The new year brings an exciting opportunity for us to refresh our ambitions, set goals, and reflect on the accomplishments that have brought us to this point. As we wave “farewell” to 2021, we can’t help but feel a glow from the incredible learning experiences educators on Outschool created for children around the world this year.
In 2021, educators like you…
- Taught 540,000 learners from across the globe
- Delivered 1.5 million hours of passion-driven instruction
- Hosted 2.2 million virtual learning classes
- Grew their skills as educator entrepreneurs through professional development events and enriching community groups
Meanwhile, the Outschool team…
- Launched the Educator Library, where you can explore curated online teaching and business building news, guides, courses, and more all in one place
- Made updates to the Outschool platform that drove increased enrollments (like these educator profile updates) and improved the Outschool experience
- Introduced pilot programs for Pods and Teaching Teams that helped connect families interested in small group learning with enthusiastic educators
- Pursued new strategic partnerships with schools and businesses to expand our reach as a platform for learners across the globe
And finally: Just this month, Outschool announced two new programs designed to support schools and learners affected by the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country with free or discounted classes. These discounts won’t affect what you earn as an educator, but may bring in new families to Outschool and increase enrollments.
We’re so happy to be a place where incredible educators can build their teaching businesses, and we’re excited to kick off another year of passion-driven teaching and learning on Outschool.
What’s coming up in 2022
Inspired by the continued growth of the online learning industry, we’re excited to continue to support educators on Outschool through new and improved programs, partnerships, and professional development opportunities.
Bookings on the rise
We’ve seen an encouraging increase in bookings throughout the first few weeks of January, demonstrating that more families are seeking out E.P.I.C. educational opportunities for their kids. Ongoing classes and 1:1 classes are currently seeing the most enrollments, and these class formats historically have better retention rates than other class types on Outschool. We hope to see these learners continue their journey on Outschool long past this initial period of interest.
Expanding our reach
This year, we’re committing even more resources toward growing our global learning community. We’ll be focusing on marketing and partnership initiatives that help us expand our reach to more schools and families worldwide. By broadening our learning community, educators like you will have the opportunity to connect with new markets and grow your businesses.
Community support for entrepreneurs
Based on feedback, we recognize that some of the most valuable learning experiences for educators on Outschool come from connections with other members of the educator community. This year, we’ll be continuing to facilitate peer-to-peer educator learning groups (what we’ve deemed Communities of Practice), including brand new cohorts for specific teaching topics and alumni groups for past program participants.
Additionally, you’ll be seeing more resources arriving in the Educator Handbook and Learning Center for building your teaching business. We know that many educators are eager to grow their skills as entrepreneurs, marketers, and business managers, and we’re working to provide valuable guidance that includes tips from real educators who’ve found success on Outschool.
Bringing others in
We’re excited to announce the new Outschool DEIB Webinar Series for educators. These free webinars will provide the opportunity to learn from experts on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in education, giving you new ways to deepen your impact on learners and expand your curriculum. Watch for announcements of upcoming events in your inbox and educator community groups!
We’ll be keeping educators in the loop as these projects and more develop throughout the year via community groups, e-newsletters, and the Educator Library, so look out for more updates to come! Most of all, we’re excited to see what amazing learning experiences educators will create for families around the world this year. If you’re just getting started teaching on Outschool: Welcome! We’re glad you’re here. If you’re a seasoned educator, thank you for continuing to build your business on Outschool.
