15 Traditional Ways Teachers Can Supplement Their Incomes

Welcome amigos.  Today I'm continuing with my eBook giveaway segment, sharing with you some of the sections of The Ultimate Teacher's Guide to Supplemental Income.  This financial literacy piece is on traditional ways teachers can supplement their incomes.  By "traditional," I'm referring to jobs that are directly related to teaching or take place in schools.

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Without any more delay, here are 15 ways you can supplement your incomes teachers out there!

Traditional Ways of Supplementing

For lack of creativity or computer savvy, many teachers rely on tricks of the trade to supplement their income.  These traditional ways of supplementing your income are closely aligned to your current teaching job.

1. Summer School Teaching.  If you are lucky enough to work in a school district that can still afford to put on a full program of summer school, then this is the way to make an extra $3K to $5K in about 6-7 weeks.  If the summer school class offerings are dismal, you will most likely be competing with veteran teachers for a slot.  Good luck with that.
2. Private School Teaching.  No summer school classes to sign-up for at your school district?  Try the private school route.
3. Paid Internships.  Companies and school districts work together to give teachers industry knowledge via paid internships during the summer months.
4. District Offered Professional Development after school, on weekends, or during summers.  These are always being offered. You can also request (your Principal) to get paid for collaborating after school hours with peers on an important project.
5. Taking on an extra section during the school year.  If you’re in line per your department’s totem pole of seniority, take the extra section and get paid an extra fraction of your salary.
6. Sub for an absent peer during your prep period.  Tell your site secretary to always think of you (your open period) whenever a teacher peer is out and no sub is assigned.
7. Get one of the available stipends for a club or coaching duty.  Check your school’s list of paid stipends and go for one!
8. Becoming a Department Chair.  That has its own stipend.
9. Supervise the After School Detention hour.  Admin can’t do it as they are stuck supervising dismissal.  It's your chance to get paid for doing some dirty work!
10. Be the dreaded Saturday School teacher.  Many administrators would rather pass this off to a pair of teachers, rather than come back to the school on the weekend.
11. Apply to become the next Resident Teacher at your local University.
12. Become a Standardized Test Developer.  Private companies (or even your state) are always looking for teacher leaders to help develop the next test field items to torture students.
13. Become a Consultant.  What’s the point of having a M.Ed. and awards for teacher of the year if you’re not consulting?  
14. Private tutoring.  This is my personal favorite as it can be quite lucrative with the right business plan.
15. Teaching an online class or actual course at a local junior college/university.

There are teachers who jump at the opportunities listed above, and those that get as excited about them as a faculty at a full day of mandated staff development led by administration. If any of these jobs float your boat, go for it, or someone else (mindful of their retirement) will in your stead!