The pandemic has hit every facet of society, especially healthcare and businesses. But one particularly hard-hit sector is education. According recent estimates by organizations, thousands of educators across the United States have already lost their jobs. Teachers may be having a hard time finding new sources of income, especially with school districts still sporadically shutting down schools to prevent the spread of contagion.
A solution may lie on the vast number of extracurricular activities that students of all ages engage in. By some estimates, 57 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 17 engage in at least one form of extracurricular activity.
If you have the right skills, you should consider teaching extracurricular activities online. Assess each activity like you would evaluate business ideas. This will help you find a lucrative source of income.
1. Musical Instruments
Teaching children to sing can be challenging over the internet. The quality of microphones and connectivity can make it hard to judge if they’re getting their tones correct. However, this isn’t as much a problem with musical instruments. You can assess how well they’re doing by examining their hands and techniques. Piano teachers, in particular, can position their cameras directly over their student’s keyboard to have a clear view of their performance. Just invest in a really good camera and microphone set up for maximum clarity.
2. Debate
The art of structured debate is still appreciated by plenty of students across the United States. The art of constructing and deconstructing arguments can seamlessly transfer to online platforms. Thanks to the proliferation of videoconferencing tools and similar software, you can have two debate teams duke it out entirely online. It’s also easy for them to share information simply using instant messaging apps to convey files to one another.
3. Chess
Chess has recently surged in popularity once again thanks to certain pop culture references. The game has been touted as a great way to foster analytical skills and strategic planning in children. The game can also be easily taught over the internet. There are plenty of chessboard simulators online you can use to guide students through the nuances of chess. If you prefer to have a video link with students, you can multitask and set up a webcam alongside your online game which will allow you to coach them simultaneously.
4. Writing
Some of the most celebrated influences in students’ lives are their favorite authors. From fantasy to young adult and even horror, children who love reading may want to take up the art of writing. If you teach writing classes, you’ll find it easy to transition to an online format.
Hold your sessions over videoconferencing platforms and ask for your students’ outputs via email. There are even dedicated online platforms that allow you to post lectures and share lessons in a central page. There are also software designed to check documents for plagiarism, making your job even easier.
Finding a new job in the midst of the current health crisis can be very difficult, but with a little perseverance and a good internet connection, you can get right back to enriching students’ lives.
