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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
From Fall through Spring, teachers work with children and young adults on their learning journeys, helping them become responsible citizens and lifelong learners. For nine to ten months out of every year, teachers spend just about every waking hour thinking about teaching, their class, their lessons and their responsibilities – and then summer comes.
But just about every teacher that you talk to does some kind of work during the two to three months they have off in the summer. Many take a few weeks to rest after a long school year. But once their energy has returned, some teachers spend the summer actively working.
Teaching gives you a number of skills that can be applied to many different jobs. Teachers are excellent communicators and they work well with others. They are logical and can plan well for the future. They usually have technical skills, as well as the ability to problem solve and think flexibly. These skills make teachers easily employable for summer jobs. If you have just earned your teaching degree, learn about some of the best summer jobs for teachers, both within and beyond the field of education.
Many students need extra help in academic subjects. As someone with a teaching degree, you can become a tutor to help students keep up with their classwork during the summer months. Many parents are concerned about the summer slide in their children's learning and look to hire teachers as tutors. To become a tutor, a teacher can start their own tutoring business or join already established ones. You can generally choose what age you would like to work with as well as what subject or subjects you would like to focus on.
Adults and children in your area who are learning English as a second language may hire tutors to help improve their conversation skills. In addition, some community colleges, community centers or other local organizations provide small classes for adults learning English. You may be able to use your teaching degree to find work as an ESL instructor or tutor. Your time might be spent simply conversing and having casual conversations with adult ESL learners.
Recreation centers and other community organizations often hold a variety of classes you may be interested in teaching. These classes are often recreational or hobby related. They may serve children as well as adults depending on the class you would like to teach. If you have a hobby or area of expertise that would make a good community class, try pitching your idea to become an instructor to the organization that holds summer classes.
In the summers leading up to their junior and senior years, high schoolers are preparing to take the ACT and the SAT. Some parents and students find that the large books available for purchase at bookstores are not the right way to help their children prepare for these major tests. If you have a teaching degree in a high school subject, you might make a great test prep tutor. You could also run classes with more than one student at a time in order to make the best use of your time and give the students more of a classroom feeling.
If you have a specialized degree and are open to teaching college-age students, you could also tutor for the GRE, LSAT or MCAT. If you are unsure about getting into test preparation as your own business, you can easily find national companies offering test prep services that are in need of instructors.
You may not have to look too far to find a summer job. It’s possible that your own school offers summer school for students who need additional help and looks to hire teachers to run these classes. Inquire with your administrator about teaching summer school classes. As an added bonus, you will be near your classroom during the summer so you can get a head start on cleaning and decorating for next year.
If you do not want to work as a teacher or tutor but you are still interested in working with children or providing instruction to others during the summer, there are plenty of options. When you have your teaching degree, you have already gone through some of the background checks that are required for many different programs, so you are all set to start a summer job that is not specifically teaching-related.
Because students are off for the summer, many sports leagues have summer programs. If you love to play any of the popular sports or have a specialized teaching degree in physical education, you may be able to get a job as a coach. As a teacher, you could make an excellent coach because you understand how to communicate with children and parents. You know how to teach children to learn new things in the classroom and that can translate on a sports field as well.
Most teachers enter the field because they love children. Therefore, taking summer jobs as a child care provider may be a great idea for a teacher who is looking for some extra work but does not want a regular Monday through Friday or 9-5 schedule. When you take care of your neighbors or friends children, they trust that you know how to care for them. All of the work that you completed during your teaching degree lets people know that their child is in safe hands.
If you love to be outside during the summer, being a camp counselor could be a great fit. Many teachers take on roles at summer camps because it keeps them connected with the outdoors as well as with children. In addition, teachers who work at camps can learn fun activities and crafts that they can bring back to their own classrooms during the school year. Camps are always looking for great counselors and because they only operate during the summer, they make a perfect job for teachers.
Summer is often the time for tourism. Many people may visit your town and be curious about the landmarks. You can use your summer away from teaching to become a tour guide and teach visitors about your local area. Or you can join an international tour guide group and travel the world leading tours. Teachers make particularly great tour guides because of their communication skills and their passion for teaching people new information.
Earning a teaching degree gives you so many skills beyond the traditional academic and pedagogical knowledge. As a teacher, you have many strengths in communication and organization that can easily be applied to a variety of jobs during the summer months.
If you are interested in earning your teaching degree, visit our website or click the Request Info button on this page to learn more about Grand Canyon University’s innovative programs in teaching and school administration. Our College of Education can get your started on your path to a rewarding career in teaching and supporting the next generation.
