What do teachers do all summer?

Because I work a 10 month job, I am often asked “What do teachers do all summer?” Truthfully, it just flies by. I usually take a week staycation to just recover – sleep late, clean my house, read a book. My husband and I will probably go on a vacation (well, not last year and probably not this year either). And the other 6 weeks?  Here are some ideas to help make your days count this summer:

Destress:

This is my number one priority this year, and every year.

• Relax.
• Stay healthy.

Teacher-adjacent jobs:

If you need the cash, there’s a huge market for professional educators to capitalize on their training this year.

• Offer your services as a tutor. Advertise on Facebook in the local groups and give your name to the guidance counselors at the schools near your home. Or, sign up with an established tutoring company.
• Teach summer school. Probably most of those jobs will be filled by the time you read this, but it’s worth a try!
• Try selling some resources on TeachersPayTeachers or AmpedUpLearning.
• Take one of your best lessons and launch a virtual course on Outschool.

Freelance jobs:

The benefit of a freelance job is that you can work as much or as little as you want.

• Freelance copywriters can make upwards of $100 an hour. Glance through the listings at Etsy and get some ideas there.
• Drive for a ride share company like Uber or Lyft.
• Grocery shop for companies like Instacart or Shipt.
• Deliver take out for UberEats or DoorDash.

Summer professional development:

If you want to stay current or brush up on some skills for next year, there are many resources for you.

• Twitter hosts a ton of educator virtual meetups with a wide variety of topics.
• Watch some great TED talks.
• Listen to science podcasts.
• Take a free virtual course at the San Diego Zoo.

Get ready for next year:

By the end of summer, I’m ready to think about school again. Here are some ways to hit the ground running when school opens.

• Plan healthy school lunches.
• Buy your supplies.
• Plan your bulletin boards.

Photo credits:

Photo by Tobias Tullius on Unsplash

Photo by Dai KE on Unsplash