I officially resigned from my full-time teaching job in July 2020. I said, “It was no longer a good fit for our family because of COVID,” but the real truth was harder: my job was turning me into someone my family and I didn’t recognize. I loved my students, my colleagues, and my content area, and still, the school system was draining the joy out of me. Worse, it was replacing it with hurt, anger, and resentment.
COVID made the toxicity, hostility, and school politics impossible to ignore. During that first month of COVID teaching, I got sick, juggled online teaching with two little ones at home, and kept showing up anyway. The school had no protocol for what to do if/when a teacher got COVID. Support was minimal, subs were non-existent, appreciation was back-handed, and the mandates often worked against good teaching. When my seniors, many of whom I’d taught for five years, noticed the changes in my personality and started trying to take care of me, I knew I had to make a change.
The moment I chose myself (and my family)
At the end of that year, I was beyond exhausted, incredibly angry, and heartbroken. I couldn’t keep masking it at home, and I couldn’t keep pretending in class. I cried all summer and my dread grew the closer it got to August. My husband understood that I couldn't bear to go back there. But it was COVID. So much was uncertain, and we didn't know if the company he worked for would survive. I couldn't leave without having something else to go to. Finally, I landed an aide position that would allow me to get our daughters on and off the bus. It was a pay cut, but it was just barely enough. So, on the last possible day, I submitted my resignation. It was the scariest and kindest decision I’d made in years.
What happened next surprised me. An opportunity that wasn't anywhere on my radar. I was approached by a very small local private school. They asked if I would teach two of their students. It wasn't enough for the school to hire me, but their parents agreed to pay me directly. I could make it whatever I wanted and charge whatever I thought was fair. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this became the beginning of my private teaching business.
My first goal was simple: replace the part-time “offer” I’d received from my former employer (half the pay for the same course load). Within six months, I was earning $2,000/month in about ten hours a week. A month into the following school year, I fully replaced my former salary FT salary working approximately 20 hours a week.
What changed when I stepped into private practice
At home, my kids noticed first. One day, my oldest daughter said, “Mom, you’re so…happy now and proud of yourself. It's kind of annoying.” She was right. I was singing again, dancing in the kitchen, proud of myself and my work, and fully present for our day-to-day life. When I asked my littlest about what she thought about Mommy having her own business, she said that she was glad I got to take care of them now instead of Nana or Miss Kristin.
Professionally, everything started to fall into place too. I stopped over-delivering and under-charging and started pricing sustainably. I learned that this model of teacher entrepreneurship works when you value your expertise, set clear terms and conditions, and build simple workflow systems. I also learned how much respect flows when families choose you directly.
All of which led me to referring to myself as a private practice teacher or a teacher in private practice.
Because if other highly educated and highly trained professionals have private practice models, why not teachers?
Lessons you can borrow right now
Whether you’re burned out or simply ready for a healthier pace, here’s what helped me build a private teaching business that felt good and paid well:
Start before you’re “ready.” Share what you offer, even in a simple post. Momentum beats perfection when launching a private teaching business.
Price for sustainability. If your rates require 60+ hours to pay the bills, they’re not sustainable. A private teaching business needs a margin for planning, admin, and real self-care.
Design for respect and fit. Clear policies and a thoughtful intake make your business run smoothly for you and your students.
Keep it human. Relationships and results are your best marketing. A values-aligned private teaching business grows through trust and results. Only take students you know you can serve well.
Find a Community. Entrepreneurship can be isolating. Having a community of like-minded teacher entrepreneurs for collaboration, co-working, and support can be a game-changer. (We have one inside the T2E Intensive, but I'm working on building one for other teacher solopreneurs, too. Stay tuned.)
As more of us create our own teaching/tutoring businesses, the “teacher = school employee” stops being the default. Being a private practice teacher allows us to show what’s possible when we have autonomy to teach the way we know our students learn best.
Why the words matter
I use the term private practice teacher rather than tutor intentionally. First, it names teachers as the educational experts we are and reframes our work alongside other professionals who are able to serve clients directly. Second, it differentiates us from other tutors who aren't teachers, like high school and college students who do it for extra money rather than as a career.
When people see a private practice teacher in action, they see personalized instruction, safe learning spaces, evidence-based teaching methods, and students achieving their goals. They witness what real teaching and learning can look like without counterproductive mandates, policies, and constraints.
My bigger mission
After rebuilding and rebranding my teaching career, I created The Private Practice Teacher® to accomplish three main goals:
Make teachers aware that this path exists and can be a viable option for those who still have a heart for teaching.
Mentor those who want help building their own private teaching business.
Elevate the profession of teaching so teachers are recognized as the educational experts they are.
Every thriving private practice teacher is a living case study in what's possible for students when educators have agency.
If this resonates
You don’t have to stay stuck in a system that asks you to betray your best judgment. If you’re curious about becoming a private practice teacher or starting a private teaching business, I’d love to connect.
Bring your story; I’ll bring strategy, compassion, and clear next steps. Best wishes always 💕