How to Make Extra Money as a Teacher This Summer
As the summer rolls near you may be thinking about ways to earn some extra money. The great news - you have an incredible skill set that is extremely valuable.
We’ve all heard of the summer slide - and we know that even with the best teaching in place we still have a gap in student performance, which means -
There is a huge need for your skill set!
Based on the NAEP report from 2022, 67% of 4th graders and 69% of 8th graders are reading below a proficient level.
According to that same report, 64% of 4th graders, 74% of 8th graders, and 76% of 12th graders are below a proficient level in mathematics.
And aside from literacy and mathematics, post-COVID, students executive functioning skills are more impacted than ever and students need additional support solidifying these skills (Korzeniowski, C. (2023). Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Development of Children’s Executive Functions: Implications for School-Based Interventions. Journal ISSN, 2766, 2276.)
So, what’s the solution?!
Start a Tutoring Business
As we mentioned before, the summer slide is a real concern. Parents are often looking for support over the summer, whether it be one-on-one or in small groups. Seeing students is a fantastic way to make extra income while helping students and staying in your zone of genius!
Pros:
Make a massive impact - As a teacher, you very likely went into this field to make a difference - what better way to make an impact than to do it on your terms? You have complete control here!
Flexible Hours - You can set your schedule to align with what works for you!
Set yourself up for the future - This is a great first step if you have ever considered starting your own tutoring or intervention business. You can think of it as a trial run to see if it is something you love that you may want to consider as a full-time thing down the road!
Cons:
It can feel overwhelming - There is a lot to think about when starting any business (including a tutoring business)
For example, you need to be thinking about who you want to work with. What type of students do you feel best supporting, what are their needs? What materials or curricula do you have to support them? How will you demonstrate growth? How will you market your programs and services? How will you keep everything organized? How will you accept money?
But here’s the great news,
With a little bit of planning, you can get all of this worked out ahead of time. You can start by focusing on your “why” which is the foundation of any successful business. This can be really simple, just take a few minutes to journal out your why. Is it impact, flexibility, setting yourself up for the future, or something else?
Then you can move on to focusing on the strategy for your business. We break this down into 4 Pillars - program development, marketing, systems, and finances.
Let’s talk about strategy:
Programs - This is where you focus specifically on what your services look like, who you serve, how you help them. This is what makes your practice truly unique and it sets the stage for everything else you do in your business.
Marketing - This is how people find out about what you have to offer! There are so many ways you can do this right and the beautiful thing is, this can be unique to you as well. It’s all about sharing your passion and how you can help others.
Systems - This is where you get really tactical and keep everything organized! The good news is that this doesn’t have to be difficult; it’s all about having a few simple practices in place.
Finances - Now this is where we usually all cringe, but you need to make sure that your practice is financially solid so you can continue to make a massive impact. Here you want to think about your rates, your business expenses, your taxes, and your take-home pay. What do you need to make in order to make your practice viable?
That’s it! And if you’re interested in taking the next step, we’ve put together an entire training designed to help you Start Your Literacy Practice, and we’d love to walk alongside you as you begin this journey.
