teaching – Mike Paul

Teacher Side Hustles That Actually Fit Your Life (From Someone Who Gets It)

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The national average teacher salary is $74,200. That sounds okay until you account for the fact that most teachers spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket on classroom supplies each year, work 50+ hour weeks, and bring a graduate degree to a job that still can’t cover the rent in most major cities.

I’ve been in education long enough to know: the pay conversation isn’t changing fast enough. So this post isn’t about waiting for the system to fix itself. It’s about what you can actually do right now, in the margins of the life you already have, to build some financial breathing room.

A few things this post will do that most side hustle lists don’t:

Be honest about what these hustles actually pay (not just the best-case ceiling)
Help you figure out which one fits your schedule, energy level, and personality
Address the stuff nobody mentions — union rules, burnout, and the fact that you’re already exhausted
Point you toward the tools and gear you’ll actually need

Let’s get into it.

First: The Most Important Concept Nobody Explains

Before diving into the list, understand the difference between active income and passive income. It matters more here than anywhere else, because teachers are already time-poor.

Active income means trading your hours for dollars. Tutoring is the clearest example — you work an hour, you get paid for that hour, and when you stop working, the income stops too. It can pay well and start quickly, but it doesn’t scale.

Passive income means building something once that keeps earning. A resource you upload to your own store in August can sell every September for years. A blog post with affiliate links can earn while you’re sleeping, grading papers, or staring blankly at a faculty meeting. It takes longer to build but compounds over time.

The best strategy is to start with active income (faster money, lower barrier to entry) while building passive income in parallel (summer is perfect for this). Most of the hustles below are labeled so you know which type you’re looking at.

The “Start Here” Guide: Which Hustle Fits You?

Before scrolling the full list, answer these honestly:

You have 2–5 hours a week during the school year → Tutoring, freelance writing, building a resource store slowly

You’re an introvert who doesn’t want to talk to anyone → Selling your own resources online, selling printables on Etsy, blogging, curriculum writing

You want money fast → Tutoring, substitute at another district on days off, test administration

You have summers mostly free → This is your superpower. Launch a resource store, build a course, start a blog, do curriculum consulting — dedicate June to building something that earns through the school year

You want something totally unrelated to education → Freelance writing (non-education topics), voiceover work, reselling

Your district has a moonlighting policy → Read it carefully before tutoring students from your own school or district. Some contracts restrict this. The hustles that are always safe: anything online, anything not connected to your school community.

The Hustles

1. Sell Your Own Resources — On Your Own Terms

Type: Passive income (eventually) | Startup time: Medium–High | Earning potential: $100–$5,000+/month

Here’s something the “sell your lessons!” corner of the internet doesn’t like to say out loud: the big teacher resource marketplaces have real problems. Quality control issues, intellectual property concerns that have put some districts on alert, and commission structures that take a significant cut of every sale you make.

There’s a better approach, and it starts with owning your own storefront.

Payhip is what I’d recommend to any teacher who wants to sell their original resources. You set up your own store, upload your materials, and keep 95% of every sale — Payhip only takes a 5% transaction fee. There’s no monthly cost to get started, digital delivery is fully automated, and you can sell everything from worksheets and unit plans to full online courses and memberships from the same place.

More importantly, you’re building your brand, not feeding someone else’s marketplace. Buyers follow you, not the platform.

What to sell: Unit plans, assessment packs, rubrics, sub plans, behavior charts, parent communication templates, writing prompts — anything you’ve already made that solves a recurring problem. The materials likely already exist. You just need somewhere to put them.

One important note before you sell anything: Check your district’s contract. In many cases, materials you create specifically for your classroom during your contracted hours are considered works for hire, meaning the district holds the copyright. Materials you create on your own time, independently, are generally yours to sell. When in doubt, ask your union rep — not your principal.

Summer strategy: Use June to build 10–15 strong resources around your subject area. Get your Payhip store set up, write clear product descriptions, and have inventory ready before back-to-school season in August.

Tools you’ll need:

Canva Pro — the standard for making professional-looking resources
Microsoft Office — for layout-heavy materials
Canon PIXMA printer — for testing your own resources before selling (also has really great ink cost thanks to Megatank)

2. Online Tutoring

Type: Active income | Startup time: Low | Earning potential: $25–$80/hour

You’re already good at this. Tutoring is the fastest way to turn your credentials into cash, and certified teachers can command higher rates than uncertified tutors on most platforms.

Platforms worth looking at:

Wyzant — you set your own rate, keep 75% after their cut. Good marketplace for finding clients.
Varsity Tutors — pays per session, handles scheduling and matching.
BookNook — specifically hires K-8 reading and math tutors, pays $15–22/hour, fully remote.
Outschool — you create and run your own live online classes for kids. More setup, but you keep a higher percentage and build an audience over time.

The contract question: Before tutoring students from your own school, check your contract. Many districts restrict teachers from privately tutoring their own current students — not as a punishment, just as a conflict-of-interest policy. Tutoring students from other schools or districts is almost always fine.

What you need to tutor online professionally:

Blue Yeti USB Microphone — your audio quality is your first impression (Amazon affiliate link)
Ring light — makes you look like you know what you’re doing (Amazon affiliate link)
Wacom Intuos drawing tablet — a game-changer for math tutoring online; write out problems naturally instead of typing (Amazon affiliate link)
Portable second monitor — one screen for your student, one for your notes (Amazon affiliate link)

3. Selling Printables on Etsy

Type: Passive income | Startup time: Medium | Earning potential: $50–$2,000+/month

Etsy gives you access to a much broader audience than education-only platforms — buyers include parents, homeschoolers, and general consumers, not just other teachers. You can sell habit trackers, budget planners, classroom decor, parent communication templates, and anything else a creative educator might make.

The tradeoff: Etsy buyers aren’t always searching for education-specific content, so discoverability takes more work. It pairs well with a Payhip store — use Etsy for discoverability and traffic, Payhip for your full catalog and higher-margin direct sales.

Canva makes the design side very approachable. Design once, sell infinitely. Digital delivery is automated on both platforms.

4. Freelance Writing

Type: Active income (transitioning to passive over time) | Startup time: Low–Medium | Earning potential: $50–$500+ per piece

Teachers are strong writers. That’s actually a differentiator in the freelance market, where much of the content is thin and generic.

Education-specific opportunities:

We Are Teachers pays roughly $150/article and actively recruits teacher contributors
Curriculum companies (Amplify, Curriculum Associates, Khan Academy) hire freelance writers and curriculum developers — search LinkedIn for “freelance curriculum writer”
Education trade publications like EdSurge, Education Week, and Edutopia accept pitches

General freelance writing:

Fiverr — set up a profile, start with competitive rates to build reviews, then raise them
Upwork — better for longer-term client relationships, more competitive to break in
PaidWritingJobs – search for current, open writing jobs, updated frequently with new offers

The honest timeline: Freelance writing takes a few months to build momentum. Your first pieces will likely pay less than you want. Stick with it.

5. Online Courses

Type: Passive income | Startup time: High | Earning potential: $200–$5,000+/month

This is the highest-ceiling option on this list, and also the most work upfront. The idea: you know something deeply — your subject matter, classroom management, a specific teaching method, a skill you have outside school — and you package it into a course that people pay to take.

Platforms:

Payhip — yes, the same platform for selling resources also handles full online courses with videos, quizzes, and completion certificates. If you’re already building a store there, it’s the simplest starting point.
Teachable — well-designed, easy to use, good for beginners. Their affiliate program pays 30% recurring commission if you want to recommend it on your own blog.
Udemy — larger built-in audience, lower prices, but more discoverability for new creators
Outschool — specifically for live classes aimed at K-12 students. Less upfront work than a full recorded course.

Summer strategy: Build the course in the summer. The school year is when it sells. A well-made course on a specific topic — teaching fractions to struggling learners, running a high school debate team, ESL strategies — can sell to other educators for years.

6. Curriculum Consulting and Writing

Type: Active income | Startup time: Medium | Earning potential: $30–$100+/hour

If you have deep subject-matter expertise or experience in curriculum design, there’s a real market for your skills outside the classroom. Nonprofits, edtech companies, and publishers regularly hire teachers as consultants and freelance writers.

Start by updating your LinkedIn with specific curriculum accomplishments. Search for “curriculum developer freelance” or “instructional designer remote.” Platforms like Upwork and Contra are good places to build an early client base.

The pay range is wide — entry-level curriculum writing can pay $20–30/hour, while experienced instructional designers with a track record can command $75–100/hour or more.

7. Blogging with Affiliate Marketing

Type: Passive income (slow build) | Startup time: Medium | Earning potential: $0–$8,000+/month

This is the longest game on the list. It also has the highest ceiling for truly passive income, because a well-ranked blog post earns money indefinitely without additional work.

The basics: you write about things teachers care about — classroom tools, side hustles, books, professional development — and you embed affiliate links. When readers click and buy, you earn a commission. Amazon Associates is the easiest starting point. Programs like Teachable’s affiliate program, Canva’s affiliate program, Payhip’s partner program (50% lifetime recurring commission), and Grammarly (which pays $20 per premium signup) can meaningfully add to that.

Realistic timeline: most blogs take 12–18 months to generate meaningful income. A handful see results faster if they hit a good niche. Either way, you’re building an asset that compounds.

If you’re going to start a blog: Use WordPress with a reliable host. Install the Thirsty Affiliates plugin to manage all your affiliate links in one place — it makes updating links across your whole site simple when programs change.

The Tools: Your Home Office Side Hustle Setup

Whatever hustle you choose, these are worth having:

Tool	Why You Need It	Approx. Cost
Blue Yeti USB Mic	Tutoring, recording courses, podcasting	$100–$130
Ring Light	Any video calls or recordings	$25–$50
Wacom Intuos Tablet	Online tutoring, annotating PDFs	$80–$100
Portable Monitor	Second screen for multitasking	$120–$180
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones	Focus, grading, recording	$280–$350
Canva Pro	Resource design, printables, course graphics	$15/month
Grammarly Premium	Freelance writing, course content	$12–$30/month

All Amazon links are affiliate links. Purchasing through them supports this blog at no extra cost to you.

What Nobody Tells You

Burnout is real. You are already working one of the most emotionally and cognitively demanding jobs that exists. Adding a side hustle on top of that without intentional boundaries is a fast track to resentment and exhaustion. The hustles that work best for teachers are the ones with flexible schedules and work you actually enjoy — not just the ones that pay the most.

Start with one thing. The biggest mistake is trying three side hustles at once. Pick one, give it 90 days, and evaluate honestly before adding anything else.

Summers are your leverage point. If you have relatively free summers, that is a genuine competitive advantage most non-teachers don’t have. Use that time to build something — a resource store, a course, a blog, a consulting client base — so that when school starts again, you have income flowing without much active effort required.

Tax note: Side income is self-employment income. Set aside 25–30% of whatever you earn for taxes, especially if you’re pushing past $600/year on any platform. You’ll thank yourself in April.

The Bottom Line

There is no perfect side hustle. The best one is the one that fits your schedule, plays to your strengths, and doesn’t require you to give up the few hours of rest you actually need.

If I had to pick a starting point for most K-12 teachers: tutoring to build immediate cash flow, your own Payhip resource store to build passive income, and a real summer project — a course, a blog, or a consulting push — to build something with a longer ceiling.

You’ve already got the skills. The question is just where to point them.

What’s your side hustle? I’d love to hear what’s working — or what hasn’t — in the comments.

The Eclectic Educator is a free resource for everyone passionate about education and creativity. If you enjoy the content and want to support the newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps keep the insights and inspiration coming!

The 40-Hour Teacher Week Myth (and 7 Time-Saving Tools That Actually Work)

black and white photo of clocks — Photo by Andrey Grushnikov on Pexels.com

The Lie We’ve All Been Sold

If you’re a teacher, you know the truth: 40 hours is a fantasy.

Between planning, grading, answering emails, parent meetings, PD sessions, hallway duty, IEPs, MTSS meetings, and trying to breathe for a moment, teaching is a job that routinely demands 50 to 60 hours per week, and sometimes even more. It’s not that we’re bad at time management. It’s that we’re swimming against a system that wasn’t designed for sustainability.

But here’s the good news: while you may not be able to control the system, you can change how you manage your time within it.

In this post, we’re going to:

Debunk the 40-hour teacher week
Explore how to design your time like a limited resource
Share 7 time-saving tools that can actually help you win back your evenings and weekends
Provide practical, teacher-tested time hacks you can implement right away

Let’s dig in.

Why the 40-Hour Week Doesn’t Exist in Education

The idea of a 40-hour workweek originated from industrial labor models—you clock in, you do your job, and you clock out. But teaching isn’t just a job. It’s a calling, a performance, a planning-intensive, people-heavy, paperwork-dense act of organized chaos.

Here’s how time actually gets spent:

Instruction: 30+ hours/week
Lesson planning & prep: 5–10 hours/week
Grading and feedback: 5–8 hours/week
Emails and communication: 3+ hours/week
Meetings (PLC, IEP, PD, admin): 2–5 hours/week

And that’s before you factor in classroom setup, tech troubleshooting, data analysis, sub plans, hallway coverage, behavior documentation, and the emotional labor of being “on” all day.

Teaching is a job that will expand to consume every available minute if you let it.

That’s why reclaiming your time starts with a mindset shift.

Time Budgeting vs. Task Management

Traditional time management says, “Make a list and get it all done.”

But that assumes time is infinite and predictable. It’s not.

Instead, use a time budgeting mindset: you start with a finite amount of time and allocate it intentionally.

Try this:

Budget 30 minutes to plan tomorrow’s lesson. When the timer goes off, stop. Done is better than perfect.
Give yourself 45 minutes to grade a set of quizzes. Use a single-point rubric or comment bank to speed it up.
Block off 1 hour for parent communication. Use templated responses, voice memos, or batch them in your planning period.

You wouldn’t overspend your money without consequence. Don’t overspend your time.

The 80% Rule: Done Is Better Than Perfect

Aim for 80%.

We waste enormous energy trying to make things perfect—the perfect slide deck, the perfect anchor chart, the perfect assignment. And while excellence matters, so does survivability.

Let go of perfection and embrace “effective enough.”

7 Time-Saving Tools Every Teacher Should Use

Each of these is designed to save time without sacrificing quality—and yes, they’re all tools I either use or would recommend.

1. Planbook.com – Digital Lesson Planning Made Simple

Say goodbye to clunky binders and endless Google Docs. Planbook allows you to plan, align to standards, and adjust with drag-and-drop ease.
Affiliate Tip: Mention the ability to copy lessons year-to-year, saving hours in future terms.

2. Google Keep – Fast Notes, Checklists, and To-Dos

Think of it as your sticky note board, digitized. Keep is great for batching feedback notes, tracking student conferences, and setting reminders.
Pro Tip: Use labels like “Grading,” “Parent Calls,” or “Copy Room” to stay organized.

3. ClickUp or Notion – Project Management for Educators

Use these to manage units, track standards, or even collaborate across your PLC.
Want to build a weekly to-do board? Create a reusable template.

4. Grammarly Premium – Write Faster, Grade Smarter

Speed up parent emails, student feedback, and even lesson materials. Let Grammarly handle grammar, tone, and conciseness so you can focus on content.

5. Mote – Voice Comments in Google Classroom

Record personalized audio feedback directly into student work. Students engage more, and you save time typing.
It’s also fantastic for English learners and students with IEP accommodations.

6. Text Blaze – Auto-Responses and Comment Banks

If you find yourself typing the exact phrases over and over, Text Blaze lets you create keyboard shortcuts that expand into full sentences, feedback, or email replies.
Think: /grade1 = “Great start! Please expand on your second point.”

7. Rocketbook – Reusable Smart Notebook

Want to plan on paper but keep it digital? Write in this notebook, scan it with your phone, and send it directly to Google Drive, Notion, or email.
Great for capturing notes from PD or coaching conversations, then tossing them into your digital workflow.

5 Time-Saving Habits to Build This Month

Tools help. But systems sustain. Here are habits to pair with your tools:

1. Theme Your Days

Monday: Lesson planning
Tuesday: Grading
Wednesday: Family communication
Thursday: Data and meetings
Friday: Catch up + self-care

2. Use Comment Banks and Rubrics

Create a Google Doc with your most-used feedback phrases. Pair with single-point rubrics in Google Classroom.

3. Batch Like a Boss

Group similar tasks (e.g., grade all assignments from 2nd period, then all from 3rd) to reduce cognitive switching.

4. Automate What You Can

Schedule recurring parent newsletters. Use auto-responders during peak grading periods. Build email templates.

5. Reflect Weekly

Take 15 minutes each Friday to reflect:

What worked?
What drained me?
What can I tweak for next week?

Final Thoughts: Time Is a Teacher’s Most Precious Resource

You are not a robot. You are not lazy. You are not doing it wrong.

You are working inside a system that asks too much and gives too little.

But with the right tools and some intentional design, you can reclaim your time.

You deserve to leave school without guilt. You deserve a weekend. You deserve a full life.

And it starts by treating your time as sacred.

Could Medical-Style Residencies Save Our Struggling Schools?

Teacher preparation programs could take a page from medical training, emphasizing hands-on practice, focused research, and sustained mentorship. Residency-style programs offer promising solutions as the education landscape grapples with high turnover among new teachers and declining student achievement. These models provide novice teachers extensive classroom experience under expert guidance, ensuring they are better equipped from day one. While traditional student teaching often lacks depth and practical relevance, these residencies focus on “gradual release” approaches, allowing new educators to build confidence and skills gradually rather than diving straight into full responsibility.

But adopting a medical residency model isn’t without its hurdles. Funding challenges, inconsistent state requirements, and uneven compensation remain significant barriers. As education leaders look toward the future, it’s clear that reshaping teacher preparation is desirable and necessary for improving classroom outcomes nationwide.

19 Books Every Teacher Should Read to Master Money and Fund Their Dreams

person holding u s dollar banknotes — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Teachers have unique financial challenges, from funding classroom projects and family needs to planning vacations and saving for retirement—all while navigating a salary that often feels stretched too thin. To help you take control of your finances, I’ve curated 19 books that can truly change your life. After reading over 200 books about money, I found that 50% were a waste of time, 20% were plain wrong, and just 19 stood out as life-changing.

These books are divided into four categories: Make It, Build It, Keep It, and Enjoy It. Together, they’ll provide the mindset, strategies, and skills to make more money, build wealth, protect it, and use it to live a rich, fulfilling life. Whether you’re saving for your next classroom initiative or dreaming of a comfortable retirement, these books are your roadmap.

Make It → Change Your Mindset Around Money

Mastering your finances starts with mastering your mindset. As teachers, we dedicate ourselves to helping students grow, often without prioritizing our own financial health. A shift in mindset can make all the difference, turning money from a source of stress into a tool for freedom and opportunity. This category includes books that challenge old beliefs about money, teach you how to think like an investor, and inspire you to take charge of your financial future.

Money problems are rarely solved by simply making more money; they’re solved by thinking differently about the money you already have. These books will help you do just that. Whether you’re working on tackling debt, building confidence in your financial decisions, or learning to align money with your values, the insights here will empower you to rewrite your financial story.

Mindset by Carol Dweck

This book is essential for teachers, as it emphasizes the power of a growth mindset—the belief that intelligence and skills can develop over time. Just as you encourage students to embrace challenges and learn from setbacks, this book challenges you to approach your financial journey with the same resilience. Instead of feeling stuck or overwhelmed, you’ll learn to see obstacles as opportunities for growth.

Principles by Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio’s framework for decision-making is a goldmine for anyone looking to take control of their financial life. Teachers can apply his principles to everything from budgeting to career planning, creating a system that helps you achieve your goals with clarity and confidence. By setting clear goals, diagnosing problems, and designing solutions, you can navigate financial challenges with the same strategic thinking you use in your lesson plans.

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

A cornerstone in financial literacy, this book helps you reframe how you view money, assets, and liabilities. For teachers, it offers a straightforward path to understanding how to build wealth—even on a modest salary. Learn how to shift your focus from working for money to having your money work for you, and see how small changes in thinking can lead to big results.

Money: Master The Game by Tony Robbins

This book is a fantastic starting point for anyone looking to take control of their financial future. Robbins simplifies complex financial concepts, making them accessible even if you’re new to managing money. For teachers juggling family expenses, classroom needs, and long-term goals like retirement, this book helps you define financial success and lays out a clear path to achieve it. Robbins emphasizes the importance of understanding your “why” when it comes to money—what lifestyle do you want, and how much will it take to make it a reality?

One of the key takeaways is the framework for achieving financial freedom: What do I really want? What’s important about it? How will I get it? What’s preventing me from getting it? And how will I know if I’m successful? These five steps provide clarity and focus, especially for teachers who might feel stuck in a cycle of limited income and high expenses. Robbins also reminds readers, “You either master money, or, on some level, money masters you.” By mastering the basics, you’ll build confidence and control over your financial life, no matter your starting point.

Choose Yourself & Side Hustle Bible by James Altucher

James Altucher’s message is simple but powerful: if you don’t prioritize yourself, no one else will. This book is especially valuable for teachers who often put others’ needs above their own, whether it’s their students, families, or communities. Altucher emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and creative thinking to build financial independence. His practical advice on generating ideas—writing down 5-10 ideas every day—helps readers sharpen their problem-solving skills and unlock new opportunities for income.

A standout lesson from this book is learning to say no. Altucher warns, “Every time you say yes to something you don’t want to do… you will make less money.” For teachers, this could mean learning to turn down unpaid obligations or low-value opportunities that drain your time and energy. The “Side Hustle Bible” component is equally practical, providing actionable steps to diversify your income and create side hustles that align with your skills and interests. Altucher’s insights are a must for anyone ready to take charge of their financial future.

Economic Facts & Fallacies by Thomas Sowell

This book is a masterclass in critical thinking about economic issues. Sowell dismantles common misconceptions and challenges readers to think independently about the economic narratives we’re often fed. For teachers, this is particularly relevant, as you’re shaping young minds to think critically about the world around them. Sowell’s sharp insights empower you to question economic “truths” and develop a deeper understanding of how financial systems impact your life and decisions.

A key takeaway from this book is the distinction between feeling and thinking. Sowell writes, “The problem isn’t that Johnny can’t read. The problem isn’t even that Johnny can’t think. The problem is that Johnny doesn’t know what thinking is; he confuses it with feeling.” This resonates deeply in a time when emotional reactions often overshadow logical analysis. For teachers, this book is not just about understanding economics—it’s about cultivating the kind of mindset that allows you to cut through noise, focus on facts, and make sound financial decisions for yourself and your family.

Man’s Search for Himself by Rollo May

Rollo May’s Man’s Search for Himself is an inspiring and introspective read that focuses on understanding your purpose and taking control of your life. For teachers, who often pour so much energy into their students, this book offers a chance to reflect on your own values and aspirations. It reminds readers that life is finite and that living with intentionality is the key to fulfillment.

May explores themes like fear, freedom, and authenticity, urging readers to make choices that align with their true selves. The book serves as a mental reset, encouraging you to focus on what truly matters and to treat your one life with care and respect. It’s a powerful reminder to prioritize personal growth alongside the work you do for others.

$100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau’s $100 Startup is a must-read for anyone looking to start a business without a huge financial investment. Teachers often have unique skills that can translate into profitable side hustles, from tutoring to creating educational resources, and this book provides the blueprint for turning those ideas into income streams. It walks you through identifying a profitable idea, marketing on a budget, and building a customer base—all while keeping startup costs low.

One of the key takeaways is the idea that value is created when you make something useful and share it with the world. Whether you’re starting a small business to fund classroom needs or supplement your income for personal goals, this book breaks down the process into actionable steps. With its to-do lists and practical advice, it’s perfect for teachers who want to take control of their financial futures.

Build It → Understand the Language of Money

Once you’ve developed the right mindset, the next step is building the financial tools and strategies you need to succeed. This category focuses on understanding the language of money—how it works, how to grow it, and how to leverage it for long-term wealth. These books are designed to demystify complex financial concepts and help you create systems for financial success, whether you’re starting a side hustle, investing, or scaling your efforts.

For teachers, learning to “build it” means finding creative ways to supplement your income and maximize your impact. Whether it’s understanding how to sell your expertise, negotiating for higher pay, or finding new opportunities to monetize your skills, these books show you how to go beyond a paycheck-to-paycheck existence and create lasting financial stability.

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power is a fascinating exploration of power dynamics and how they shape personal and professional relationships. For teachers, understanding these laws can help you navigate complex situations, whether it’s managing classroom dynamics, advocating for better resources, or building influence within your community. This book teaches you how to identify where you can take control and create more power in your life.

One standout lesson is the idea that “attention is the most important commodity of the 21st century.” Instead of trying to change people’s minds, shift their attention to what matters most. For educators, this insight can help you communicate your goals more effectively and make a greater impact, whether in the classroom or beyond.

Merger Masters by Kate Welling and Mario Gabelli

Merger Masters is a deep dive into the world of high-level finance, exploring how the rich don’t just buy things—they buy empires. While dense, this book is worth the effort for anyone interested in understanding mergers, acquisitions, and the strategies that create massive wealth. For teachers looking to grow their financial literacy, this book offers valuable insights into risk arbitrage and other wealth-building techniques.

The authors share practical lessons from successful investors, with a key takeaway being the idea that wealth is built through spinoffs, split-ups, liquidations, mergers, and acquisitions. By understanding these concepts, you gain a perspective on how to think bigger about your financial goals and take calculated risks to achieve them.

The Long & Short of It by John Kay

John Kay’s The Long & Short of It is a guide to finance and investing that’s perfect for those who aren’t in the industry but want to understand how the system works. For teachers, this book simplifies complex concepts, helping you navigate investments and financial decisions with confidence. It’s packed with practical advice and even includes a helpful glossary of financial terms for easy reference.

A standout quote is, “You can’t win the game if you don’t know what you’re playing or who your competitors are.” This idea encourages you to approach your finances with the same thoughtfulness and strategy you bring to lesson planning. By learning the rules of the game, you can make smarter decisions and set yourself up for long-term financial success.

Mastering the VC Game by Jeffrey Bussgang

Mastering the VC Game is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in entrepreneurship or venture capital. For teachers who dream of turning their big ideas into scalable businesses, this book provides a step-by-step guide to raising money and navigating the world of startups. Bussgang breaks down the process of going from startup to IPO in a way that’s accessible and actionable.

One of the most important lessons is, “If you’re going to fail, fail quick and cheap.” This advice is empowering for anyone hesitant to take risks—it’s better to try, learn, and pivot than to hold back entirely. Whether you’re launching a tutoring business, educational app, or other venture, this book offers the tools to succeed on your terms.

$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi

If you’ve ever struggled to monetize your skills, this book is for you. Hormozi breaks down how to create irresistible offers that people can’t say no to, making it a must-read for teachers looking to turn their expertise into additional income streams.

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

This book teaches negotiation tactics that every teacher can benefit from. Whether it’s advocating for better pay, negotiating classroom resources, or working on personal finances, Voss’s insights help you get what you deserve without sacrificing relationships.

Zero to One by Peter Thiel

For teachers dreaming of starting a business or side hustle, this book provides a roadmap for thinking big and building something meaningful. Thiel’s contrarian advice encourages you to find your unique edge and turn it into a profitable venture.

Keep It → Protect Your Money and Grow Wealth

Making money is only half the battle; keeping it is just as important. This category focuses on protecting your wealth and ensuring it grows over time. Teachers often face challenges like navigating retirement plans, managing debt, and preparing for unexpected expenses. These books provide actionable advice to help you create a financial safety net and build a foundation for long-term wealth.

Keeping your money requires discipline and a focus on sustainability. As a teacher, you already have the skills to stay organized and plan ahead—this category shows you how to apply those skills to your financial life. By learning to invest wisely, manage risk, and think long-term, you’ll set yourself up for success in the years to come.

Good to Great by Jim Collins

This book teaches you how to create sustainable systems, whether for a business or your personal finances. It’s especially valuable for teachers who want to grow their income streams or ensure their money is working for them even when they’re not actively involved.

The One Thing by Gary Keller

Teachers often juggle multiple responsibilities, but this book reminds you to focus on the most important financial priorities. By narrowing your efforts to the most impactful tasks, you’ll see greater results in less time.

Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove

When financial challenges arise, this book will help you adapt and thrive. It’s a powerful guide for teachers navigating uncertain times or looking to future-proof their finances.

Enjoy It → Spend Money on What Truly Matters

What’s the point of making and saving money if you can’t enjoy it? The final category focuses on spending your money in ways that align with your values and bring you joy. For teachers, this might mean funding meaningful classroom projects, taking that dream vacation, or investing in hobbies and experiences that enrich your life.

Enjoying your money isn’t about reckless spending—it’s about making intentional choices that align with your priorities. These books will help you balance financial responsibility and living a fulfilling life, ensuring that your hard work translates into moments of happiness and connection.

Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez

This classic teaches you how to align your spending with your values, helping you cut unnecessary expenses and focus on what truly matters. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to achieve financial independence while enjoying life.

Adventure Capitalist by Jim Rogers

For teachers with a spirit of adventure, this book shows how to combine travel and financial freedom. It’s a reminder that wealth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about having the freedom to explore, experience, and create a life you love.

Why These Books Matter for Teachers

Teachers work tirelessly to inspire and educate, but too often, financial stress prevents them from enjoying the fruits of that hard work. These 19 books provide the tools, mindset, and strategies you need to take control of your financial future. Whether your goal is funding classroom projects, taking your family on a dream vacation, or building a retirement you can look forward to, these books offer practical solutions tailored to your needs.

Start with the category that resonates most with you, and let these books guide you toward the financial freedom you deserve. Which book will you start with? Let me know in the comments!

Eight Books to Read If You’re in a Creative Slump

notebooks — Photo by Julia Joppien on Unsplash

Struggling with a creative block can feel like being stuck in quicksand—every effort to escape seems to pull you deeper into frustration. You stare at the blank page or screen, willing for an idea to spark, but nothing clicks. Before you resign yourself to despair, let these seven remarkable books be your lifeline. Each one offers a unique perspective on overcoming creative hurdles, from grappling with perfectionism to finding inspiration in unexpected places. Dive into these stories of struggle and triumph, and rediscover the magic of creativity in the most unexpected ways.

The Luminous Novel by Mario Levrero

Levrero’s diary kept during his Guggenheim fellowship, chronicles his struggle to write a novel. It captures the essence of a creative block with dry humor and honesty. His distractions and failures reveal that creative work often involves attempting the impossible and finding meaning, even in failure.

Scratched by Elizabeth Tallent

Tallent’s memoir explores her 20-year struggle with perfectionism after early literary success. Through her dense, introspective prose, she examines how perfectionism stifles creativity, ultimately learning to embrace imperfection and reality over-idealized art.

Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon

Chabon’s novel follows Grady Tripp, a writing professor stuck in a never-ending manuscript. Amidst personal chaos, Tripp’s creative struggle highlights how we create our own obstacles. The book offers solace and humor for anyone feeling creatively isolated.

Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson

Johnson’s book shifts focus from individual creativity to environments that foster innovation. Exploring how ideas develop through serendipity and collaboration encourages cultivating variety and openness in one’s creative process.

So Many Olympic Exertions by Anelise Chen

Chen’s novel blends fiction and nonfiction. It follows Athena’s struggle with her dissertation amidst personal tragedy. The book critiques society’s obsession with achievement through sports metaphors and offers a reevaluation for those stuck in their projects.

What It Is by Lynda Barry

Barry’s unique work combines a graphic memoir, a meditation on creativity, and an activity book. Her collages and exercises emphasize play and relinquishing control to revive creativity, arguing that embracing the unknown can overcome creative blocks.

Out of Sheer Rage by Geoff Dyer

Dyer’s account of his failed attempt to write about D.H. Lawrence is filled with humorous distractions. His book demonstrates that the obligations of creative work are not as rigid as they seem, offering a liberating perspective on tackling creative blocks.

The Paris Review Interviews, Vol. 1

This collection features interviews with great writers discussing their creative processes and struggles. The practical advice and diverse voices provide reassurance and inspiration, emphasizing that there are many ways to create art and encouraging readers to be true to themselves.

Meta wants to put students and teachers in Quest VR headsets

woman using vr goggles outdoors — Photo by Bradley Hook on Pexels.com

Meta plans to make Quest VR headsets a key tool for classroom learning, offering students immersive educational experiences. The push for VR in education raises questions about the future of learning and student engagement. Despite concerns like cybersickness and limited accessibility, Meta sees VR technology as a promising avenue for transforming education.

Meta will release a suite of visually engrossing education apps for teachers to use with students ages 13 and older in time for the fall 2024 semester.
Teachers will be able to manage multiple Quest devices at once without preparing and updating each device individually.

Everything I’m writing is s#*%

Greetings Starfighters,

Happy first (partial) week of spring here in the Northern Hemisphere—our southern neighbors rejoice as they head into my favorite time of year…

I’ve walked around most of this week not knowing what day it was or just being off a day. I’m quite certain this is all due to still recovering from the nonsense of daylight savings time (because we’re not saving anything). Yet, we move along into the vast unknown of tomorrow.

Also, has anyone else adjusted their reading goal for the year? I’m really behind and am not sure I can catch up with all that life brings my way. But, recognizing your limits is key and knowing that the only person I’m competing against is myself is also helpful when I feel defeated.

Anyway, here are 10 cool things I wanted to share this week:

10 Things Worth Sharing

Creativity is Humanity
As usual, I’ve gone down another musical rabbit hole that began with finding the amazing Hermanos Gutiérrez and has taken me into some very chill musical vibes. If you need a nice smooth start to your day, I have some great finds for you.
English learners stopped coming to class during the pandemic. One group is tackling the problem by helping their parents.
I’m always on the hunt for new creatives and curious to see their creative processes. This week, I found Jacob Collier by way of Matt Mullenweg of WordPress fame. Collier joins Paul Davids in this video to discuss learning to play the guitar, tweaking the rules, and changing everything to suit your style.
In Star Wars news this week (you knew there was going to be a geeky moment soon), the trailer for the new “The Acolyte” series dropped this week, giving us a first glimpse at the time 100 years prior to anything Star Wars-related we’ve seen on any screen. There’s even a Wookiee Jedi.
How do US teachers teach? We don’t know, and it’s difficult to figure out.
While I’m a huge fan of exploration and creative work that sometimes takes us on grand adventures that aren’t so productive, sometimes there is no other option than to do the work of learning.
Ten books from MIT faculty to expand your knowledge of teaching, learning, and technology
Speaking of doing the work of learning and creativity, what if you made your classroom or workspace a living display of your creativity like Lynda Barry?
Lastly, when you feel like the work you do is complete and utter garbage—don’t we all get that way at times?—remember that you’re not alone. The novelist Percival Everett says, “I’m pretty sure everything I’m writing is shit…I’m just trying to make the best shit I can.”

That’s it for this week. The Spring Break edition will arrive in your inbox next week.

P.S. – I’m going through all my old comics lately and am amazed at some of the ads. Here’s this one with a cameo from Vincent Price to make your own shrunken head…

Ten books from MIT faculty to expand your knowledge of teaching, learning, and technology

As we head into Spring Break and, soon, into summer, you may already be building your reading list.

I know not everyone is busy marking professional learning books like me (yes, I have a sickness), but if you are, I have some recommendations.

Here are 10 books shared by MIT Open Learning faculty that explore teaching, learning, and technology. The books cover topics such as innovation in manufacturing, creating Android apps, sociable robots, educational technology, the science of learning, and workforce education.

One of my favorites, Failure to Disrupt, is on the list. I believe that text is required reading for anyone in the educational technology space if you’re brave enough to admit that we are often wrong about what technology can do in our schools.

How Do Most U.S. Teachers Teach?

photo of woman tutoring young boy — Photo by Julia M Cameron on Pexels.com

Finding a definitive answer to how most U.S. teachers teach is difficult for various reasons. There are over 13,000 school districts in the U.S., with almost 100,000 schools and 3.2 million teachers, making it hard to track how each teacher teaches.

University researchers play a significant role in discovering this information, but very few such professors do this, and it takes time to observe classrooms and gather data.

Well, whose job is it to find out how most U.S. teachers teach? University researchers. Sadly, there are too few such professors who do exactly that and those that do seldom write articles or books that become “must reads” for teachers and the general public.
Larry Cuban

However, some studies and surveys have relied on direct observations, teacher self-reports of classroom instruction, teacher autobiographies, and historical records of classroom lessons to find out how U.S. teachers teach.

Falling Into Fall Break

I shared this note with my team on our last day before Fall Break. I hope you find encouragement here, as well.

“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”
Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

boy walking on wooden pathway beside plants during day — Photo by Harrison Haines on Pexels.com

Fall Break

You may have already figured this out, but Fall Break is my favorite break of the year. We’ve navigated the busyness of beginning a new school year and made some progress toward our goals. For me, this break comes at the perfect time. The weather cools, mornings begin on the back porch with a cup of coffee, and evenings end with a backyard fire. It’s not so much a break as it is a pause—the deep breath before diving into winter. I need this break. You need this break. We all need a moment away.

Blaise Pascal wrote, “All of humanity’s problems stem from our inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Most adults lead very busy lives. Teachers, arguably more so. Rarely do we have a moment during our day to call our own, even if it means we just have the chance to catch our breath.

During the break, I encourage you to find time to call your own. Amidst all the plans we make for fun and family, find some time to hide away from it all. Forget, for a few moments, the demands of the classroom, of testing, of dealing with parents, and the demands of your administration and coaches.

You need rest. Spirit, soul, and body all need a break from time to time to face this madness we call life.

The great Stoic philosopher Seneca said, “The mind must be given relaxation; it will rise improved and sharper after a good break.” Stephen Covey reminds us of the 7th habit of Highly Effective People to “sharpen your saw.” Make sure to take care of yourself. We all did this pretty well during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but I fear we may have lost some of these lessons in our return to the world of deadlines and demands.

Please take time for yourself over the break. You won’t regret it.