The “Great Teacher Resignation” is seeing teachers leave the classroom in infinite numbers. While the COVID-19 global pandemic plays a significant part in the numbers, the truth is, teachers have been overworked, mistreated, and underappreciated for a long time.
According to a CNBC, 1 and 4 teachers are considering quitting due to the climate of the current school year. Teachers are quitting to pursue other careers while others are considering teaching full-time from home.
When I began teaching online in 2016 as an ESL teacher, it was to supplement my income. I taught on the weekends, during my holiday breaks, and the summer. I had no intention of leaving the classroom anytime soon. Then March 2020 changed everything. Classrooms have not felt the same since. Who knows when all classrooms will look and feel normal again. (*It’s taken a few year for things to feel normal again!)
My life has changed a lot since the 2020/2021 school year. I had my first child in January 2021 and I resigned from my full-time brick-and-mortar teaching position. I decided to leave the physical classroom indefinitely.
If you’re the 1 and 4 teachers that is considering quitting, but your heart’s calling is teaching, you may want to consider transitioning to teach virtually full-time at home. Yes, I know the abrupt change from in-person to “distance learning” was difficult for us all. However, live remote learning has worked for many students and families. It has also worked for many teachers too.
Below is a list of variety of online teaching platforms that hire certified classroom teachers (usually as independent contractors). Whether you wish to fully teach online, or to supplement your teaching income, I think one of these services may have something to offer you.
Proximity Learning is a Dallas-based live-streaming service that provides services for every need including K-12 education, tutoring, and summer school. Virtual teachers are live-streamed into a traditional classroom setting and paired with a paraprofessional facilitator who is in-person with students to help with day-to-day classroom needs. Proximity offers options for full-day schedules or a minimal of a four-hour block each day. They work with hundreds of districts across the USA so there are lots of opportunities to build your ideal schedule. Curriculum is provided along with a paid prep hour.
What makes Proximity Learning unique amongst its competitor (Elevate K-12 below) is that their positions are W2 versus a 1099 contractor position.
Elevate K-12 is a Chicago-based live-streaming service that puts state certificated teachers into classrooms during school hours including Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction. Elevate’s curriculum is aligned to Common Core State Standards, state specific standards, and Next Generation Science Standards. There is a paraprofessional hired by the school district that assists with classroom management. Teachers are also assigned to an academic coach who will support you throughout your program(s). Teachers are offered programs in subjects they are certified to teach. Hours vary depending on the availability of programs.
With the nation’s teacher shortage which has been exacerbated due to global pandemic, Elevate is hoping to hire 1,000 teachers. They also have a Military Spouse Employment Partnership.
Teachers must have a bachelor’s degree and a state teaching certificate to teach with Elevate. You may be offered to teach in states that you are not certified in. For example, I hold a California teaching credential and I was offered programs in Texas which requires me to me to hold a Texas teaching certificate. Elevate will pay for reciprocity application costs for me to apply for a Texas teaching certificate. (The process typically takes about a month to complete through that state’s education department. However, the process may take longer depending on where your teaching certificate was earned. There may be additional requirements, i.e state testing, etc.) Additionally, you can earn a paid bonus after completing reciprocity.
Dailies Pods are social-based, project learning pods. The “pods” is a social experience where students can interact with their peers while being engaged in grade-level content including reading, writing, math, history, and science. Dailies offer 1 hour of live daily instruction for multi-age/grade level classes; pre-k to kindergarten (3-5 years) and kindergarten to third grade (5-9 years). Students will also participate in individualized “on-the-go” gamified lessons in the Dailies app.
There is also a year round homeschool option, Dailies School, for grades pre-k to sixth grade which is 3 hours of live daily instruction. Dailies School includes a curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards with an enrichment program, large and small group instruction, and tutoring.
Dailies teachers are required to have a state teaching license in the United States. Pre-K teachers are not required to hold a teaching license (but most do at Dailies).
Made for Math was founded by Adrianne Meldrum, the author of The Noice Tutor. Made for Math is a math intervention service that focuses on the multisensory method of learning based on the Orton-Gillingham instructional approach. Students use materials from their multisensory kit and engage in 30 or 60 minute one-on-one sessions.
Multisensory Math Specialists are hired as employees (W2) not independent contractors. Multisensory math specialists are required to have bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree in elementary education, secondary education, or a math-related field such as engineering and at least 3 years of tutoring/teaching experience. You must able to pass a math test up to 8th grade without a calculator.
Exodexa is a game-based learning platform that offers three levels of learning for students; one-on-one mentorships (career, college, or personal development), project-based learning pods, and self-directed learning. They service middle school and high school students students.
Facilitaors guide live project pods, mentoring groups and other in-game activities. Exodexa does not have specific requirements because they believe “there is someone out there that is a perfect fit but may miss one or more of the requirements each role traditionally requires.” So, think about your assets as Exodexa “designs roles around individuals.” They also have internship opportunities every quarter for recent college graduates.
Savvy Reading is an online live reading program. Savvy offers individual and group sessions that run from morning and afternoon school hours to the evening. Their curriculum is aligned to the Common Core State Standards with instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension. Savvy also uses the Orton Gillingham instructional approach.
Savvy readers can be at any reading level; pre-reading, below, at, or above grade level to participate in the Savvy Reading program. Readers will be grouped by their reading ability. Individual sessions are available too.
Reading coaches are experienced educators and are required to have a bachelor’s degree or higher and/or teaching certificates.
Hoot Reading is an online literacy service that offers 20 minute, one-on-one personalized guided reading lessons. Hoot Reading has 3 reading programs including Hoot Enrichment (first to fourth grade), Hoot Tutor, and Hoot Junior (preschool age). They have Hoot French for students currently participating in a French immersion program. Hoot serves children grades preschool to eighth in the U.S. and Canada.
Hoot Reading hires certified teachers with elementary reading experience. Teachers are required to hold a bachelor’s degree in education or equivalent, and/or teaching certificate. Teachers also must have a minimum of one yer classroom experience. Hoot is currently seeking French and Spanish immersion teachers.
K12 is a public (tuition free) virtual school that serves students from grades pre-k to 12th. K12’s platform includes a self-learning component as well live instruction. School materials are provided to students.
Teachers at K12 are state certified. Teachers will ideally be certified in the state in which they are applying for. K12 offer both full-time and part-time teaching positions in various subjects.
Connections Academy by Pearson is also a public, tuition free school that serves students from transitional kindergarten to high school. They offer a flexible schedule to meet each student’s needs. Parents play an active role as their child’s “learning coach.” Pearson Online Academy, which is apart of the their online learning network is a private school.
At Connections Academy, teachers are required to live within the state that the school is operating in and be certified in that state as well. At Pearson Online, teachers can live anywhere within the U.S. and hold a teaching certification in any of the 50 states if it meets subject/ grade level requirements
Guidepost Montessori is a network of private Montessori schools in the U.S that practices the Montessori method of learning. They offer in-person learning at their various brick-and-mortar locations, homeschool, and virtual school. Guidepost’s virtual school currently serves students in the U.S., Asia, and Australia.
Guidepost guides are required to have a Montessori certification.
Local Online Programs
There are hundreds of online teaching platforms in the U.S. and globally. While some of the larger companies tend to hire on an on-going basis, consider applying to smaller, local online program (for example, Made for Math is a small business). Try searching Indeed Jobs or a Google search for “online teaching jobs near me” to see what’s available. Teachers have also found online teaching programs through LinkedIn.
Do you teach full-time or part-time?
What other platforms should be added to the list?
