20 Alternative Jobs for Teachers in the PreK-12 Education Sector - WorkMonger (2023)

Are you passionate about education but found that teaching was just not the right fit for you?

In this blog, we break down 20 awesome alternative jobs for teachers in PreK-12 education sector. Whether you want to work directly with students, provide support for teachers, hold an administrative role, impact the community, or directly influence policies, curriculum, and trends – there’s a job for you!

Let’s dig in!

If You Still Want to Work with Kids

Do you have a desire to teach, but you want to work with children outside of a traditional classroom setting? Here are some alternative jobs for educators that are little different from your former occupation.

Private Tutor

Just like adults, many children find it easier to work and learn in an environment with fewer peers. Becoming a private tutor allows for flexibility within your schedule as well as creates a strong teaching relationship with a handful of students instead of maintaining a large classroom. Find hundreds of incredible tutoring opportunitiesnationwide at organizations like Tutors.com, VIPKid or INC Tutoring.

Become a Homeschool Teacher

Similar to private tutoring, the opportunity to have a high adult to student ratio is one of the top reasons homeschooling has become a choice for many families. As a homeschool teacher, you’ll have the chance to develop unique lesson plans in tune with your student’s needs instead of planning for a large student base with a variety of learning styles.

Teach Children Who Are Homebound

No child’s education should suffer because they’re unable to attend school in a classroom setting. A homebound teacher engages in one-on-one instruction while providing the classroom structure that similar to that of a traditional school. Utilizing your knowledge of learning styles and student development will help you be successful in this position.

Teach GED Courses at Alternative Schools

Teaching GED classes allows you to engage with adults who are passionate about getting their education back on track. Those in your classroom will be hungry to improve themselves and excited about jumping back into education. You’ll have the opportunity to teach a variety of subjects while honing your craft and improving your communication skills.

Online Educator

As the number of students receiving online education increases, so does the need for virtual teachers. As an online teacher, you’ll be able to optimize and personalize lessons for students while creating a space where they can find their voice.

Online organizations like K12 partner with parents and students to create an optimized digital learning experience developed just for them! By removing the barriers students face and meet them right where they are, encourages students to grow to their full potential.

Online schools also cater to a variety of learners and focus on a broad range of subjects. Transfer your teaching skills into a digital classroom and utilize your current knowledge base to educate students of all ages.

If You Want to Provide Support or Assistance to Teachers

Many educators are expected to juggle numerous responsibilities while taking on several roles, in addition to their regular teaching obligations. Lighten their load by providing wraparound services in these various roles.

Instructional Coach/Development Coach

If you have experience or a background in a specific area, being an instructional or development coach is a great way to educate other teachers in this area. As a former teacher, you are likely to be a great leader and motivator, enabling you to mentor those who are interested in developing their teaching skills.

Content Creator

Help fellow teachers save time, headaches, and late nights by selling your most popular, engaging lesson plans online. Ready-to-use content like lesson plans, exercises, templates is especially helpful for first-time teachers who are new to teaching curriculum. Sell your lessons on marketplaces like Teacher Pay Teachers, Teacher’s Notebook, and Educents.

Find a Job or Work with Organizations That Support Educators

The difference between being a good teacher and a great teacher all centers around solid support systems. No teacher can achieve their highest potential while working as an individual. Join an organization that’s passionate about helping teachers to thrive in the classroom. Organizations like CityYear, Swing Education, and Donors Choose all stand behind classroom teachers.

College Counselor

The transition from high school to college is one of the most pivotal times in a young person’s life. Taking on the role of college counselor allows you to influence students in making crucial decisions about their future. Drawing from your own classroom and college experience, you’ll be able to give them informed and wise information about the steps they should take next.

Guidance Counselor/School Counselor

Growing concern for students’ mental health, school safety, and wellbeing inside and outside the school walls are forcing public and private schools to reevaluate the importance of guidance counselors. They are now being sought out to facilitate behavior intervention as well as address, assess, and help develop students’ social-emotional learning skills.

Social Worker

Social workers provide care and protection for children in potentially harmful situations, ensuring they receive the care they need. Teachers are naturally compassionate, playing a vital role in the wellbeing of the children in their care. Translating these skills to the role of a social worker can mean you are the saving grace in the life of a child.

If You’re Looking for Administrative or Management Jobs in Education that Support School Systems

Are you looking for management jobs that will advance your career and diversify your experience in the education sector? If so, here are a few alternative jobs for teachers you may like.

School Administration Jobs

Many individuals who are now in leadership roles at schools began their careers in a classroom. Many teachers develop a number of leadership skills that position them for more opportunities outside of the classroom. A school administrator role allows you to stay in close contact with other staff and students while being a top decision-maker. Some examples include a superintendent, principal, or dean of students.

Education Management Roles

Who better to make decisions about how to make a positive change in a classroom than those who have classroom experience themselves? Using their classroom background, those in education management roles are the people who make the clock tick, ensuring things go smoothly behind the scenes. Whether it’s overseeing grants and finances to ensure the school system is funded or staying up today on legal and compliance issues, these people are the backbone of the school systems.

Find a Job or Work with Organizations That Support School Systems

The school system isn’t limited to just those in your local community. With hundreds of thousands of schools in the United States, there are plenty of organizations you can find that support and partner with school systems. Because of your classroom background, you’ll be poised and ready to discuss issues that face teachers and students alike, advocating for change. Teach For America, TNTP, and Education Pioneers are organizations who support schools and seek improvement in education.

Education Consultant

One of the best ways to use your classroom experience is to advise other educators. Consulting allows you to make your schedule while also being making suggestions on classroom techniques, procedures, and development. Many private and public schools, government agencies, and education-based companies will hire education consultants as independent contractors.

Program or Project Managers

One of the best reasons a teacher makes a great project manager is because of the level of communication, planning, and implementing that goes into a classroom. You’re already familiar with managing teams, juggling multiple projects, assessing data, and implementing feedback to improve results. Program and project managers all come with unique backgrounds and skills, making it a perfect fit for an educator.

If You’re Passionate About How Education Impacts the Entire Community

If you believe that a student’s educational capabilities are enhanced when they’re supported by an informed, engaged, and empowered community, these jobs may interest you.

Adult Learning Tutor

An adult learning tutor is extremely beneficial for students whose parents haven’t finished school or lack formal education. When parents can comprehend the foundational concepts of their child’s school topics, they feel more confident. Subsequently, they become supportive and involved in the child’s education development at home. This kind of tutoring can be done privately at their home or the local library or community center.

Community Engagement Director

This role can take place at a community center, a non-profit organization that supports education initiatives, or even your local government’s education department. Community engagement is another way to provide wraparound services for students outside of school by connecting them with resources that are conducive to creating positive learning environments.

Ed Tech

An Ed Tech is an excellent job for those interested in advancing student learning through the use of technology. Technology has made incredible strides over the past 5 to 10 years. It’s become an integral part of the way students learn and grow.

In this role, you’ll experience the latest and greatest in technology. You’ll also get a front-row seat in seeing just how vital technology is in the development of a student and a school.

Product Developer

Use your classroom expertise to create immersive, intuitive, and engaging ed-tech products for kids and teachers. You could help create learning and habits that are “edutaining” for everyone in the classroom. Are you accustomed to using different learning styles to address the various ways kids process information? Then you’ll have no problem transforming boring subjects into exciting adventures. If this sounds like a dream job, product development might be a good look for you.

Sales Rep

As a teacher, it’s in your DNA to find the tools and resources necessary to get your students to the next level by filling holes in their learning to make them successful. Sales reps must have these same skills to assess what’s needed by a customer to ensure they’re as successful and engaged as possible.

Museum Educator

Interested in culture, but looking to step outside the classroom walls? A museum educator allows you to give back to your community while also developing programs and initiatives that engage local students and educators. You might even get the opportunity to lead a lecture or field trip for attendees!

If You’re Looking to Implement Your Expertise In a Way That Directly Influences Policies, Curriculum, and Trends in the Education Sector

Do you want to use your teaching experience to shape the content, policies, and voice of education? Well, these alternative teaching jobs may be right up your alley.

Textbook Writer/Contributor

After all your time in school spent writing lesson plans and time in the classroom grading papers, you already have excellent writing skills. Put them to good use by partnering with a textbook publisher to develop quality lessons on a subject you’re passionate and knowledgeable about. The best part? You’ll most likely be able to work from home and on your schedule.

Curriculum Design and Development

This type of role is perfect if you’d like to stay with education without working directly in a classroom. A job in curriculum design and development focuses on creating a type of blueprint for an overall course, building an outline that includes learning objectives, assessment strategies, and engaging activities.

Education Policy

Being involved in education policy allows you to speak into the policies and rules that have come to shape the classroom. Draw from your personal experience of working with students to influence educational decision-making. Your working knowledge may be the key to influencing policy to ensure the best interest of the student is at the center.

Education Researcher

If you love the classroom, but also love analyzing data and numbers, this job is for you. Ranging from looking at student learning, classroom dynamics, and teaching methods, you’ll never be bored. You’ll also get the unique opportunity to dive into the data that shows you how students and classrooms alike, tick.

A Classroom Isn’t the Only Place You’ll Find Jobs for Teachers

Transitioning out of the classroom can be a hard and challenging decision, especially if you’re passionate about making a positive impact on children’s lives. But that doesn’t have to mean that you have to remove yourself from the education sector altogether. There are plenty of organizations and avenues that have jobs for teachers in or out of a classroom!

For more job suggestions, and to help you assess which of your transferrable teaching skills employers will love, check out this WorkMonger blog.