Outschool is an online education platform designed to allow students (ages 3-18) to explore their interests in a deeper way from the comfort of their home. During the pandemic when learning went online, Outschool saw a huge influx in interested learners, which meant a need for passionate teachers (which is when I joined). Students can learn anything from math, languages, and helpful study skills, to yoga (that’s me!), Harry Potter, and animation!
Outschool doesn’t require teachers to have teaching degrees or certificates, so it opens up space for more non-traditional teachers to still share their knowledge on the topics they are passionate about with students who are interested in learning!
If there’s a topic you could talk about for hours and you’re tech-savvy enough to hop on a Zoom call, keep reading to find out how you can get started on Outschool!
Requirements
Wondering what is required to become an Outschool teacher? Thankfully, unlike teaching English online, you do not need any certificates or specific degrees. Outschool believes that a good teacher can come from anywhere, especially from a wide range of experiences and fields (not all related to education).
- Be at least 18 years old
- Reside full-time in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, or Wales
- Be passionate and knowledgeable about the topic(s) you plan to teach
- Have a reliable and fast internet connection
- Be tech-savvy enough to run online classes
- Have strong communication skills
- Be able to pass a background check
The Process
- You can find the link to apply here!
- Application
On your application, you’ll share details about your expertise, the kinds of classes you’d like to teach, as well as any training you’ve had.
Note: a teaching degree/certificate is not required!
- Demo video
Create a short video/demo lesson to give them an idea of who you are and what your classes may be like!
Note: It is not uncommon for Outschool to ask you to redo this part. They are looking for high quality classes for their students, so if you’re not accepted the first time you submit, tweak your video a little and keep trying!
- Background check
Once your application and video are accepted, you will be sent a link to consent to a background check. This will be required for any job where you will be interacting with children!
- Trainings
Outschool requires trainings for all new teachers on Outschool’s class content policies as well as their safety and privacy policies.
- List classes!
You made it! Now you can officially begin listing your classes!
Quick Tips for Listing Classes
When I first started out, the easiest way for me to get ideas for classes was by seeing what parents (and students) were asking for! Outschool sends out an email to its educators with class ideas that parents and students are looking for and requesting. By going straight to the source, you’re giving yourself a great head start!
Each class you list will have to first get approval from Outschool before it becomes a public listing. The quickest way to get your classes approved is to follow their content guidelines (which you’ll learn about in your training) and make your proposal as informative as possible! Trust me, it is well worth your time to be descriptive the first time, rather than have to re-submit it later because you didn’t give enough detail!
You get to decide on when your classes are and how much you will charge for them. This kind of freedom is amazing! But understandably, it can feel a little daunting when you’re first getting started. A few things to keep in mind are:
- Outschool will take 30% of what you earn and you’ll keep 70%. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding how much you want to charge!
- If you’re stuck on price, take a look at what similar classes are going for and start there.
Outschool may be for you if…
- You’re willing (and able) to be patient and try new things!
- You love teaching
- You have one or more topics you could easily teach on
- You enjoy working with kids
- You like getting to choose your own rates and schedule
- You enjoy creating your own classes and what you want to teach
Outschool may not be for you if…
- You need consistent income right away
- You don’t like or want to make your own lesson plans
- You just want a quick-and-easy remote job
Any other questions?
Teaching on Outschool has allowed me to build up a business that I love with so much more ease than I thought was possible! I absolutely love the creative freedom it allows me to have in planning my classes, something I was sorely missing when I was just teaching English online. It definitely takes some trial and error, as well as a little patience when you’re just starting out, but I would still highly recommend it to anyone interested in teaching online.
If you have any other questions or you would like a little extra help throughout your application and new-hire process, I happily mentor anyone who applies through my referral link! Teachers receive a bonus when a new teacher they refer makes their first $100, so don’t be shy – reach out if you’d like some extra support in getting started!
Additional resources from Outschool’s website:
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