Teach-Primary-Issue-19.2

www.teachwire.net | 15 The reality is that as well as making a few extra quid, teachers are actually seeking something that their day-to-day roles often fail to provide; namely validation, progression, and a sense of autonomy. Our profession, at times, can feel stagnant, with limited opportunities for advancement and increasing pressures that leave little room for creativity. In contrast, writing educational resources, running a tutoring business, or creating content online can allow teachers to find a sense of fulfillment that is too often missing from today’s prescriptive teaching practices. Now, it is easy to assume that a teacher with multiple roles might be less committed to their pupils. In reality, the opposite is more likely to be true. The key to embracing this change lies in shifting attitudes at both a leadership and policy level; teachers who engage in outside work are likely to be more motivated, more inspired, and more well-rounded in their T he modern teacher has evolved. Traditionally, teaching was a single, all-encompassing career. Some would take on some additional work, perhaps marking exam papers in the summer, but their primary focus remained in the classroom. However, the landscape has shifted. Increasingly, teachers are finding themselves juggling multiple roles throughout the year. They are no longer just teachers; they are writers, consultants, business owners, and content creators. I don’t view this shift as negative, necessarily. But it does raise important questions about how the education system responds. The idea of teachers pursuing side-careers may have once been viewed with suspicion, seen as a distraction from their primary duties. Now, it is becoming a reality that schools and policymakers can no longer ignore. Instead of resisting the change, the education systemmust find ways to adapt, and, what’s more, benefit from it. approach, and the skills they develop in their other ventures can directly enhance their teaching. Schools should be looking at these teachers not as a flight risk, but instead as an asset with untapped potential. One of the biggest challenges facing schools today is the rigidity of the traditional working structure. Teaching is still largely built around a model that assumes full-time, long-term commitment, with little flexibility. But this is increasingly at odds with the aspirations of modern teachers, many of whom are looking for a more dynamic career that allows them to pursue multiple interests. Schools need to consider ways to introduce more adaptable working conditions, such as flexible scheduling or part-time options. There is also an opportunity here for schools to reframe the narrative around teacher retention. Rather than focusing solely on keeping teachers within the confines of traditional roles, schools could consider how to support them in their broader professional journeys. Offering career development opportunities that acknowledge and incorporate teachers’ external skills could be one way to achieve this. Schools could, for example, create partnerships with businesses or encourage teachers to bring their outside expertise into the curriculum. It is also important to acknowledge that not every teacher will pursue a long-term career in education. Many who develop successful side-careers eventually transition out of the classroom altogether. But rather than viewing this as a loss, the education system should see it as part of a natural evolution. Similarly, if teachers feel supported enough in their dual careers, they may be more likely to stay, contributing their skills and experience for the benefit of the school community for much longer before they move on. Ultimately, all this presents an opportunity for the education system to evolve. Schools must move away from outdated notions of what a teacher’s career should look like and embrace the reality that today’s educators are multifaceted professionals with a wealth of skills to offer. By doing so, they can create a more flexible, supportive environment that meets the needs of teachers and, ultimately, benefits pupils in the long run. TP Andy McHugh is a secondary school teacher and the founder of Teacher Writers, a service that supports teachers who want to write. Andy McHugh Teachers are no stranger to the side-hustle teacherwriters.com VO I C E S Policy leaders need to understand that many of us are multi-hyphenates, and get on board... @teacherwriters.bsky.social