By Crissandra Ayroso
Are you motivated to explore your creative side, create innovative solutions, products, or services that provide solutions to common (yet unaddressed) student learning pain points? Or enhance learning opportunities in education using your teaching experience and expertise? You may be a teacherpreneur, and not even know it.
What is a teacherpreneur?
A teacherpreneur, by definition, is a teacher turned entrepreneur working in the field of education.
There are a lot of pathways for teacherpreneurs to discover new money-making opportunities, including starting their own businesses, freelancing, or transitioning to new roles within the educational sector.
If teacherpreneurship sounds like a lucrative, necessary, or fun way to earn extra income, here are a few tips to help launch your new venture.
How to become a teacherpreneur
There are three common themes to consider when venturing into teacherpreneurship ideas:
- Expanding on your expertise
- Specializing in high-demand areas
- Pursuing opportunities for professional development
Expand on your expertise
Pursue advanced degrees or certifications to qualify for leadership roles or specialized teaching positions: Research graduate programs or certification options that align with your career goals, such as a master's degree in education leadership or a certification in a specialized teaching area.
- Evaluate factors such as program reputation, curriculum relevance, and flexibility to determine the best fit for your needs.
- Apply for financial aid, scholarships, or tuition reimbursement programs to offset the cost of furthering your education.
- Network with professionals in your desired field and seek opportunities for internships, fellowships, or assistantships to gain practical experience and advance your career prospects.
Enhance skills in educational technology to offer training or support services to schools and educators: Identify areas within educational technology that interest you, such as digital curriculum development, learning management systems, or instructional design.
- Explore online courses, workshops, or certification programs focused on educational technology tools and practices.
- Experiment with different tools and platforms to gain hands-on experience and proficiency.
- Create a portfolio showcasing your expertise and examples of your work, such as instructional videos, online courses, or technology-integrated lesson plans.
- Market your services to schools, educators, or educational technology companies through networking, social media, and online platforms.
Specialize in high-demand areas
Develop expertise in high-demand subjects or areas, such as STEM education or special education: Identify specific areas within STEM education or special education that align with your interests and strengths.
- Pursue professional development opportunities, such as workshops, seminars, or online courses, to deepen your knowledge and skills in these areas.
- Consider seeking mentorship from experienced educators or joining professional associations related to your chosen field.
- Showcase your expertise through presentations, publications, or involvement in relevant projects to establish yourself as a leader in high-demand educational areas.
Pursue opportunities for professional development
Teach English abroad or online with a TEFL certification: Obtain a specialized certification, such as the TEFL certification offered by OISE University of Toronto, one of the top 20 universities in the world.
- Upon completion, explore job opportunities abroad or through online teaching platforms, language schools, or educational institutions abroad.
- Network with other TEFL-certified educators and leverage online resources to enhance your teaching skills and market yourself effectively.
Explore freelance tutoring, curriculum development, educational consulting, or content writing opportunities: Determine your areas of expertise and interests within education, such as subject-specific tutoring, curriculum design, educational consulting, or content creation.
- Develop a business plan outlining your services, target audience, pricing structure, and marketing strategies.
- Create a professional website or portfolio to showcase your services, qualifications, and previous work.
- Network with schools, educators, parents, and educational organizations to promote your services and generate referrals.
- Use online platforms and marketplaces, such as freelance websites or educational forums, to find opportunities and connect with clients.
- Continuously update your skills and offerings based on market demand and feedback from clients to grow your freelance business.
Are you a teacherpreneur?
As Plato philosophized, necessity is the mother of invention.
If you see or find a clear learning gap that you can fulfill within your skill sets, expertise, creativity, initiative, and problem-solving abilities, consider what you have to offer as the perfect solution.
Entrepreneurial ventures can even become stepping stones for your career. If you're ready to forge a new path, and see where it can take you, stack your skill sets as a teacher and start making more money.