A 40-hour workweek is a dream for most teachers nationwide. To clock in at 8:00 A.M. and clock out at 5:00 P.M. and leave your worries and cares behind is a luxury no teacher can afford. Teachers spend an average of 52 hours working during a typical work week. Even still, one in five teachers also works a part-time job outside of the classroom. 

While most teachers choose part-time jobs based on convenience and profitability, some educators seek opportunities to advance their careers. Unfortunately, the teaching profession lacks a strong leadership pipeline with roles between classroom teaching and school and district leadership. For educators who want to remain in the classroom, this can mean limited options to grow professionally, take on additional responsibilities, and make more money. 

What if it was easy to secure a part-time job that could develop your skills as an instructional leader? A job that turns your side hustle into a career advancement opportunity?

Organizations like those featured in the Professional Learning Partner Guide frequently contract with talented educators to augment their full-time staff on special projects and remote work. State education agencies like Louisiana and Tennessee also offer opportunities for teachers to lead and serve on advisory boards for state initiatives. These roles range from curriculum and professional learning reviewers to coaches and professional learning facilitators and offer teachers the ability to earn extra money while having a national-level impact without leaving their classrooms. More specifically, these contract positions: 

1. Deepen educators’ content knowledge, content pedagogy, and expertise in high-quality instructional materials. 
2. Build educators’ knowledge of adult learning theory and the skills to facilitate high-quality learning experiences for fellow educators.
3. Provide educators with the opportunity to work with a community of like-minded individuals and learn from others who do similar work to expand their network beyond their school and school system. 
4. Provide educators with the opportunity to have an impact beyond their own classrooms without needing to leave it permanently. 

Rivet Education’s Director of Partnerships, Robin McClellan, recently spoke with Ashli Messer, a fourth-grade teacher in Sullivan County, Tennessee, about her experience as an early literacy trainer for the state’s Reading 360 program. 

“This opportunity ‘filled my cup’ as an educator because it allowed me to have an impact far greater than the one I currently have in my classroom. The teachers I was training were inspired to advance their understanding of high-quality instructional materials, practice effective implementation, and apply that learning in their own classrooms across the state,” Ashli said.  

Teachers like Ashli interested in growing their capacities as instructional leaders are encouraged to view Rivet’s job board in RivetCONNECT and place their resumes in front of the country’s top publishers, professional learning organizations, and education leaders. 

“Step outside of your comfort zone and realize that this is an opportunity to not only grow others but also to grow yourself.” – Ashli Messer