Ideal Summer Jobs for Teachers

Teachers typically finish work for the school year in early June and most don't have any work to do until just before school starts again in late August. While you certainly can enjoy your summer off, if you want to make more money or just keep busy, you can consider getting a summer job. As a teacher, though, you don't necessarily want to compete with your students for positions in retail or any of the other common jobs open during the summer months.

 

Did you know? Over 50% of teachers report taking on additional jobs in the summer. Some also continue to work part-time in these positions during the year.

 

If you're a teacher hoping to fill your summers with a temporary job, you can go one of two routes. First, you can look for a job relating to education. This makes sense, since you're qualified for the position and it will boost your resume. You might even be able to get college credit toward a master's degree for the work you do, depending on the position you take. The second option you have is to work in a position unrelated to teaching. If you're looking for something interesting and new, this is a good route for you.

 

No matter which route you want to go, let's take a look at some of your job options:

Tutor

Some students need extra help, even during the summer. As a teacher, you're more than qualified to serve as a tutor. You could offer your services to struggling students who took your classes during the year, homeschool students who need a little extra help in a certain area, or even exchange students who want to be prepared for the school year ahead.

Summer School Teacher

Most schools offer summer school for students who failed classes and otherwise risk being left behind a grade. Your job teaching summer school will not be much different from your job during the year, though your days won't be as long (in general), and you may oversee students in a number of classes within your subject area all at once. It's more like a group tutoring situation than a typical class situation.

Camp Counselor

As a teacher, you're used to leading groups of children, so working as a camp counselor might be a good choice for you.

 

Summer camps typically have a nature-related aspect, but there are specialty camps in every topic area, from robotics to sports to fitness. Some camps are day camps, so you'll return home every night, while others are sleep-away camps, where you'll live at the location where you work.

Day Care Worker

Day care jobs typically don't pay extremely well, but your experience as a teacher more than qualifies you to work at this kind of location. A day care center is a more lose environment than a school, but most do provide structure for children at all age groups.

Librarian

During the summer, libraries typically have an influx of visitors and many run summer programs for children, so they hire additional staff. Summer librarians can work at the check-out desk, in the reference area, or with children attending summer reading programs or classes.

Sports Coach

Although many sports seasons occur during the school year, some take place over the summer, and these students need coaches. Even sports programs that run when students are in school often offer short camps for conditioning during the summer, so you could lead basketball drills or help hockey players stay in shape. The advantage is that most of these programs are offered directly by the school district, so you'll typically just get paid a bonus, rather than having to go through the paperwork of being hired by an outside company.

Writer

Your free time over the summer allows you to work on that next great American novel, though there are also writing jobs that pay more quickly if you want a job during the summer that will actually make you some money.

 

As a freelance writer, you can send queries to magazines, working in a more traditional manner, or you can seek writing gigs online, such as penning blog posts and other web content. Teachers also can work as resume writers, offering services to members of the community who on the market for new jobs and need help applying.

Entrepreneurship

You can also use the summer to pursue a passion you might have outside of teaching. Starting your own business isn't a walk in the park, but can be extremely rewarding. Consider a temporary business that you can essentially run out of your home with little start-up costs such as lawn care, making jewelry, or selling catalog products (like Avon or Pampered Chef).

 

Of course, these aren't by far your only job options. As a teacher, you can also apply for any temporary job available for the summer, from serving food in a restaurant to working at an amusement park to selling clothing at the mall and anything in between.

 

And whether you're a teacher or not, if you're looking for a summer position, understanding the hiring process for this kind of temporary job can help you get hired. Let's take a look at summer hiring information that can help you land the seasonal job of your dreams.

 

Summer Hiring Process >>>