How to Get Started Teaching on Outschool
This post contains my Outschool referral links. If you enroll your child in a class using my link, I will receive a credit and so will you. If you use my teacher referral link, I will be compensated when you become an approved teacher and teach a class.
I can’t believe it’s been three years since I took the plunge and listed my first class on Outschool. I never imagined teaching via video-chat. I thought it wasn’t for me because I preferred being in the room with the children I would teach. Fast forward three years, now I couldn’t imagine teaching in a brick and mortar classroom.
Just like I have changed since joining the Outschool community, the platform has also changed a bit since 2017. The team has added more details to the class pages to help parents have a clearer understanding of what they are purchasing. They’ve also updated the back-end to make it so that teachers can handle more of their own administrative tasks like refunding parents when needed. With all the changes since 2017, one thing has remained the same-getting started as an Outschool teacher.
Five Tips to Becoming an Approved Outschool Teacher
Take your time to research the Outschool website.
There are four resources that prospective teachers should utilize before starting the application process: the main Outschool.com website, the teacher support guide found on the support site, the Outschool teacher blog, Outschool's Prospective Teacher Facebook group. As you are thinking about the pros and cons of teaching using Outschool’s platform to teach, be sure to take in as much information as possible about the website and the company. During this time, many teachers and freelancers are looking for an additional source of income. Outschool is receiving an unprecedented amount of applications from those seeking supplemental income, help yourself stand out by knowing as much as possible about the company. Not only will it make you stand out, but it is the best way to prepare yourself for utilizing the platform as a source of income.
READ NEXT: Can You Really Earn an Income on Outschool?
Apply to teach on Outschool like you would for any traditional job.
Some applicants don’t view the Outschool application as a “real” application since Outschool is a marketplace. Don’t let the fact that Outschool is a marketplace let you fill out your application lazily. If you have taken the time to research the website, and you’ve found it to be a good fit for helping you meet your goals, start the application process with the intent of being approved. Outschool’s application is straight-forward. There aren’t any trick questions. You have a good chance of being approved if:
You answer the questions directly versus talking around them. Let the team know why you want to teach online. Let them know what you are passionate about. Let them know if you’ve taught or led in any capacity before.
You communicate well using English. They are looking at spelling errors and incorrect grammar because Outschool is an education company. Each class has to be approved which means the team has to read every description that is written. If you aren’t able to write well when filling out the application, they will decide that you won’t be able to write well when you write your class descriptions.
You are knowledgeable about the content you plan to teach. Outschool is all about teaching what you are passionate and knowledgeable about. If you don’t have a skill that you can share, then you shouldn’t apply. The team doesn’t tell any of the teachers what or how to teach. It is up to you to design your classes, and the best way to do this is to know what you are teaching.
Note: You do not need to be a certified teacher to teach on Outschool’s platform nor do you have to teach academic subjects.
Responding to messages is necessary in this business!
Get approved then list a class.
Once you are approved to teach on Outschool’s platform, you are able to share your passion with learners ages three to eighteen. My first Outschool class, Homeschool Art, was developed from my knowledge of the homeschool community and my love of teaching art. I realized I wanted to be an art teacher during the summer session of my last year in college. I didn’t have the credentials to teach art at a public school, but I did have the knowledge and skills to share my enthusiasm in the homeschool community and with my daughters. Homeschool Art opened up a new view of learning for me, and it is still one of my favorite classes to teach on Outschool. If you could see me as type about my class, you would notice a smile on my face and if you were talking to me in real-time, I would go on and on about this class. But to keep this conversation moving along, I am going to end with I choose to teach this class because I like art, and I love encouraging kids to be to create as they desire. When you create your first class, you should have the same passion about what you’re offering. I can’t tell you what to teach and neither will Outschool, but I can tell you that you should like what you are teaching.
Get ready for your first learner
Once your class has been approved, you can officially have learners. YAY! That’s what is all about, right?! In order for kids to join your class, you’ll need to schedule a few sections. It is important to schedule a few sections because learners may not be able to meet at one of the times you have scheduled, but one of the other times may fit their schedule perfectly. There is trial and error when using Outschool’s marketplace. You don’t what will work until you experiment. I’ve taught Homeschool Art at various times over the three-year course. Some times have worked well while others haven’t been so great. Don’t be afraid to experiment. I currently teach three sections of Homeschool Art on different days and at different times. You can teach the same class to different groups of kids. Once you have a few sections scheduled, parents will be able to enroll their kids in your awesome class! Most parents find Outschool via word-of-mouth or Facebook advertising, there are thousands of families that utilize the platform daily so you may not need to market your classes yourself, but it won’t hurt if you do.
Just like all other businesses, the key to success is consistency.
Outschool is a marketplace. If you don’t have learners, then you won’t earn an income. Outschool is a marketplace. Some teachers will get enrollments right away while others may take a few months to get their first learner. No matter which group you fall under, it is important to be consistent when it comes to scheduling classes, creating new classes, and communicating with parents when they inquire about your class offerings. When you consistently have classes scheduled, you have a good chance of having your class promoted by Outschool. The Outschool team promotes classes and teachers on their social media channels and through paid advertisements. If you don’t have sections scheduled and if parents complain about you, it’s a good chance that your classes will not be promoted. Outschool’s website also automatically shows classes that have sections scheduled at the top of a search when parents are looking at classes for their children. If your classes aren’t scheduled, your classes will always show up at the bottom of the search.
Note: Parents like being able to enroll right away versus having to ask you to schedule a section. Have the option to enroll in a section available so parents won’t walk away.
Getting started as a teacher on Outschool is a mashup of applying for a customer service-oriented job and starting a shop on Teachers Pay Teachers or Etsy. If you are ready to teach what you’re passionate about, create your schedule, and connect with a community of wonderful learners, parents, and colleagues, go ahead and start the steps to teach your first class on Outschool.
Have you thought about teaching online? If so, what’s stopping you from getting started.