Why do educators teach?

As every educator knows, things are never perfect, whether you teach in a physical classroom or in another setting. But conscious or not, most educators point to a certain set of intangibles that drew them and keep them in the profession, such as:

• The opportunity to be creative
• Sharing topics they are knowledgeable and passionate about
• The challenge of engaging learners and holding their interest
• Connecting with learners and their families
• Responding to learner needs and helping them improve skills and confidence

Feedback from educators at Outschool call out these kinds of deep-seated drivers that provide them motivation. Here’s a few comments from a 2021 survey of Outschool educators:

“It has been life-changing for me during the pandemic to be able to teach what I love, get creative with designing courses to meet my students’ needs and connecting with children from all over the world. It has really given my life purpose and I am so grateful…”

“It has been an absolute joy and privilege to teach on this platform. I’ve gotten to know so many wonderful students and families and I hope to be able to continue to grow and make even more of an impact! I enjoy it so much : )…”

And, if you Zoomed in to see educators in their virtual Outschool classrooms, you would likely see these intangible elements in action. At Outschool, educators align their teaching with the EPIC framework—Empowering, Passionate, Intentional, and Connected.

You might observe educators using puppets with young children to engage and amplify messages; dancing and drumming with kids, who are all playing their own drums too; having back-and-forth conversations with learners about their projects; or presenting their topic in character to make the subject come alive.

How online teaching can sweeten the experience

So, if you can get these elements in any teaching setting, why choose online teaching? There are additional benefits that teaching in a virtual setting like Outschool can offer, even in non-pandemic times.

Like what, you ask? Here are a few significant perks. You can…

Teach topics you are passionate about. You select what subjects to teach—ideally ones you enjoy and also have some experience with—to reach learners up to age 18.

Pick the times and amount you want to teach. You can schedule your classes at times that work for you, whether they are one-time classes, ongoing ones or another format.

Use learning platform tools to help manage your classes and communicate with learners and parents. Examples are the auto-scheduled sections feature, which allows parents to create and sign up for a new section of your class (within parameters you set), and stats on your teacher dashboard covering everything from the number of learners you’ve taught to available classes for parents to enroll in.

Skip the commute. You’ll avoid spending time in the car potentially fighting traffic and get that time back to spend in other ways.

In addition, you become an entrepreneur. If you want, you can really invest in your business and even teach online full time.

If the business part of teaching on a platform like Outschool seems intimidating, know that you are not alone. Outschool has lots of help to get you started with setting up your profile, marketing your classes, and getting enrollments, among other business and classroom management topics.

Feel good about what you’re offering learners

Not only does online teaching offer benefits for you as the educator, but it can be enriching and fun for learners too. In addition to acquiring new skills, learners can also choose classes that interest them. When learner and educator interests intersect, that’s often the secret sauce for a learning experience both want to return to.

Virtual classes at Outschool also offer learners the opportunity to:

• Experience topics and educators they may not have exposure to in their local community
• Learn in the comfort of their own home and on a schedule that works for them
• Take virtual field trips to places they may not have been able to visit
• Build communities with other learners who have similar interests

The possibilities for learning and growing are endless, for you, the educator, as well as for your learners. So apply to teach and start planning your next class today!! There’s a whole new teaching world waiting for you.