So what are the options for a teacher who has been laid off? It may seem hopeless; after all, can you really compete with thousands of other educators for the few remaining education jobs? What makes matters worse is that it’s the tenured teachers with years of experience who are finding it hardest to obtain a new position. Principals would rather pay half the price for a teacher just out of school, or worse yet, one who has not even qualified for the position! For those teachers who refuse to stand by during the summer helplessly, there are options!

First off, for teachers who want to continue teaching, note that teacher jobs do not have to be positions in the Department of Education. Many parents seek tutors during the summer, and there’s no better tutor than a teacher. Tutoring can bring in extra money to help you deal with your job loss, and may even continue into the Fall.

Another option for those educators who can’t stay away from teaching is to teach at colleges and universities, as well as online campuses. While these types of jobs do not offer the same steady pay and benefits as a K-12 position, they do allow for a more flexible schedule. Additionally, some teachers find it more enjoyable working with a more mature audience.

In some cases, teachers find that they are so frustrated with their situation that they decide to leave teaching altogether. For these burnt out, stressed out teachers there are also many solutions. If being laid off made you feel free, then you’re probably ready for a new career. Consider things you’ve always loved doing, and take your time off in the summer to pursue them. You never know – by the end of summer, you may smile every time you read about budget cuts.

Finally, teachers always have the option of starting their own business. The benefits of starting a new business are that you no longer have to answer to anyone else. Anyone who has dealt with the bureaucracies of teaching knows that oftentimes the things you are asked to do make no sense. This is what makes teaching so stressful at times. Also, when you run your own business, you control what you make. You can work as hard, or as little as you want depending on your needs and goals. And best of all? No one can fire you!

What is it you do best? That’s the thing people will happily pay you to do. After a long day in the classroom, what can you do to supplement your income? Some general ideas involve taking the educator to those who need to be educated. Many children and adults need tutoring. If you love to teach, you will find those who love to learn. Tutoring a subject that you enjoy and are good at is a valuable service to your community and one that can boost your yearly salary. As a matter of fact, tutoring could be your main job and you would not need to set foot in a classroom.

A teacher is a leader. That is why teacher businesses are so successful. You could tutor a basic school subject like math or reading, but the choices expand well past required classes. How about teaching piano lessons? Violin? Or guitar? Music is appreciated and has proven to be valuable in so many ways. If you are an educator with a background in business, you automatically expand the possibilities. You can start a business of your own or help to turn an existing business around for the better. Opportunities are available out in the business field or at home, in your own office.

We never get to a place where we no longer need to be educated. There is something to learn everyday. You may retire from a classroom, but you cannot resign from teaching those around you. Educating comes naturally to the one who loves to teach.

Tutoring is the most obvious answer but shouldn’t be overlooked. Many companies exist in the marketplace that are hiring. They especially love to hire existing teachers as they know the curriculum better than those out of the loop. If you can’t pick up a job with one of the companies, solicit your own clients and offer tutoring out of your own home or in a public place like a library using one of their private rooms. Place ads in public places like the gym, library or bookstores. Maybe you can also place ads on message boards related to parent issues.

Work at home jobs are growing increasingly popular. To bring in extra money for teachers, apply for some of the editorial positions that allow you to work from home. The requirements are usually basic, ie a computer, high-speed Internet and an aptitude for proof reading. And isn’t that what teaching is about 50% of the time anyway? There are also online opportunities to teach English as a second language. Look into that. Or, if you want to get away from the teaching arena for a break, try some of the customer service positions that exist for work at homers.

Just know that you are not dependent on the salary you receive currently. There are always other avenues out there you can and should explore to bring in the extra income you need and deserve. For someone willing to work a bit after the bell rings, there are definite part-time and seasonal positions you can claim. Use your teaching background as the biggest selling point as you have experience with parents, children and administrators. You’re used to public speaking in front of all the above and are a quick thinker on your feet. This is what all these companies are looking for.

Many teachers are finding jobs that they can do on the side of teaching. A teacher salary can increase by coaching or working with the students in extracurricular activities after school. Tutoring is a great option for teachers to earn a little extra income. Online tutoring websites have opened up a new world of possibilities for teachers to make extra income by tutoring. Teachers can still tutor local students, and tutor online at the same time. Another possibility for earning money online is creating an online business.

Music teachers can give private lessons to increase their income. Some teachers get a second job. Jobs that provide tips can be a good way to overcome the slump of a bad teacher salary. Delivering pizza or working as a waiter or waitress during the evenings, even just a few nights a week, can give a teacher an extra hourly wage and a decent income from tips. Janitorial work is often available in the evenings, which is an ideal time for a teacher to work a second job.

Teachers often make the mistake of believing they can not change their circumstances. Maybe a teacher salary supported their family ten years ago, but after a few more kids and the changes in the economy that kind of money does not provide significant support for their family now. If teachers can get out of their comfort zones, they may find ways to earn more money. Sometimes teachers should take a break from teaching and go back to college to further their knowledge in order to make it possible to find a better paying job. Teachers should not have to settle for a salary that does not even provide for their families.

Substitute teachers are not compensated for when they are not working. Substitute teachers and unemployment in the summer is addressed all the time. Some teacher’s unions do not have a stance on substitute teachers. The eligibility requirements change so often that substitute teachers have to deal with a surprise every year if they choose to apply for unemployment during the summer. On top of being unemployed during the summer, substitute teachers do not get health benefits or paid for holiday vacations. Substitute teachers are having a difficult time even finding jobs because of the economic recession. Employers are more picky about who they hire because so many people are out of work. Schools used to hire anyone with a college degree to be a substitute teacher, but now they look for people with a degree in Education.

While some people think being unemployed would be an easy life to lead, those people do not understand the stress that comes with being unemployed. It is interesting how teachers and unemployment in the summer can seem appealing to some people. It would not be luxurious to be unemployed for three to four months out of the year. At least teachers are employed around Christmas time. Christmas can be the most stressful time of the year for those who are unemployed. Unemployment does not provide enough money to pay bills, buy groceries, and still have money left over for gifts during the Christmas season.

It’s a good time to examine the reasons you quit teaching. What brought you to this decision? A lot of times educators lose focus because there are so many politics staring them in the face. Sometimes the cons outweigh the pros. One con is definitely the low pay. Putting up with those who control the way you choose to do your job is seldom easy and most teachers know they do not get paid enough to do that. But the real issue is if it’s the thing you love to do the most or not. If you love what you do, then lack of pay and questionable administration mean nothing in the face of knowing you are planting seeds into young lives.

On the other hand, there are those who entered the profession for the wrong reasons. Maybe they could not see themselves in another career, they thought it would be more fulfilling, or they thought it was an easy job. If education is not the career for you, it’s okay to quit teaching. You may not know what else you can do and you may not feel qualified to do anything else, but that is untrue. Discovering where to go next could be like treading water. Try something new until you find the thing you want to do.

As an accredited teacher there are possibilities you probably have not considered. Many businesses are open to anyone with a degree and good work history. Consider starting your own business, what better time is there? Get an online job, you may find you love it or it’s just a stepping stone to your next adventure. Do what you love to do, not what you have to. That could involve teaching or any other profession.

There are steps you can take when you feel you might be dismissed or you feel you’re being monitored for possible action. Keep in mind, one tiny slip up is usually not going to get you fired. For the most part, it’s a multitude of these slip-ups that cause the documentation police to go into action. Every time you’re given a write-up, you need to write your point of view as a rebuttal. Always seek others who will back up your side of the story. If possible, have them put in writing what happened for you to submit with the write up. You always have the right to look at your personnel record, so if you feel you’re being railroaded into a write-up, ask to see what is being entered. In addition, wait a few weeks after the episode is over and ask again to make sure nothing additional has been added after the fact.

No matter how much you perceive that you’re disliked or targeted, the school cannot discharge you without a disciplinary meeting. You will be notified in advance so that you can begin to prepare your defense. Note, the school disciplinary board is required to assume your innocence until it’s proven otherwise, just like in the justice system. You also have the right to examine all the documents and “evidence” they are using against you. A word to the wise. Pay your union dues and stay in the teacher’s union! This way, you’ll always have someone on your side to help you fight unjust charges and to present your side of the story in case of a misunderstanding.

If you’ve gotten fired, you’ve got to brush off your pants and move on. Dwelling on the situation if you were wronged is not going to change any one’s mind or get your job back. Secondly, apply for unemployment insurance. If you’ve been fired for misconduct, this may not be approved, but you can always submit your side of what happened. If it’s unclear about exactly what happened, the unemployment office may side with you the job hunter.

When you interview for future jobs, be honest, be concise and move on. Practice ahead of time what you’re going to say and keep the same story regardless. Don’t lie, admit if you made a mistake and talk about the lesson you learned, but keep it moving. Remember to never insult or talk bad about your former school or employer. That only makes you look bad. Like the old song says, accentuate the positive. You may decide to take a break after the dismissal and go into a different field. Perhaps you’ll decide to look for online opportunities or look into educational software positions. There are always options for a well-educated, well-spoken individual. Focus on all that you’ve learned and the skills you obtained while teaching. These can benefit many industries or corporations. Most of all, if the worst does happen to you, remember that it’s an isolated incident in your life. It shouldn’t define you or what your future has the capability of becoming.

Trouble students can often cause a lot of stress for teachers. Some teachers have been teaching so long that they can not handle the stress involved in teaching any longer. A person’s health should be considered very important. If stress is causing a teacher health problems, they should resign from teaching. While many teachers feel guilty about resigning, there are many legitimate reasons why resignation is the best route for some people. Emergencies come up. Sometimes the health of a teacher deteriorates for reasons not related to stress, but they can not teach because of their health problems. Some teachers need to move because of a better job offer or their spouse’s job.

If a teacher finds the need to resign, they should be sure to give their employer notice about the resignation. Students can not depend on substitute teachers to educate them until the school finds a replacement for negligent teachers who have left unexpectedly. It is most responsible to wait until the end of the school year to resign from teaching. Sometimes this is not possible, but a teacher should at least try to wait until midterm or winter recess to resign. A resignation should always be presented in a letter of resignation to an employer. A teacher should also express their gratitude to their employer, and ask for a reference letter. A teacher should also be open with their students. No personal details are needed, but a teacher should inform students of the fact that they are leaving and discuss it with the class. This should especially happen if a teacher is leaving during the year.