10 teaching jobs you can get outside the classroom

Just because you’ve decided to become a teacher does not mean you have to get stuck in a K-12 classroom. Maybe you’ve done that already and want to put your teaching skills to use in a different environment. Maybe there simply aren’t any traditional K-12 teaching jobs at the moment. No worries, because there are a number of teaching jobs you can pursue outside the traditional classroom. Here are 10 of them.

1. Daycare Teacher

Learning begins before kids ever step foot in a public or private school. Very young children start to get how the world works by playing, socializing with other little ones, and understanding that rules exist even when mommy and daddy aren’t around. All of this kind of learning happens in daycare, and you can be a part of shaping young minds by doing things like organizing creative activities and planning basic lessons.

2. At-Home Teacher

Some kids are not able to make it into the classroom, as they may be ill, injured, or disabled. So if you want to escape the classroom and enjoy the satisfaction of helping in-need children and engaging in one-on-one learning, you should think about teaching children in their homes or hospitals. Bonus: if you enjoy one-on-one teaching, this is a great gig to explore.

3. Homeschool Teacher

Physical issues are not the only reasons that some kids do not take part in a traditional classroom setting. Sometimes parents prefer to have their kids homeschooled but do not have the ability to do the job themselves. That’s where you come in, as a contract homeschool teacher. Again, here's the chance to work one-on-one or with a small group in a cozy home setting.

4. Online K-12 Teacher

If you don’t mind taking on a heavy workload and love the idea of teaching from the comfort of your own home, consider teaching an online K-12 course. K-12 teaching is very competitive, but it is also a growing industry, so you may find yourself increasingly in demand in the coming years.

5. Community College Teacher

Opportunities teaching outside the public school classroom do not have to be limited to K-12 students. Higher education may be your calling. If that sounds enticing, look into positions teaching undergraduate courses at a community college or even an online university.

6. Private Tutor

Kids who go the traditional school route often need a bit of extra help outside the classroom from private tutors. Tutoring companies don’t tend to pay very well, but you could actually do quite well if you establish your own business. In fact, some tutors actually earn more than public school teachers by charging high hourly rates and working nights and weekends.

7. Museum Educator

Are you the creative type? Or maybe you have a love of history or science but can’t stand the thought of standing in front of rows of disinterested high schoolers. A museum would certainly be a more stimulating environment. Museums are often looking for trained teachers to work as on-site educators.

8. Corporate Trainer

Children and college students are not the only ones who need an education. Adults who work for corporations also need to learn a variety of skills to perform their jobs effectively. If you have a master's degree in teaching, that's a very strong qualification for becoming a corporate teacher.

9. Prison GED Teacher

If you’re open to unconventional opportunities, think about teaching a GED course to incarcerated adults. Helping prisoners earn their high school equivalency certificates can be an extremely rewarding alternative to traditional K-12 teaching.

10. Writer

If you have a love for educating but shudder at the idea of teaching a class or even doing one-on-one educating, writing textbooks and other classroom materials is a great alternative option. Search for freelance writing gigs within your specialty to see if companies are looking to fill a specific niche. As you can see, if you want a break from the classroom but still want the satisfaction of educating, you can take heart in the fact that there are plenty of options!