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$37 Services Live Mentorship Programs The T2E 90-Day Jumpstart Program Build your unique teaching business from start to finish with a comprehensive digital course complete with printable resources; expert guidance of someone who's already done it; live weekly group meetings; and a community of like-minded teachers where you can ask questions and receive feedback. Program alumni receive lifetime access to all T2E resources and program updates, free inclusion on our Teacher Directory for 1 year, and discounted membership in our T2E Community which includes live weekly meetings and ongoing training. This training course is offered year-round but only admits a limited number of new teachers each month. Application Required, Free Zoom consultation recommended. Rolling Admission for Approved Applicants * Payment plans available $3,000 PIF (Payment Plans Available) Learn More The T2E Mindset Reset Peek inside the T2E 90-Day Jumpstart Program AND ... Transition from exhausted, burned-out teacher to inspired teacher entrepreneur and develop a vision for your own unique teaching business. Inside the Mindset Module of the T2E Jumpstart Program, we’ll walk through: Burnout recovery + sustainable rhythms Vision + values-driven scheduling Rebuilding your self-worth before you set pricing Creating aligned and measurable short & long-term business goals Unpacking money baggage (every teacher has some) so you can feel confident sharing your pricing with others PLUS: The cost of this program will be deducted from the T2E 90-Day Jumpstart Program should you decide you want to keep going. * Pending approved T2E Jumptart Program application. ** No application required for the T2E MindsetReset. $97 Learn More Live 1:1 Coaching 45-Minute Coaching Session 45-Minute, live 1-on-1 mentorship session. We dive deep into your private practice teaching business. Upon scheduling, you will receive a form to complete about your business & specific questions you have. Form must be completed at least 24hrs before scheduled session time for best results. ** F ree 1-hour consultation available & recommended prior to scheduling any paid service. Schedule Now $90 per 45 minute session Customized Mentorship Customized Mentorship is designed for current teaching business owners, current T2E Jumpstart program members, program alumni, and custom coaching clients seeking to enhance the functionality and effectiveness of their existing businesses. * F ree 1-hour consultation available & recommended prior to scheduling any paid service. ** Program members, alumni, & coaching clients must enter their coupon code at checkout to receive their special pricing. Schedule Now Base price $120/hour Digital Courses Intro to Private Practice Teaching Love to have your own private teaching and tutoring business, but have no idea where to start OR what all it entails? I got you with this self-paced digital mini-course with accompanying PDF workbook. This self-paced digital mini-course outlines each of the 4 main steps of building your unique private practice teaching business. Here's what you'll receive: 4 video lessons Finding your niche Creating your business Branding, and Finding students; and Workflow systems. 20-page, printer-friendly, PDF course workbook Business Start-Up Checklist Note: There is no live component for this course, but email support is available. I want this Empower YOUR Expertise Pricing can make or break your teaching or tutoring business . In this mini-course, I will teach you how to: • Calculate a base rate you feel comfortable and confident sharing • Create pricing strategies for 1:1, small groups, workshops, discounts, and more • Structure your terms and conditions of service so you can earn a consistent monthly income independent of student attendance. This product includes: 6 video lessons and the PPT® Pricing Guide ($7 value) Note : There is no live component for this course, but email support is available. I want this Finding YOUR Students Love to have your own private teaching and tutoring business, but worried about how to find students?! I got you with this self-paced webinar with PDF workbook. This self-paced digital mini-course outlines each of the 4 main steps of building a strategic marketing plan. Here's what you'll receive: Video Workshop Identify your audience Clarify your messaging Define your marketing funnel & Review marketing basics Putting it all together to create your marketing plan 18-page, printer-friendly, PDF Workbook The School Email Template Bundle included! Note: There is no live component for this course, but email support is available. I want this I want this I want this Digital Resources & Templates Business Start-Up Checklist Are you ready to start your own private practice teaching business, but don't know how or where to start? Well, not for long. Here's The Private Practice Teacher® Business Start-Up Checklist . In this printable pdf checklist, I will walk you step-by-step through the processes of: Finding your Niche Registering Your Business Name Planning Your Business Marketing (aka Finding Students) Creating Workflow Systems Free I want this Business Start-Up Bundle Want everything you need to get started and ready for your first client? Step-by-step instructions, digital resources to help you create, market, & manage your own unique teaching business. Includes : Intro to Private Practice Teaching Mini-Course ; Business Start-Up Checklist; PPT Pricing Guide; School Email Template Bundle: and PPT Business Planner. $47 I want this Teacher Biz Starter Pack Not sure which to invest in first? Kind of want it all AND for less money? Makes sense to me! Not only do you get EVERYTHING in The Business Start-Up Bundle ($25 value) you also get: Finding YOUR Students Marketing Workshop with PDF workbook ($37 value) Empower Your Expertise: Pricing Strategies for PPT to help you calculate your base rate, discount, & package pricing ($37 value) $97 I want this PPT Pricing Guide Do have or want to start your own private practice teaching business but have no idea what or how to charge? Avoid the BIGGEST mistake I see private educators make with the help of The Private Practice Teacher® Pricing Guide . In this printable pdf checklist, I will walk you step-by-step through the processes of: Finding Your Base Rate Pricing Services Using Your Base Rate Offering Discounts Creating Your Terms and Conditions of Service $7 I want this Email Template Bundle Teachers, want to let schools know you're available to help their struggling & homeschooled students? This set of 4 customizable email templates (including subject lines) will help you quickly promote your private practice teaching business and services to targeted public and private school personnel. $7 I want this

Rachel Cicioni discusses the ins and outs of her entrepreneurial journey from leaving the classroom, starting her private teaching business, and what's she's learned along the way. The Private Practice Teacher® Blog Education, Education Reform, Teacher Burnout Why Teaching Feels Impossible Right Now Teaching isn’t broken. The system is. Why test prep fails students and what’s possible when teachers reclaim their professional autonomy. Read More Published: April 13, 2026 4 minutes Reading time: Education Reform, Teacher Satisfaction, Teacher Burnout What Does It Mean for a School to Fail? Schools often fail teachers long before test scores dip. What if success was measured by teacher support and satisfaction? Read More Published: September 16, 2025 3 minutes Reading time: Teacher Entrepreneurship 7 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Teaching Business Practical lessons from a teacher-turned-entrepreneur: 7 things I wish I’d known before starting my private teaching business. Read More Published: August 14, 2025 6 minutes Reading time: teacher entrepreneur, teacher business Stop Undervaluing Your Teaching Expertise: You're More Than a Tutor Teachers — if you’ve ever looked at your hourly rate and wondered, “Why am I still exhausted and barely breaking even?” This is for you. Read More Published: June 12, 2025 4 minutes Reading time: Leaving the Classroom, Mindset, Business Coaching You're Not a Bad Teacher for Wanting More I want to say something you may not have heard—at least not loud enough or often enough: You're NOT a bad teacher for wanting more. Read More Published: April 4, 2025 4 minutes Reading time: self-care, mindset, entrepreneur Self-Care is Essential for Teacher-Entrepreneurs Teachers are notoriously bad at self-care. Here's why it's non-negotiable for entrepreneurs & how you CAN make it a part of your daily life. Read More Published: January 10, 2025 3 minutes Reading time: Retention Why Are Teachers Leaving, and Who’s Paying Attention? Teacher retention is at an all-time low, and it feels as though no one is paying attention—or worse, no one cares. Our schools resemble ... Read More Published: August 13, 2024 5 minutes Reading time: Teacher life Would you rather? Summer Edition In my neighborhood, summer break is almost here, and it has me reflecting on the summer break after my last year in the classroom. Read More Published: June 3, 2024 5 minutes Reading time: Leaving the classroom Nothing Beats Community Teachers need each other. It's one of those careers that can also be an identity. People say, “I work in retail" but say "I'm a teacher." Read More Published: March 25, 2024 7 minutes Reading time: Self-employed teacher What are your task avoidance behaviors trying to tell you? Are you finding yourself constantly sidetracked by tasks that seem urgent but are ultimately unproductive? As a self-employed teacher, I ... Read More Published: February 9, 2024 3 minutes Reading time: Goal setting Crafting the Magic of Your Year Ahead As we stand on the threshold of a new year, there's an undeniable sense of magic in the air. But here's the secret: that enchantment..... Read More Published: January 2, 2024 3 minutes Reading time: Mental health Lessons from Fall ~ Rest, Recovery, & Productivity I am very fortunate to live near a park and every morning that the weather permits, Yeti and I take a nice long walk. Some mornings I .... Read More Published: November 9, 2023 5 minutes Reading time: Self-employed teacher How My Morning Routine Transformed My Life as a Teacher and a Parent I want to take you on a journey through my life, comparing my morning routines as a teacher and parent. It's a story of evolution... Read More Published: September 22, 2023 12 minutes Reading time: Leaving the classroom Recovering from the Classroom It’s been just over three years since I left the classroom and here are a few things I’ve encountered that I wasn't expecting. Grief Read More Published: August 2, 2023 5 min Reading time: Teacher life “Old keys won’t open new doors.” “Old keys won’t open new doors.” I’ve been meditating on variations of this idea for a couple of weeks now, both as it applies to my life... Read More Published: June 8, 2023 3 minutes Reading time: Mental health The Heartbreak of Leaving the Classroom I wish people understood how heartbreaking the decision to leave the classroom really is. All I ever really wanted to be was a teacher. Read More Published: May 2, 2023 2 minutes Reading time: Private tutor What is Private Practice Teaching®? When I tell people that I own my own teaching business as a private practice teacher, the conversation that follows usually goes something Read More Published: March 5, 2023 5 minutes Reading time: Leaving the Classroom, Mindset, Community Teacher Traits That Last Long After Leaving the Classroom The quirks and habits of teaching follow us long after leaving the classroom. Some are funny, some heavy, and all worth talking about. Read More Published: October 2, 2025 3 minutes Reading time: Teacher entrepreneur; Teacher burn out; Leaving the classroom Finding Myself Again Through Teaching Freedom When I resigned, I blamed COVID. But the truth was that my job was turning me into someone I didn't recognize. Someone I didn't want to be. Read More Published: September 4, 2025 5 minutes Reading time: Private Teaching, Private Tutoring Teaching vs. Tutoring: Why It’s Time to Name and Own the Difference It started with a comment on one of my YouTube videos.They felt I was diminishing tutors by uplifting teachers. The exchange made me think. Read More Published: June 17, 2025 5 minutes Reading time: Education Reform Teaching, Like Medicine, Is a Science-Informed Art Both rely on science, practice, and intuition. Both are being suffocated by systems that sideline the professionals actually doing the work. Read More Published: May 22, 2025 5 minutes Reading time: Teacher entrepreneur Being a Self-Employed Teacher Costs Less Than You Think Are you yearning to break free from the confines of the traditional classroom but worry about the daunting start-up costs of launching your Read More Published: February 19, 2025 5 minutes Reading time: Mental health Beyond Tired? It Might Be Time to Rethink Your Career. October has arrived, and if you're still in the classroom, you're probably starting to feel it: that first wave of exhaustion creeping in. Read More Published: October 1, 2024 5 minutes Reading time: Teacher life The Subconscious Patterns of Teacher Life Since leaving the classroom I’m becoming increasingly aware of the subconscious patterns and coping mechanisms we develop due to the Read More Published: July 8, 2024 5 minutes Reading time: Teacher entrepreneur Life as a self-employed teacher 6 things I do, 6 things I don't, & 2 things I miss. As a self-employed teacher, I still get to do most of my favorite teacher things. .. Read More Published: May 13, 2024 3 minutes Reading time: Leaving the classroom Making the Decision to Leave the Classroom In the years leading up to my resignation from my beloved teaching position, I found myself making monthly and finally weekly pros and cons Read More Published: March 1, 2024 5 minutes Reading time: Mental health Why You Need to Connect with Your Summer Self Year Round In the hustle and bustle of teaching, whether in a traditional classroom or as a self-employed private practice teacher, it's easy to find Read More Published: January 18, 2024 7 minutes Reading time: Business coaching I spent over 11K on a coaching program, and it almost killed my business. Offers for paid coaching are literally everywhere right now, & I want to have a very frank conversation about it. Personally, I have spent Read More Published: December 20, 2023 10 minutes Reading time: Self care Let's get real about wellness routines and self-care. Believe me, I get it. Balancing the classroom and home-life, the never-ending to-do lists, and the hustle and bustle of the school year..... Read More Published: October 16, 2023 7 minutes Reading time: Teacher life The Unexpected Impact Leaving the Classroom Had on my Family Maybe you can relate? I used to think that my students got the best of me and my family got the rest of me. While I hoped this wasn't ... Read More Published: August 16, 2023 7 minutes Reading time: Business coaching Personal Solution to a Teacher-Centered Movement When I started The Private Practice Teacher® in June of 2022, it was with the goals of helping other burned-out teachers enjoy the .... Read More Published: June 23, 2023 3 minutes Reading time: Teacher entrepreneur Can you be Risk-Averse AND an Entrepreneur? YES! Something you may not know about me is that I’m actually pretty conservative and kind of risk-averse. And I’m not sure that that’s from a Read More Published: May 12, 2023 3 minutes Reading time: Business coaching The Pros & Cons of Paid Business Coaching Let's talk about the elephant in the room - paid coaching. Offers for paid coaching are literally everywhere right now, & I want to have a Read More Published: April 7, 2023 3 minutes Reading time: Leaving the classroom 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 Read More Published: February 25, 2023 3 minutes Reading time: Filter by category: Business coaching Education Reform Education Reform, Teacher Satisfaction, Teacher Burnout Education, Education Reform, Teacher Burnout Goal setting Leaving the Classroom, Mindset, Business Coaching Leaving the Classroom, Mindset, Community Leaving the classroom Mental health Private Teaching, Private Tutoring Private tutor Retention Self care Self-employed teacher Teacher Entrepreneurship Teacher entrepreneur Teacher entrepreneur; Teacher burn out; Leaving the classroom Teacher life self-care, mindset, entrepreneur teacher entrepreneur, teacher business

The Private Practice Teacher ®, I’ve turned my teacher entrepreneur journey into a step-by-step mentorship program for innovative, passionate, student-centered teachers who want to do what I do and start enjoying life like never before. Hi, I'm Rachel Founder of MyFrenchU & The Private Practice Teacher® For me, a teacher is much more than a content delivery specialist. A teacher is a mentor, a resource for their students to help them thrive, see their own potential, & help them achieve their goals. Sadly, current education systems make that kind of teaching harder and harder to accomplish - especially if your life has demands outside of the classroom. Self-Authored Success I don’t believe there is a single right way to build a teaching business or a single definition of success that applies to everyone. I don’t coach teachers towards my version of success. I mentor them as they clarify and build their own. That means we start with your life, not a predetermined framework. Your values. Your energy. Your responsibilities. Your goals. I share my systems, strategies, and real-world experience, then help you adapt, remix, or discard whatever doesn’t fit. The goal isn't to make copies of my business; it's to achieve autonomy, sustainability, and a business that actually supports the life you want to live. My Core Philosophy If other educated professionals can go into private practice, so can teachers. Rachel Cicioni M.Ed. This is my Story I moved around a lot as a child, living in 3 different states, and attending 8 different schools in 7 different districts. I attended schools in areas that were low-income, high-income, rural, urban, and everything in between. One of the few things that was consistent in my life was a great teacher. No matter where I found myself, I always had at least one great teacher who helped me feel wanted and safe. That's why I've wanted to be a teacher ever since I can remember. Finally, COVID made it impossible for me to manage the demands of both school life & home life. I made the heartbreaking decision to leave teaching, BUT I missed it so much! That's when I decided to try to create my own private teaching business & MyFrenchU was born. Now, with The Private Practice Teacher® , I took what I learned building my own private teaching practice and turned it into a structured mentorship, not so others could copy my path, but so teachers could design businesses aligned with their own lives, values, and goals. Schedule Free Consultation Teachers deserve to have the autonomy to practice their profession in a manner that is consistent with why they chose teaching in the first place. Rachel Cicioni M.Ed. Why My Mentorship is Different Many coaching programs are built around a single system or path to success. Mine isn’t. While I’m happy to share exactly what works for me, my role isn’t to have teachers create copies of my business. My goal is to support them in building something that fits their lives, values, and goals. Mentorship with me blends education, guidance, and real-world support. It's grounded in the belief that teachers are capable professionals who deserve autonomy over their work. Some of my teachers follow a path similar to mine. Others create something entirely different. Both are valid. What matters is that the business you build aligns with your values, your goals, and your definition of success, not anyone else’s. What This Means for You If you’re looking for a rigid formula, this probably isn’t the right place. But if you want: Support without pressure Guidance that honors individuality Structure with flexibility My goal isn’t to be indispensable. It’s to help you build clarity, confidence, and systems so you can move forward independently and eventually no longer need me in the same way. That’s not an ending. That’s the point. ** But just like with my students, I would love for you to keep in touch. If This Resonates If what you’ve read here feels grounding, relieving, or familiar, the next step isn’t choosing a package; it’s having a conversation. The T2E Empowerment Intensive is where I work most closely with teachers who want to build sustainable, self-directed teaching businesses aligned with their real lives. It isn’t a formula or a fast track. This is mentorship designed to help you clarify what success means to you and build toward it with support. 👉 Explore the T2E Empowerment Intensive Looking for a different type of support? 👉 Explore all current offerings Nikki Mitchell Owner/founder of Brain Boost Academy ''Rachel always says that we could figure this all out on our own, but I really don't think that I could have. The information in the course, the sequencing of it, and the support was exactly what I needed to create my business.'' Press & Interviews Click Image Below to Read or Listen Collabs.io Mag Online Magazine Online magazine featuring solopreneurs and their stories for the purpose of collaboration, learning, and storytelling. The Teacher Story Podcast Podcast centering teachers journey and ideas about education reform. Ep.12-Rachel's Story-"Edupreneur-The Private Practice Teacher" WLCH Radio Centro Podcast How does a French teacher end up on a Spanish-speaking podcast? Because a former student asked me to, of course! Get in touch Email me rachel@theprivatepracticeteacher.org Connect with me

< Back Rose Gause Reading With Rose Reading With Rose Hi, I love helping students not only become better readers, but also have an appreciation for it. I’m a virtual reading instructor with a literacy program that uses a phonics based curriculum. I also have experience teaching in a classroom setting and abroad. I provide customized lessons in ELA, reading, and phonics. I’m passionate about creating an immersive online learning experience for my students to learn and express their creativity. With the use of digital tools and story telling your student will excel in reading. "Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift." - Kate DiCamillo Go To Website

< Back Why Teaching Feels Impossible Right Now Reading time 4 minutes Published April 13, 2026 Category: Education, Education Reform, Teacher Burnout I had a conversation this week that I haven’t been able to shake. I was on the phone with a former student of mine who is now a high school English teacher. (And yes, before you ask, we didn’t exchange phone numbers until after she graduated. Professional boundaries have always been important to me.) We were talking about how hard it is to actually teach around these standardized tests. How much instructional time is lost to them, not just during testing windows, but all year long. She also vented about how frustrating it is that students don’t, or can’t, read for any real length of time anymore. We talked about the role of technology, both in and out of the classroom. But more than anything, we kept coming back to the same thing: It’s nearly impossible to get students to those upper levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy when everything is driven by test prep. And here’s the part that’s been bothering me… Every teacher knows this. And somehow, the system keeps pretending it’s not true. More test prep and more practice tests are NOT how we improve test scores. I learned that in one of the very first grad classes I ever took. Students who practice the skills the test measures in a variety of ways consistently outperform students who spend all their time doing practice tests. Students who interact with content in different formats, who think, who explore, who engage… they do better. And in order to reach those top two levels of Bloom’s, Evaluation and Creation, students need the two things we are giving them less and less of: Time & Space. They also need l low-pressure environments where their brains can actually play with ideas, make connections, and think critically. You know, like all the electives that keep being cut to make room for more tested subjects like math, English, and science. So what do we do? Well, the really good teachers try to force real learning into a system that prioritizes test performance above everything else and then to prepare for those tests in the least effective way possible. And it’s exhausting. It’s disheartening. It feels like pushing an ever-growing ball uphill. Add in the lack of admin support, the behavior issues, the constant data collection, and all the non-teaching tasks… and it’s no wonder so many teachers are burning out, giving up, or leaving altogether. This job used to get easier each year. Now it feels like the opposite. And here’s where things shift. As a private practice teacher, I’m no longer bound by a rigid schedule or a scripted curriculum. I get to teach in ways that actually promote critical thinking, creativity, evaluation, and exploration. I provide the structure and the guardrails, but the learning itself is much more student-led. And it’s fun. Genuinely fun. (And yes, teaching a world language helps. We can do almost anything as long as we do it in French, but I see this same shift with the teachers I work with across subjects, too.) While I do miss certain dynamics that only exist in a traditional classroom, the professional freedom, autonomy, and respect I have now are worth it. At least until classroom teachers are given the same level of trust and professional autonomy. So here’s the thought I keep coming back to: You don’t need to become a better test-prep tech. You know how to teach and, miraculously, you still want to teach. The problem is you’re barely given the opportunity to. And all those skills and knowledge you have that actually help students learn: Autonomy. Creativity. Critical thinking. The very things the system is squeezing out. They’re the same ones that make a private teaching practice thrive. If you’re still in the classroom, let this be your reminder: You are not the problem. But you also don’t have to keep forcing yourself to operate inside a system that makes good teaching feel impossible. If this resonates with you, you have lots of company. What’s one thing you wish you had the freedom to do in your classroom? Drop it in the comments or send me a message. And if you’re starting to wonder what teaching could look like outside of this system… that’s exactly the work I do with teachers inside my mentorship program. Previous Next

< Back Finding Myself Again Through Teaching Freedom Reading time 5 minutes Published September 4, 2025 Category: Teacher entrepreneur; Teacher burn out; Leaving the classroom 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 💕 Previous Next

< Back 7 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Teaching Business Reading time 6 minutes Published August 14, 2025 Category: Teacher Entrepreneurship When I first left the classroom, I wasn’t worried about what to teach, how to teach, or even where to find students. I knew my skills as an educator would carry over. What I was worried about? The business side of things — bookkeeping, taxes, time management — plus all the things I assumed would be complicated or out of reach. As it turns out, much of what I feared was simpler than I thought, and much of what I thought would be simple took more un learning than I'd expected. Here are seven things I wish I’d known sooner: 1. I Could Have Charged More From the Beginning When I started, I charged $50 for an hour of direct instruction plus an additional hour of asynchronous practice. That’s two full hours of value. Now, I charge $80/hr for that exact same service — and my clients happily pay it. Lesson learned: price based on the value you provide, not your own fears. 2. My Monthly Business Costs Could Be Almost Nothing I thought I’d need to spend hundreds a month on tools and programs. The truth? My monthly operating budget stays between $40–$50. There are incredible free and open-source resources out there. You don’t need fancy software to get started — or even to scale. 3. Bookkeeping and Taxes Aren’t as Scary as They Seem I assumed I’d need to learn advanced accounting skills to keep my business afloat. Instead, I started with a simple spreadsheet and a habit of setting aside a percentage of every payment for taxes. Then I started using Wave(free version) and synced it to my bank account. At tax time, I print out reports from Wave and send them to a hired tax professional. It has been worth every penny. 4. Managing My Own Schedule Is Liberating I worried I’d waste time without a strict schedule to adhere to. In reality, setting my own teaching hours, blocking admin time, and protecting days off gave me more focus and energy than I’d ever had in the classroom — so much that I now have time for my family and even hobbies. 5. Parents Trust Me More Than My Credentials Parents don’t care about my degrees, certifications, or methodology jargon. They care that I can help their child and do what I say I’ll do. Overloading them with credentials or lesson plan details can actually backfire — keep your communication simple and focused on results. 6. “Niching Down” Means Something Different for Teachers In most industries, niching down means narrowing your service to one hyper-specific thing. For teachers, it’s more about who you work best with — the type of student, their learning needs, and the situations where you shine. Services can evolve, but your ideal student profile is your anchor . 7. Start Before You Think You're Ready Your business will always be a work-in-progress — and that’s a good thing. Done is better than perfect. You’ll be tweaking things indefinitely. It’s better to involve your audience in your journey than to spend months building behind the scenes only to launch to crickets. Start making connections, share what you’re working on, and invite people in before you’re “officially” open. If you take nothing else from this list, take this: You don’t need to wait for perfect conditions. Your business, like your teaching, will grow with you. When you start sooner, you start learning sooner — and that’s how you find your stride. And if you want someone to walk beside you, I'm here. Best wishes always 💕 ~ Rachel Previous Next

< Back Cathie Guillebastre My Math Mindset My Math Mindset As a certified math teacher passionate about personalized learning, I specialize in helping students transition from concrete understanding to abstract thinking. My mission is to build confidence, make math enjoyable for every student, and show them that they are a math person, capable of mastering any challenge. I'm dedicated to reducing math-related anxiety, fostering a growth mindset, and turning homework time into a positive, productive experience. I offer tailored math tutoring and homework help, with flexible options for virtual sessions or in-person meetings at a local library. Go to Website

< Back Nothing Beats Community Reading time 7 minutes Published March 25, 2024 Category: Leaving the classroom Teachers need other teachers because teaching is one of those careers that can also be an identity. People say, “I work in retail", or" I work in business.” But we say, “I am a teacher.” Teaching is not a job that can be done in isolation. We need other teachers for various reasons, from practicality to camaraderie to our very sanity. The truth is that this a job that only another teacher can understand. Only another teacher can truly comprehend the trials, challenges, overwhelm, joy, triumphs, heartbreak, and heart-warming moments that our unique profession entails. That camaraderie is how we survive the insanity that is teaching. It’s the thing that makes it possible for us to stay as long as we can, and it can be one of the things that makes it so hard to leave. When we leave the classroom, we leave our teacher friends. We leave the people we have so many shared experiences with, the people who’ve listened to our rants, offered helpful advice and resources, shared our jokes and eye rolls, grabbed our mail and copies, and watched our classrooms while we ran to the bathroom. In some ways, these extraordinary people understand us (at least parts of us) better than our families can. Even if we don’t leave teaching, we lose them for at least 9-10 months out of the year. Because classroom teachers almost never have the time or energy for a social life during the school year. That ridiculous sacrifice and lack of work/life balance is what drives so many of us out of the classroom in the first place. As a private practice teacher, leaving the classroom doesn’t mean we stop needing other teachers. Entrepreneurship offers many wonderful opportunities and has enabled me to create a teaching career that truly works for my life and values. But entrepreneurship can be hard and lonely. Just as much as teachers need other teachers, entrepreneurs need other entrepreneurs, and for all the same reasons. We need each other to bounce ideas off of, ask questions, share resources, and share stories. We need each other for encouragement, support, and accountability. We need each other to share our trials, challenges, triumphs, heartbreaks, and heartwarming moments with. Nobody understands the rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship like other entrepreneurs. Nobody understands teacher entrepreneurship like other teacher entrepreneurs. That’s why Community is one of the most important parts of the Private Practice Teacher®. That’s why there is an ongoing community option for every budget and level of training I’ve created. The first level of community is our free private FB group, Private Practice Teachers. In this group, I share as many free resources and training opportunities as I can. I also encourage members to do the same. Next, once you join one of my mentorship or custom coaching programs, you have a home with us for as long as you wish. There’s never an extra charge to stay connected. When you join the T2E (Teacher to Entrepreneur) Mindset Module, you are welcome to stay in our Community Group for as long as you wish. I want you to build and maintain relationships with the other teachers there. We grow together during these courses, and I want you to continue to have that support for as long as you want and need it because I want you to be successful. Finally, when you join the T2E 90-Day Intensive Program, you remain a member of our PPT community. We have live group meetings every week (except for holidays) all year round because we want and love our community. We do continuing education for each other, and you always have access to any paid training classes we offer at no additional charge. In this group, we have found our new community. We have found our teacher entrepreneur besties and coming together is not only good for our continued professional growth, it’s so much fun and good for our teacher souls. Ultimately, I want you to have everything you want for yourself. I’m happy you found us, and I want to help you on your journey wherever you happen to be. It’s like I tell my students when we no longer have class together, “I won’t reach out to you uninvited because I don’t want to bother you, BUT I will always be available to you and happy to hear from you!” Best wishes always, Rachel Previous Next

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< Back Lessons from Fall ~ Rest, Recovery, & Productivity Reading time 5 minutes Published November 9, 2023 Category: Mental health I am very fortunate to live near a park and every morning that the weather permits, Yeti and I take a nice long walk. Some mornings I listen to a podcast, some mornings I listen to an audiobook, but most mornings I listen to the trees and birds and the traffic and my own thoughts. And I find that letting my mind wander and listening to my own thoughts , to be the most refreshing and rejuvenating. I didn’t used to be able to hear the musings of my mind over my running to-do list. It took time for that to come back. Even now as I embrace my 4th Autumn as a private practice teacher, I never take this opportunity for granted. I find it's important to give myself that time to process all of the information I take in from all the different areas of my life. We do this to some extent in our sleep, but if you are a parent and/or a teacher- sleep is not always super restful or consistent. That’s why giving myself the gift of time in the morning to walk and process and allow my mind to wander, to be an essential part of my day. One that never feels like work, but has become one of my most productive and creative parts of my everyday life. From that reflective and creative space, I want to share with you some of the insights that have been coming to me lately while walking with my sweet boy. Looking at the trees, this is probably common for a lot of us this time of year, I've been meditating on the beauty of letting go of things that no longer serve us. There’s a lot of beauty in that - in letting go. People travel all over the country to look for the most beautiful foliage in order to witness this spectacle celebrating the beauty of letting go. Next, I let my mind wander from this beautiful letting go that we are enjoying right now to the cycles of Nature. I’ve been reflecting on what follows this time, which is a period of rest and hibernation, a period of conserving one’s resources for what's to come, all in preparation for bursting forth with new growth again in the Spring. So I’ve been asking myself, “How can I bring this cycle of letting go and conserving my resources in preparation for new growth into my own personal practice?”. This cycle has been really successful for Nature for a long time, and I think we also need to have periods of pruning and periods of letting go. We need to have periods of recovery, introspection, and conservation of resources - all in preparation for the next bursting forth of growth. But this morning, as we were walking through the neighborhood, something new came to me. I was reflecting on how beautiful so many of the leaves are that are now on the ground. It occurred to me that it's okay to let go of things that are still beautiful when they no longer serve your higher purpose. And so a new question for myself emerged, “What beautiful things am I holding on to that are not serving my higher purpose and that I can let go of in order to conserve more resources in preparation for my next growth?” So that's it, those are my current musings inspired by Fall. I hope that you have a great day and that you find time to allow your mind to wander to new places. Best wishes always, Rachel Previous Next