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Are you looking for ideas for a side hustles for teachers? These options are some of the best ways to earn extra money as an educator.
Not a teacher? Some of these side hustle ideas could still be a good fit. Just be sure to read the requirements carefully to make sure you qualify. Not all of these require a teaching certificate.
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a teacher. I used to skip class to go help in my mom’s kindergarten class, and it was so fulfilling. I loved being in a classroom and watching kids learn.
Fast forward a bit, and I graduated high school and headed off for college. Of course, Education was my major. I eventually earned a master’s degree in elementary reading and lit, and am a certified teacher here in Washington State.
Except, teaching made me miss my own kids. So, back in 2012 I left the classroom to focus on my own group of learners.
But then money got tight. And I knew there had to be a way for me to put my education and skills to use for profit. So I started researching.
I came up with several ways to make money without putting in full-time hours. The following list shares some of the best side hustles for teachers that I found.
So whether you’re a teacher who has already left the profession, or are looking for a way to supplement your income, I hope you find potential in these gigs.
Side Hustle for Teachers #1: Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is a great side hustle for teachers. It’s the primary home business I’ve been using to make money from home every year since 2015.
Freelance writing allows me to break down big ideas and convert them into tiny parts. It lets me infuse my love for language into the content I create. If you’re wondering what freelance writing is and how it works, here’s a post that’ll help explain it better:
Why Freelance Writing Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Freelance writing requires you to:
- Have excellent language skills
- Be able to share your expertise and knowledge with others
- Quickly research a topic and summarize the information in your own words
- Create content that teaches others
These are skills that most teachers excel at. And don’t worry, you don’t need to be an English teacher to succeed.
Ready to become a freelance writer? Check out 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success. It’s a great course that’ll get you up and running in no time!
Side Hustle for Teachers #2: Curriculum Writer
While this is similar to a freelance writer, it is definitely different to write a curriculum than to write a blog post. If you want to stay engaged with the educational industry, and have a passion for curricula, this might be a great fit!
I’ve written three curricula since 2015, and they are time consuming, but lucrative.
Why Curriculum Writing Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Curriculum writing requires you to:
- Create an overview of a course and break it down into lessons
- Design lessons that align to state standards
- Infuse creativity and technology into education
- Be an expert in a field
Teachers are in the perfect position to create curricula because they have years of experience and knowledge about what really works with kids.
Ready to get started as a curriculum writer? You can search for these positions with online schools such as K12 and Connections Academy. Look on their job boards and use the keywords “writer” or “instructional design” to find openings.
Side Hustle for Teachers #3: Tutor People
This is a great option for teachers who have expertise in a particular subject area. You can find clients online or through word-of-mouth referrals.
Additionally, many districts hire tutors to help kids after school. And, if you are hoping to work online, you can find tutoring positions with many different companies. When you tutor online, you typically meet with the student via video, and have access to a virtual blackboard.
What subjects are you qualified to tutor in? Math and SAT prep are hot fields, but you can find tutor positions for a variety of subjects.
Why Tutoring Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Tutoring requires you to:
- Teach someone how to do something
- Use creativity to present difficult concepts in easy to understand ways
- Meet the needs of an individual learner
- Review work and check for understanding
Ready to get started as a tutor? You can search for these positions on Craigslist, on school district websites, and on individual tutoring company websites. A Google search for “subject” + paid tutor will bring up some options for you.
Side Hustle for Teachers #4: Launch a Blog
A great side hustle for teachers is to start a blog. Blogging can be a way to make some extra money. There are a number of ways that you can monetize your side hustle, including:
- Advertisement revenue from Google Adsense or other advertising programs
- Sponsorship deals with companies who want more exposure on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter
- Selling products through your blog (e.g., books, courses)
- Freelance blogging opportunities as you connect with other bloggers
You can make money blogging, but it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. This is definitely a long-term game.
What are you passionate about? Use the answer to that question to help guide you into a niche. Then start creating amazing content that solves your reader’s problems.
As you create content, work on driving traffic as well. (Pinterest works well for me!) Then monetize your blog with affiliate links, ads, or products/services of your own.
Why Blogging Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Blogging requires you to:
- Be passionate about your niche
- Create content that readers want to read
- Build connections with your audience, and truly care for them
- Research keywords and brainstorm blog post ideas
Ready to get started as a blogger? I highly recommend hosting with FastComet. You can find my step-by-step guide to starting a blog here:
Start a Money Making Blog: A Baby Steps Guide
Side Hustle for Teachers #5: Write a Homeschool Curriculum
What are you passionate about that homeschooling families would love to teach their kids?
The great part about writing a homeschool curriculum is that it doesn’t have to be in one of the core subject areas. There are unit studies and lesson plans for just about everything you can imagine.
Do some research in the market, and see what is missing. Can you create it? Awesome, get to it and then market your course.
Why Creating a Homeschool Curriculum Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Creating a homeschool curriculum requires you to:
- Be passionate about your subject area
- Create content that explains how to teach the material
- Design a curriculum that helps students master the content
- Bring your course to market
Ready to get started as a homeschool curriculum writer? I brought my course (Teaching Reading Through Play) to market at first with Schoolhouse Teachers. In exchange, I received a free membership to their online program (for as long as my course is live) and a lot of advertising dollars.
I opted to purchase a review package for my other course (Balancing Diapers and Deadlines.)
So Schoolhouse Teachers is a good way to break into the homeschool market and see if it’s a good fit for you. But, it’s not the only way. You can opt to self-publish it and market it on your own website. Or seek publication with a traditional publisher. There are lots of options here!
Side Hustle for Teachers #6: Become a Virtual Assistant
Do you enjoy helping others grow? Of course you do, you’re a teacher!
As a virtual assistant, you can have a huge impact on fellow business owners. You can take tasks off their plate so they can focus on other work. Typically, this is work you can do on your own time, which makes it super flexible, especially if you’re still teaching.
Plus, there are so many different ways to make money as a VA. There’s literally something for everyone. Seriously!
Why Becoming a Virtual Assistant Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Being a virtual assistant requires you to:
- Be an excellent communicator
- Use your time management skills
- Create packages and offers based on your strengths
- Have a solid understanding of processes and procedures
Ready to get started as a virtual assistant? You should check out Gina Horkey’s Fully Booked VA. It’s been totally revamped since I took in back in 2015 and is SO GOOD!
You’ll learn how to create your offers, find clients, and market yourself. It’s incredible.
And for more information on becoming a VA, read this post:
How to Launch a Virtual Assistant Business
Side Hustle for Teachers #7: Proofread Materials
Are you good at proofreading? If you are bothered by grammar and spelling mistakes, you might make a great proofreader or editor. Many companies hire people to help ensure their material is ready for the world to see.
Proofreading can be a very flexible gig, as most times clients just want you to have the review ready for them by a certain date. But, as far as when you do that work, that’s up to you!
Why Becoming a Proofreader Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Being a proofreader requires you to:
- Have an excellent command of the English language
- Catch errors in grammar and spelling
- Be meticulous and detail-oriented
- Communicate well with your clients
These skills come naturally for many teachers, making this one of the best side hustles for teachers.
Ready to get started as a proofreader? What you shouldn’t do is email random bloggers and tell them you found errors in their post and that they should hire you to make it right. That just makes people mad and gives you the reputation of being a member of the grammar police.
What you should do is read this post from The Work At Home Wife. She has a great overview of how to get started as a proofread, and offers links to several companies that hire freelance proofreaders.
Side Hustles for Teachers #8: Grade Assignments and Tests
Grading assignments and tests is pretty much one of the core duties as a teacher. Did you know you can get paid to do this for companies? And you don’t even have to leave your home to make it happen.
Why Online Grading Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Being an online grader requires you to:
- Compare answers to the correct answer
- Grade written essays using a rubric
- Maintain consistent grading practices for each task
- Maintain confidential records
Ready to get started as an online grader? There are many companies hiring online graders. Here are a few where you can submit your application. Most require teaching experience and a minimum of a bachelor’s degree:
Note: These are not all GREAT paying positions. But, if you are looking to bring in some extra income, this could be a good place to start.
Side Hustles for Teachers #9: Become a Social Media Manager
If you’re a tech savvy teacher who enjoys social media, you could start your own social media management company. Technically this is also something you could do as a virtual assistant, but it’s very niched down.
This side gig requires some knowledge of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., but it’s possible to get started without any experience.
For teachers, this is a great job to do in the evenings and weekends. It’s really flexible.
Why Social Media Marketing Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Being a social media manager requires you to:
- Understand a brand and its core values
- Curate content that reflects the company and offers value
- Utilize scheduling tools to ensure content goes out on a regular basis
- Use your summarizing skills to pull shareable quotes from your client’s posts
Ready to get started as a social media marketer? You can often find social media management jobs in Facebook Groups, and on other social media platforms. If you’re looking for a great tool to help you get started, I highly recommend Gina’s course Social Media for Virtual Assistants.
Side Hustles for Teachers #10: Write Test Items
As a teacher, you’re probably a pro at writing test questions. Did you know that there’s a paying market for this skill? It’s true!
Test companies are hiring teachers just like you to create the question banks for assessments. This is an excellent way to put your subject matter expertise to work. Depending on the company, you may need to pass a series of tests to prove you’re competent in the subject before you begin writing test items.
Why Writing Test Items Is a Good Side Hustle for Teachers
Being a test item writer requires you to:
- Have a thorough understanding of pedagogy
- Be able to create content that represents a diverse group of test takers
- Understand how to write test items utilizing a variety of thinking skills
- Ensure test items match state standards
Ready to get started as a test item writer? You can apply for available openings with these websites. You can also Google “test item writer opening” and see what else you can find.
Other Potential Side Hustles for Teachers
Here are some more quick ideas to make money on the side. Not all of these ones are online, but they are all ways to bring in legitimate money.
- Teaching English online (but you have to get up super early and don’t get paid great considering taxes aren’t taken out…)
- Taking an online teaching position with Connections Academy, K12, or Odysseyware (some may require you to go in occasionally)
- Driving kids from point A to point B with companies like Uber, except for kids (like Hop, Skip, Drive)
- Babysitting
- Writing a book and publishing on Kindle
- Renting out space with Airbnb
- Creating unit studies and lesson plans with Teachers Pay Teachers
- Creating a course for other teachers or a different audience
- Opening an Etsy shop
- Bookkeeping
- Online consulting
There are so many ways to start boosting your income today. All it takes is consistent progress. Baby steps will get you there. Freelance writing changed my life, and a side hustle can change yours as well.
And, if you’re worried about making time for a business, check out my course Balancing Diapers and Deadlines. It walks you through creating a solid time management foundation so you have time to do the things you want to do (like start a business.)
You can do this!
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Lisa Tanner is a former teacher turned homeschooling mom with 11 kids. She's also a successful freelance writer. Lisa enjoys helping other busy moms find time to start and grow a side hustle of their own.
