As back-to-school season begins, many teachers start thinking about ways to earn a little extra income. The challenge is finding something that fits around lesson planning, grading, and everything else that comes with teaching full time, as well as spending time with your family.
The truth is that there are plenty of legitimate work from home jobs for teachers that offer flexibility without requiring you to give up your evenings and weekends entirely.
Here are three of my favorite options.
1. Sell Teaching Resources on Teachers Pay Teachers
If you’ve ever created a lesson, worksheet, assessment, or classroom activity that worked well with your students, you already have the skills to start selling on Teachers Pay Teachers.
The best part is that you’re creating resources once and they have the potential to sell over and over again. While building a TPT store takes time, many teachers find that it becomes a reliable source of additional income that fits around their teaching schedule.
If you’re interested in getting started, I’d love to help. I have a free training that walks you through the basics of starting and growing a successful TPT store.
2. Create Educational Workbooks with Amazon KDP
Once you’ve started creating educational content, another legitimate opportunity for extra income is Amazon KDP.
With Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can create printable educational workbooks that Amazon prints and ships for you. Whether it’s math practice, reading comprehension, handwriting, science activities, or vocabulary review, there are countless opportunities to turn your expertise into physical books.
One of my favorite parts is that your TPT store and KDP business can work together. Many sellers include a QR code or link inside their workbooks that directs readers back to their Teachers Pay Teachers store.
If you’d like to learn more, check out my Teachers on KDP program.
3. Freelance Educational Writing or Curriculum Development
Many educational companies will hire experienced teachers to write lesson plans, assessments, blog articles, curriculum materials, or professional development content.
These projects are often contract-based, allowing you to complete work on your own schedule. If you enjoy writing and creating instructional materials, freelance curriculum development can be an extension of the skills you already use every day in the classroom.
Which Work-From-Home Job Is Right for You as a Teacher?
The best side hustle depends on your own personal goals and interest.
If your goal is building long-term passive income, selling on Teachers Pay Teachers and expanding into Amazon KDP can create income that continues long after you’ve finished the initial work. On the other hand, if you enjoy writing and creating lessons, freelance curriculum development could be a great option.
The great thing is that these opportunities aren’t mutually exclusive. Many teachers start with one and gradually add another as their confidence and experience grow.
