to advocacy. Does the community you’re looking to join acknowledge that the reason there are so many transitioning teachers is because of deep, systemic issues within the education system?
Empowering online teacher communities will support you on your journey to find jobs for teachers outside of the classroom while encouraging you to tap into your skills as a reflective practitioner to make a difference in education through instructional coaching, education consulting, curriculum development, or starting your own education business.
Accountability
Without accountability, we often let our dreams and aspirations slip to the wayside. A healthy online teacher community will provide you with different ways to stay accountable, based on what works for you!
Accountability buddies. Some educators looking for alternative careers for teachers might benefit from checking in with an accountability buddy once a week or twice a month. Accountability buddies might keep a living Google document where they can set goals, jot down affirmations, and brainstorm solutions to challenges that arise. Alternatively, they might be the one who sends you a text of encouragement in the morning or a funny meme to inspire you to take risks.
Virtual hangouts. Accountability can also look like weekly virtual meetings with a community of like-minded educators to discuss how your goals are going. These online teacher community meetings also provide space for you to ask questions, form long-lasting connections, and reflect on actions you can commit to moving forward.
Continued support. We recognize that the need for a community doesn’t end after a course or program is over. For example, graduates of the Grow Your Education Business Accelerator, Beyond the Classroom course, and the Curriculum Development Foundations program have the option to join our Educator Forever Network. Network members have access to an exclusive Slack workspace where we share daily job leads, inspiration, mindset tips, and helpful resources. Members can also message each other directly and gain support from the Educator Forever team in real-time. We also hold live monthly calls for members to connect with fellow educators on the same journey, discuss their goals and make plans for the future. Members also have access to a variety of skill-building workshops, and the topics are tailored to the needs of the community.
Skill Development
Any career shift involves building skills and learning new things. Finding non-teaching jobs in education is no different! Fortunately, teachers are lifelong learners and used to diving deep into new curricula, teaching strategies, and changing course when a student is struggling.
An online teacher community of support can fuel your creativity and provide you with actionable steps to gain the confidence you need to excel as you transition out of teaching to a career beyond the classroom.
Are you a third-year science teacher who feels uninspired by red tape and a lack of autonomy over curriculum design? Or a teacher with twenty years of experience teaching preschool and finally ready to take the plunge into starting your own early childhood consulting business? Our realities and needs are unique, so it’s important to join a community tailored to your needs so you can cultivate the skills you need to achieve your goals.
Some of the skill-building activities you could look for in an online teacher community include:
Explore your options. If you’re an educator who wants to stay in education but is ready to make an exit plan from in-person teaching, our Beyond the Classroom course is for you. When you join our Beyond the Classroom community, you’ll not only find out what opportunities actually exist beyond the classroom, but you’ll also get clarity on how your skills match your career aspirations and gain confidence so you’re empowered to leverage your incredible teacher expertise and go after your dreams!
Hone your curriculum writing skills to land jobs. If you love writing engaging, meaningful, and student-centered curriculum as much as we do, our Curriculum Development Foundations program is the perfect skill-building community for you. Through live workshops and the opportunity to submit your work for review, you will receive personalized feedback and support from our expert curriculum coaches. When you’re done with the program, you will have a polished portfolio with curriculum development samples that reflect your expertise and are ready to submit for job opportunities.
Grow your education business. Ready to share your brilliance with the world to make a difference in education but not exactly sure what platforms to use or how to market to the right audience? Our Grow Your Education Business Accelerator might be the community you’ve been dreaming of. The next round of the Grow Your Education Business Accelerator begins on October 10, 2022. The Grow Your Education Business Accelerator is application only. We will be forming a community with students who we know we can help grow their business in just two months. Spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-accepted basis.
Joy and Understanding
One of the most important qualities of a vibrant online teacher community is the joy we experience from cultivating lasting relationships. When you look for a community of support beyond the classroom, it’s imperative to find folks who can understand the challenges we are facing as we unpack all of the harmful traits that have taken up too much mental space over the years (I’m looking at you perfectionism and toxic positivity).
Along with affirming that the struggle is real and providing tried and true strategies for overcoming roadblocks, a community that makes you smile, laugh out loud, push away self-doubts and feel happy is a good way to know you’re in the right place.
Join Our Online Teacher Community
If you’re ready to leave teaching, you’ll need all the support you can get! Our teacher learning community was designed for passionate educators just like you - who want to stay in education without staying in the classroom.
Not sure where to start? Learn more about our signature Beyond The Classroom course or contact us to ask questions and learn more about our programs.
About The Author
April Brown (M.Ed) is Educator Forever’s community facilitator and a curriculum coach for the Curriculum Development Foundations program. 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 a Trauma Supportive Schools course, 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.
