Part Time Teaching Jobs 2017

Leaving the teaching profession can be difficult. As teachers we tend to believe that we should continue to operate within the system as this is what we have been trained to do. I believe that the skills you develop as a teacher are some of the most valuable skills a person can possess and that these skills are far more transferable than you might think. If you are still unsure as to whether leaving the profession is a good thing to do, it may be worth considering going part time at your school to start exploring other opportunities within the industry.

Below, I have outlined what I feel are the two most exciting options for teachers looking to go part time at the moment:

Work for an Edtech business

Technology is revolutionising education. I firmly believe that the Victorian era model for teaching of sitting 30 students in front of a teacher is nearly at an end. Technology will increasingly be used to improve communication between schools, students and parents. Automated marking systems will significantly reduce the amount of time teachers will need to spend with student’s books. E-learning platforms will help differentiate and make sure that students are on track. There are currently thousands of Edtech businesses being setup, many of whom would benefit from part time assistance from the people that know the industry best.

Pros

• Growth industry: Many opportunities with a large number of potential employers
• Values teachers: Teaching experience will be valuable to create innovative solutions
• Innovative work: Solving problems may find use for your creative side
• Potential financial upside: Backing the right business early on could pay dividends

Cons

• High risk: Many Edtech businesses are small and therefore fragile
• Low salaries: Edtech businesses may not be able to match your teaching salary

Become a Private Tutor

The private tuition industry has been on an exponential growth trajectory over the past ten years. The industry provides an opportunity for the very best teachers out there to show off what they can do and be compensated for their market worth. Here at Owl Tutors, all tutors start off on at least £40 an hour for tuition work meaning that it is relatively easy to make up the shortfall in your teaching salary from going part time.

Pros

• Use your skills: Go back to what you went into teaching for in the first place: teaching!
• Growth industry: There is no shortage of households that want a tutor
• Values teachers: You already have the right experience to be a great tutor
• Flexible working: Manage your own business and the times at which you work
• Large earnings potential: If you can be the best, people will pay you a premium

Cons

• Antisocial working hours: Tuition predominantly takes place after school and at weekends. Tutoring two or three students each evening Monday-Thursday plus all day Sunday is a timetable that works for a number of our full-time tutors. Taking Fridays and Saturdays off can help to create a good work-life balance. Alternately, providing online tuition to students living in different time zones can help to bring your working hours more in line with your friends’ and family’s
• Lack of peers: The profession can be lonely unless you make an effort to find peers. Working closely with an agency can provide a good support network, and Owl Tutors tries to keep in frequent contact with all our tutors. Our door is always open to tutors, whether they are in need of a spare desk, practice papers or just a coffee!
• Admin heavy: Expect a lot of your time to be spent dealing with admin. Whilst this is inescapable (one of the perks of being self-employed), Owl Tutors can help shoulder much of the admin burden by dealing with invoicing, building your profile and brand, finding you new clients and paying you on time each month.

The idea behind this article was to outline the potential options that exist for teachers looking to move careers. Although working in Edtech and becoming a private tutor represent two exciting opportunities right now, there are numerous other opportunities to find part time work such as:

• Becoming an examiner
• Supply Teaching
• Exam paper writing
• Exam invigilation
• Writing textbooks
• Consultancy

Your skill set is incredible. Make the most of it!