Online schools are reporting a steady increase of K-12 students in the last decade according to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). More families and students consider their digital learning as high-quality education for those who prefer homeschooling or blending. More and more online schools are being funded by their state as accredited institutions. As follows, virtual public schools are increasing in numbers, so there is a demand for more online teachers and other online related teaching jobs. Now is the time to investigate the possibility of working in the comfort of your home as a teacher and literally wear your pajamas to work.
If you are fresh out of college, if you are thinking of leaving the classroom, if you are a former teacher or just want to supplement your income, take a look at the various online jobs available for teachers and see if one or more of them suit your fancy.
Online Teaching
Teaching online is the first and foremost job for anyone with credentials and wishes to teach students in the comfort of their own home and maybe even wear their pajamas. Though some online teachers instruct a group, most of the instruction is done one-on-one and requires specific equipment.
Digital teachers teach all academics or teach specialty subjects like History, Math, English, French, ESL, and so forth.
When looking for an online teaching job, shop around and you will be amazed at the diversity in salary and benefits. Some online schools’ salaries and benefits are quite competitive, such as Florida Virtual School (FLVS) which are easy to find while others are not so transparent. It takes a bit of digging into sites like Glassdoor. The overall impression is that you will more than likely take a pay cut if you leave the classroom for a stay-at-home teaching job. A bonus is that most schools do offer equipment and guidance.
Online Tutoring
Tutoring online is a great way to work at home and make a decent living. Teachers who still enjoy teaching in the classroom, but want to supplement their income by working at home in evenings or weekends, online tutoring offers various options, including choosing your subject and hours.
At VIPKID, if your specialty is ESL, EOSL, ACT or SAT prep Math, you can use technologies like FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom . The key is to build your clientele on your own or through tutoring companies that act as a clearinghouse like Wyzant.
Curriculum Developer
Being a champion curriculum developer is a service both online and traditional schools crave. There is also afterschool care programs, summer camps, and educational consultants that post on job boards such as the balance. These facilities seem to always be looking for experienced curriculum developers to keep their programs standard and fresh.
If your experience includes a substantial time in the traditional classroom using your own lesson plans and materials, you know how to create stellar curriculum. Build that expertise into a second career or supplement your income as a home-based job.
Teaching Materials Provider
Similar to a curriculum developer, but with added features, a Provider is furnishing teaching materials to other teachers, schools, homeschooling families, and afterschool care programs. The list of potential clients appears endless. If you have created teaching materials by trying different possibilities and coming up with a sure thing in the classroom, offer the materials to other institutions or homeschool families. Sites like Teachers Pay Teachers, Super Teacher Worksheets, and Teacher’s Notebook enables you to offer your lessons plans, special projects, activities, classroom games with decorations, and more. Some report making a fortune from these platforms. Realistically, you will generate an extra income to help pay the bills.
Test Scorer
Educational Testing Services (ETS) encourages anyone to apply. Test scoring is strictly part-time with cyclical workload online or onsite to score tests like GRE, TOEFL, and Praxis. You will find yourself swamped January-June and time to kick around September-December. Test scoring is a simple job that doesn’t pay well, but you can easily do it at home in your pajamas. Pearson and Literably are also looking for home-based scorers. Both have extensive screening and training programs. Before you get hired or earn any money, you will have some qualifying hurdles to clear.
Educational Editor
Nothing like working at home and editing people’s work. If you are a teacher with a sharp eye for detail and the ability to follow guidelines systematically, this career is for you. Educational publishing allows teachers to leave the classroom and become freelancers. If you want to be a hired editor with benefits, this career is not for you. More employers are contracting editors who want to work at home in a relaxed environment. You have to scour the job boards because these types of jobs are a bit hard to find.
Educational Blogger and Writer
Before you leave the classroom, you need to build your repertoire of work and follow some simples rules as found on The Guardian. Even if you are a champion writer, you need to showcase your work by getting published online or in hard copy magazines. The benefit is you have a teaching background, which gives you credence to write about education. Search the job boards and you will find websites and hard copy publications looking for teachers who can write about teaching.
Writing Coach
Enough cannot be said about the importance of writing skills and the lack of such skills in high school and college graduates. Becoming a writing coach will help improve the trend by guiding students and business clients to develop these fundamental skills. Like tutoring but easily performed one-on-one with FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom, it is best to consider it a part-time freelance job. You will need to find your own clients by setting up shop on the Internet.
Online Adjunct Teacher
Another stay-at-home teaching job is an adjunct teacher. You help plan, prepare, implement teaching activities that help the online students. As an administration job, the duties include interacting with students via emails, chatrooms, phone, or instant messaging. The main aspect of the job is responding to parents or students inquires in a timely fashion. The pay is relatively low, but you get to work from home or the local coffee shop.
As you peruse the Internet, weighing the possibilities of an online teaching career, plan your career, make the right choices, and be persistent. Digital learning has made it possible for anyone who loves helping students to forge a worthwhile career from anywhere. Which path will you choose?
