Summer break … a time for relaxing on the beach and sleeping in late. Yeah, right! While everyone thinks that teachers get summers off, the time is often spent hustling to make up for lost paychecks or taking advantage of opportunities to sharpen your skills. We know this year has been a tough one–both financially and emotionally. If you need to take time off and recharge? Do it! If you need to make a little extra money, that’s good too. Luckily, summer jobs allow you to be flexible with your time and energy. There are plenty of companies that offer summer jobs for teachers, including summer camps.
Need a break from kiddos? We’ve got those summer jobs covered too!
1. YMCA
YMCAs throughout the country offer great summer camp programs for kids of all ages. If you want an active summer to soak up some vitamin D (a tough feat inside the classroom) then being a camp counselor is a great option. Even if you crave a break from kids, this gig is more laid back and less rigid than school. Plus, you’ll have fun, stay fit, and make money.
2. Institute of Reading Development
IRD aids students with reading comprehension and literacy from pre-K through their senior year of high school. A unique part of the program is the way that parents are involved in every step of the way. This job isn’t quite as laid back as other options because you’ll first go through (paid) training and then have to teach 10–14 classes over four to five days a week—including weekends. You’ll also have to regularly evaluate students’ progress, review curriculum, and more. Still, it’s a good job for teachers who love curriculum. Click here for teacher sign-up.
3. Catapult Learning
Catapult Learning’s Summer Journey program is dedicated to eliminating summer learning loss. You can teach at-risk students who need reading or math intervention or help provide enrichment with courses that engage students in a variety of subjects.
4. Connections Academy
This is a great summer job if you want to teach summer school without the commute. Connections Academy hosts online public schools in a variety of states for grades K–12. Teaching during their summer session is a great way to keep your lesson plans and curriculum ideas fresh in a virtual classroom you head up from your living room.
5. Varsity Tutors
From test prep to specific subjects, Varsity Tutors connects students to tutors who specialize in the area(s) where the student needs help. And best of all, the sessions take place online or in the student’s home, so you are guaranteed to work on the schedule you want.
6. Drobots Company
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a … drone? Yup, these ubiquitous flying machines are everywhere these days. Drobots Company hires teachers who love STEM and have experience with technology to instruct summer camps around the country. Spend your summer teaching kids to fly with their feet firmly on the ground!
7. VIPKID
VIPKID provides an international learning experience for Chinese children. You can provide one-on-one full-immersion language and content classes based on the US Common Core State Standards. Best of all, it’s a part-time opportunity that you can do from home while feeling great that you’re using your teaching skills to help children learn English and thrive. Here’s our article explaining how VIPKID works.
8. Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy
Kids ‘R’ Kids runs summer camps in a variety of locations around the country for students up through 5th grade. Each individually-owned location does its own hiring, so visit their website to see if there’s a school near you and contact them to find out about summer camp teaching opportunities.
9. Lindamood-Bell
Lindamood-Bell invites you to “create the magic of learning” as an instructor at one of their learning centers. You’ll use their research-validated programs to teach reading, spelling, language comprehension, and math to learners of all ages. Teachers describe their experience as a Lindamood-Bell instructor as “incredibly rewarding,” and love helping students “develop skills that truly change their lives.” And they reward loyalty, too, by offering $500 signing bonuses for returning instructors.
10. Summer Institute for the Gifted
SIG works to provide high-quality educational and social opportunities for academically gifted and talented students. Their three-week summer sessions are offered at major universities around the country, and they hire instructors in STEM, humanities, and visual/performing arts. They hire on a rolling basis for open positions, so the sooner you apply, the better.
11. EF International
Ever dream of spending the summer abroad? Prefer to stay home but love working with students from around the world? EF International’ s summer programs offer the chance to do either. Teach ESL to a group of students who have come to the US for a few weeks, or travel overseas and teach the same skills to students in their home country.
12. Happy Swimmers
Happy Swimmers is a nationwide private swim lesson provider. They also place lifeguards at events like pool parties. They love offering summer jobs for teachers because of the patience and compassion they’re sure to show their swim students. And teachers love working for Happy Swimmers because it’s a fun and different way to use their teaching skills. Plus, you get to spend the summer in the water! But, note that there are strict, non-negotiable requirements, including having two to three summers as a swim instructor already under your belt, a reliable car, and CPR certification.
13. Outward Bound
Outward Bound is well known for their wilderness courses, but they also work in urban centers and with at-risk youth. These challenging instructor positions are open to those who look at “risk as a learning tool to be managed, but not eliminated.” If you are physically fit and looking for a summer of activity instead of relaxation, this might be the job for you.
14. Interlochen Institute for the Arts
If you know anything about visual art, music, drama, creative writing, or the arts in general, you’ve certainly heard of the famed Interlochen in Michigan. Their summer camps draw more than 3,000 students every summer, and they hire an enormous number of instructors each year. These jobs provide a chance to spend your summer inspiring the most promising arts students from around the globe, while living in a unique artist community with your peers.
15. US Sports Camp
Spend the summer coaching your favorite sport at a US Sports Camp. From baseball and basketball to field hockey and water polo, kids can learn just about any athletic skill set at these camps. According to their website, each camp director is responsible for hiring their own staff in late winter or early spring. You can call your closest location for possible opportunities or email them directly, using the addresses foundhere.
16. Care.com
This company helps families find quality in-home childcare. Lots of families need extra help with childcare over the summer, so take a look at Care.com’s summer nanny jobs to find opportunities in your area. Need a break from kids? Care.com also posts listings for pet care, senior care, and housekeeping.
17. AmeriCorps VISTA
Want to travel and give back to a community this summer? Look into the AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate program. It’s designed to allow participants to join an existing AmeriCorps project for 8–10 weeks. You’ll receive a living allowance throughout the season and a stipend or Education Award upon completion. The Education Award can be used to repay qualifying student loans or toward course costs at eligible institutions.
18. Six Flags
Summertime means amusement park time! Families are on vacation, and tourists are aplenty. If you live near a Six Flags, take advantage and nab a seasonal job. Operate rides, sell tickets, host special groups—and of course eat all the cotton candy or nab all the roller coaster time you can handle! If there’s not a Six Flags near you, look into local baseball stadiums or concert venues to inquire about selling concessions or tickets.
19. Disney
With multiple theme parks and stores around the country, Disney is always looking for seasonal help. If you live near their parks and resorts, look into the huge variety of positions, including lifeguards, guest services, bus drivers, and so much more. In other areas, Disney stores regularly hire summer sales staff, and you can find all those jobs listed on the Disney Careers website.
20. TinkerEd
Want to play a role in the educational tools students will be using in your classroom? TinkerEd hires educators to give their thoughts and opinions on educational technology companies are developing. Get a sneak peek of what’s coming down the EdTech pike and make a little dough in the process.
21. The Princeton Review
We get it. No one likes standardized tests, but for now they are a necessary part of school life. Help students be as ready as they can be by working as an SAT/ACT prep instructor over the summer. The Princeton Review hires test prep instructors. If test prep isn’t your thing, they also hire instructors for different subjects.
22. Kaplan
Another test-prep company, Kaplan has learning centers all over the country and world.
23. Sylvan Learning
Tutor student and help them thrive. Look into summer jobs at Sylvan Learning.
24. TPT
Teacher Pay Teachers has changed the way teachers get and share content. Chances are you’ve downloaded something from it yourself. So why not take the summer to create great lessons and put them on there, too? Here’s an article on how to get started on Teachers Pay Teachers.
25. Fiverr or Skillshare
Sell your talents! Experiences are the next big thing, with people offering their expertise directly to consumers. Look into a site like Skillshareto offer a class online.Dabbleis another one we love, andFiverris also worth exploring.
26. Uber/Lyft
Have a car? Then you’re hired! The best perk of driving for ride-share apps like Uberand Lyft is flexibility—you set your own hours and schedule. It doesn’t matter if you want to be on the road one day a week or 24/7. It’s a great way to make money (you can earn up to $30 per hour during peak times) while still doing all the things that make summer vacation great, like sleeping in and traveling!
27. DoorDash
Like driving but not interested in giving people rides? DoorDash lets you have food as your passenger. Someone orders food from a restaurant, you pick it up and deliver it to them. Simple as that. And if you’re a foodie, there’s an extra perk: Since you’re not delivering food from one place, you’re likely to learn about up-and-coming or hidden-gem spots in your city. Use some of the extra money you make to treat yourself to a good meal.
28. Shipt or Instacart
If restaurants aren’t your thing, maybe grocery stores are! You can shop and deliver to people straight from your favorite markets. You’ll have to have some food knowledge and live in the designated cities for either of these companies, but both Shipt and Instacart have been recommended on our WeAreTeachers HELPLINEgroup on Facebook.
29. Tour Guide
How well do you know your city? If you have visitors, use Indeed to find summer tour guide positions! You can do walking tours, biking tours … even ghost town tours! Get exercise and meet new people this summer.
30. Rev
How does working from home in your PJs sound? Rev is a company that hires people to transcribe or caption audio—from the comfort of their own home. You’ll be asked to take an English and grammar quiz and submit a sample transcription. Once you pass, you can start earning. Rev pays per audio minute, and you’ll receive your money via PayPal every Monday. The faster—and more accurately—you type, the more you can earn. You can also earn more if you know a foreign language and are able to provide subtitles for videos.
31. Rover
Is a dog your best friend? If so, the Rover app is always looking dog sitters and walkers. Hanging out at the dog park or just going for a jaunt around the neighborhood—what better way to spend a summer day? Plus you get to choose your own gigs. Win-win.
32. HouseSitter.com
Earn income by house sitting. It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? You can just earn money by hanging out at someone’s home? It’s true! Plus it could be a good way to get in a little vacation for yourself. Learn more about it atHouseSitter.com.
33. User Testing
Become a user tester. You can give sites and companies feedback by testing out their products, reading their material, etc. User testing connects real people to companies who need this service.Check it out here.
34. HireMyMom
Although HireMyMom charges a quarterly fee of $29.95 for job seekers, you are getting direct links with employers who have gone to the site looking for help. The site features a variety of work-from-home jobs, from virtual assistant, to freelance writing and editing, to social media.
35. … and Everything Else!
Not sure what exactly you want to do? Need inspiration? Hop on a job search website put “summer” in the search. A simple search in my area netted a nonprofit campaign job, front desk receptionist, and a pool bartender!
Know of any other summer jobs for teachers? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE groupon Facebook.
Plus, check out these great teacher side hustles for making extra money. Because it’s not always summer jobs that you need!
