You Didn’t Get a Summer Job…Now What?

It’s no secret that teachers actively look for seasonal work once the final bell has rung on a given school year. But what happens when the job prospects fall through?

If your district is on a traditional schedule, there are still several weeks between you and the next school year. While the supplemental income may be missed, there are many opportunities out there for educators looking to improve themselves and their communities.

Here are just a few:

Volunteer.  Whether you have a charity close to your heart, or know of a community event in need of additional hands, volunteering will make you feel good while helping your neighbors. 

Write something.  Chances are, you have many stories to tell about what has worked in your classroom. Why not share these best practices with other educators? Offer to guest post for an educator blog you love, or start your own blog on the Education World Community. Or, gather tips from Twitter and other online sources and compile a handy e-book on a popular topic.

Create a business plan.  If you’ve considered starting your own business, writing up a business plan is the first step. The wikiHow website offers tools to help you get started.

Contribute to a political campaign.  Whether on the local, state or federal level, working on a political campaign is a great way to learn about issues and policies. There are a variety of tasks for volunteers, depending on the skills you want to develop. 

Plant a garden.  There’s no time like the present to embrace a healthy lifestyle and reap the benefits of locally grown food. A garden requires minimal equipment, and everything from vegetable seedlings to fertilizer can be purchased at a hardware or grocery store. 

 Take an online class.  Bring your skills into the 21st century by taking classes in project management, HTML, technical writing and a host of other topics at sites like www.ed2go.com.

Mentor a child in need.  Big Brothers Big Sisters matches community volunteers with children who need the support of a caring adult. If you’re able to make a year-long commitment of spending a few hours per month with a young person, summer’s a great time to complete the mentor screening and training process.

Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
Education World®         
Copyright © 2012 Education World