From Teacher to Teacherpreneur – with Shélynn Riel

From Teacher to Teacherpreneur – with Shélynn Riel

Author: TESOL Pop November 13, 2024 Duration: 15:02

Shélynn Riel explores what it means to be a teacherpreneur and shares insights on how teachers can transition to entrepreneurship and leverage their skills to build flexible, impactful careers


Watch the episode with closed captions here.


What is Teacherpreneurship?

Shé describes a teacherpreneur as an educator who leverages their teaching skills to start and run their own business. This can include freelancing, consulting, creating educational materials, and more.


Essential Skills for Teacherpreneurs

Teachers already possess numerous skills that are useful in business, such as communication, organisation, flexibility, and empathy. Shé shares how these skills can be applied to tasks like marketing, lesson planning, and managing a business.


Paths to Teacherpreneurship

Shé outlines common paths, such as:

  • Online Language Company Freelancer: A structured entry point where teachers work for language companies that handle logistics and curriculum.
  • Marketplace Tutor: Teachers set their own rates and create course content while using tutoring platforms like Preply or Cambly to connect with students.
  • Independent Teacherpreneur: Teachers establish their own brand, market their services, and have complete control over their business and teaching methods.


ABOUT

Shélynn (Shé) Riel is Bridge's Expert Series Webinar Moderator and IDELTOnline instructor. She holds a Master of Education in TESOL and over fifteen years of experience in education. Throughout her career, Shé has held positions of leadership in curriculum development and program administration at universities and non-profits in the U.S., served as a facilitator for various digital exchanges for global English teachers, and delivered professional development to teachers on the ground in Argentina, Bangladesh, and China. Her interests include holistic teacher development, learner identity, and decolonial ethics in the language classroom. She is the co-creator of The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast, which focuses on reflective practices for teachers around the world.


REFERENCES

Bridge Teacherpreneur Academy


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CREDITS

Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Haven Tsang

Thanks to our inspiring guest, Shélynn Riel

Production by Communicating for Impact



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever feel like the best teaching ideas come from a quick chat in the staffroom, but your schedule never allows for it? TESOL Pop captures that spark. Designed for the busy English language teacher, this mini podcast delivers compact, meaningful conversations with TESOL, TEFL, and ESL educators globally. Each episode is a focused interview, kept under fifteen minutes, packed with practical ideas and personal insights that can genuinely shift your approach in the classroom. You’ll hear stories about career pivots, reflections on what actually works with students, and clever uses of technology, all shared in a casual, accessible tone. It’s the audio equivalent of a refreshing coffee break with a colleague who gets it. The podcast understands that profound professional development doesn’t always require a lengthy seminar; sometimes, a single, well-timed insight is enough to reinvigorate your teaching. By tuning in, you join a global conversation that feels both personal and immediately useful, making it easy to integrate new perspectives into your daily routine without overwhelming your calendar.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

TESOL Pop
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