From the classroom to my own teaching business

Leaving the classroom was one of the hardest things I've ever done. 

I began teaching in 2011, and I loved being a high school French teacher! I worked in a small private high school and was the only French teacher. Teaching 5 levels of French was challenging, but I enjoyed that no two lessons were ever the same. Our school was a very close community. I got to know the families well, and many of my students I taught for all 4 years. It was amazing being able to witness them grow in the language and as people.

When COVID hit in 2020, everything changed. Childcare became a major issue, and we decided it would be best if I found a way to work from home. Even though I knew it was the right decision, it was still very hard to leave the classroom – even after such a challenging spring. I felt guilty being away from the classroom, seeing my colleagues struggles, and feeling like I couldn’t help. I missed working with students and tried to find a job teaching part-time while my children were in school.

Enter my friend, Abby, Director of Education at a local, private, secondary school. Abby approached me about creating and teaching a French program for a couple of their high school students. However, it would have to be online, and the school didn’t have enough students interested in French to hire me. The families would have to hire me themselves. Thankfully- they did.

It wasn’t long before I discovered I really enjoy working with students this way, and I’m really good at it too! I made a post on social media telling my friends what I was doing, and a few of them shared my post and told their friends. A couple months later, I started working with my first adult learners. I was a little surprised how much I truly enjoy working with adults. All of my students, regardless of age, are so different, and I love designing lessons around their unique interests and learning goals.

My students have been asking me when I’m ready to take on more students. I kept saying, “Wait until I finish my Masters.” Well, I just finished last month and here we go! Now I have a waitlist of students and get to help other teachers on their path to owning their own private teaching businesses too.

I never thought opportunity to own my own teaching business existed. Now, I can’t wait to see where it can go from here!