Date January 15, 2024
Est. Reading Time 4 mins
While some teachers use the summer months primarily to rest and recharge after a busy academic year, many others find ways to supplement their income by taking on seasonal jobs or temporary roles where they can apply their expertise.
Fortunately, educators don’t have to choose between one or the other because there are many opportunities that offer flexible or limited working hours. We invite you to read below for five ways you can make some extra money this summer!
1. Selling Educational Resources
In recent years, a number of websites have made it easier than ever before for teachers to sell everything from lesson plans and curricula to worksheets and classroom decorations. For a small fee, these platforms allow you to reach an audience of educators and parents who might benefit from your creations.
Finding your niche is one of the keys to building a successful business selling educational resources. In an interview published by CNBC, Becky Powell, a 41-year-old kindergarten teacher in Beaverton, Oregon, explained how identifying an educational niche was what helped grow her Teachers Pay Teachers revenue from $60 in 2015 to now over $125,500 a year.
“I really drilled, drilled, drilled down the ideas, getting more specific until I hit gold at the very bottom,” she said. “So, it’s not just a niche. It’s finding your niche within a niche.”
2. Freelance Writing
Thanks to both their experience in the classroom and expertise in the subjects they teach, educators often make excellent writers. The summer months are an ideal time to explore freelance writing opportunities both locally and online. Consider contributing articles, curriculum ideas and educational resources to publications specializing in promoting this type of content.
It also might be beneficial to think outside the box when it comes to offering your writing support. Is there a company that needs help writing a collection of training materials for their staff? Or maybe a software or healthcare company needs help simplifying complex information for their audience. As experts in sharing information, teachers are a natural fit for this type of role, and companies are often willing to pay quite well for quality work in this area.
3. Editing and Proofreading
With countless hours of grading under their belts, teachers develop a keen eye for detail. This makes educators ideal editors and proofreaders for publishers, educational institutions and businesses that want to publish clean and accurate copy.
There are many online platforms you can use to make it more convenient for prospective clients to find you. However, it’s important to review all fees associated with using these services as they can add up over time. To avoid these transactional expenses altogether, you can reach out to companies directly with a cover letter detailing your experience and examples of any previous work you have proofed or edited.
4. Tutoring
Throughout the summer, there are many families looking for additional support for their children to best prepare them for the upcoming school year. Some teachers offer either private one-on-one or group tutoring sessions for students who need a little extra help in different subjects. With the popularization of video conferencing, it’s never been easier to schedule times that work with everyone’s schedule.
For older students, consider offering tutoring support to help them prepare for standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. Even if you have never tried this before, there are a plethora of free resources and extensive guides you can use to guide your instruction.
5. Leading Camp Invention
Each year, thousands of educators across the country partner with the National Inventors Hall of Fame® to lead Camp Invention® – an acclaimed K-6 hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program. Thanks to its turnkey approach to implementation, for many Instructors, camp offers the chance to creatively engage with students in ways not always possible throughout the academic year.
In addition to a stipend, CEUs* and a letter of recognition from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention provides experience implementing a curriculum that embraces open-ended learning and creative problem solving. You’ll build transferable teaching skills you can bring back to your classroom and use throughout the school year.
Additionally, each camp experience is designed to develop the I Can Invent® Mindset, helping both you and your students to think like innovators.
Partner With Us Today!
Interested in learning more about the many benefits of teaching at Camp Invention? We invite you to contact us.
* Acceptance of CEUs is subject to your state or district continuing education requirements.
