Beyond Teaching: The Essential Skills Educators Develop Outside the Classroom

Feb 22, 2025

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Kas

It is clear that our roles as teachers are dynamic, and we take on many responsibilities outside of our agreed-upon services and formal training. As a result, we have developed a broad range of unique skills. This is a massive strength and allows teachers to be adaptable to many different industries, even without formalised training in those roles.

We thought it would be important to write a short article reminding educators of the skills we have and continue to develop outside of our direct teaching roles. It’s important to be reminded of these skills because this part of our job is not often discussed or necessarily celebrated. As the years go on, more and more is asked of educators, and our requirements are stretched, often without being paid or given additional time to accommodate these new tasks. We are not always trained in these areas but are expected to develop these skills on our own, and for the most part, we do. We expand on our teaching skills in many other domains due to the requirements of our current teaching jobs. We become managers of finances, regulators of emotions and behaviours, dynamic multitaskers, organisers of meetings, event coordinators, communicators with a wide range of stakeholders, and responsible for the recording, analysis, and elaboration of data on a regular basis.

I know personally, from my role coordinating events, I worked closely with larger organisations, conducted many risk assessments, and managed policy procedures. I directed and informed a large student body, including staff, before, during, and after events and carnivals. I stayed on top of medical requirements for a wide range of students, organised transport to and from venues, and ensured everything was resourced and accounted for. I maintained budgets and grants, as well as ordered a wide range of resources to support school functions and student learning - on top of the general duties of a teacher.

Teaching develops many transferable skills in those whom teach or work in educational settings:

  • Communication Skills: Teachers excel at explaining complex ideas in simple terms, presenting information effectively to diverse audiences, and providing constructive feedback.
  • Leadership and Management: Managing a classroom, coordinating activities, and guiding students through learning processes develops strong leadership and organisational skills.
  • Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Teachers constantly adapt lessons and find creative solutions to challenges in the classroom, honing their ability to think on their feet.
  • Time Management: Balancing lesson planning, grading, meetings, and student support teaches teachers how to prioritise and manage time effectively.
  • Collaboration: Teachers regularly work with colleagues, parents, and administrators to support student success, developing strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.
  • Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Teachers work closely with students, understanding their needs and emotions, which builds strong interpersonal and empathy skills.
  • Conflict Resolution: Managing classroom behaviour and resolving conflicts between students helps teachers develop conflict resolution strategies.
  • Adaptability: Teachers learn to adjust to new educational tools, curriculums, and changing classroom dynamics, making them adaptable in a variety of environments.

Depending on the role teachers even manage financial budgets, decorate classrooms (furniture, painting ect,), organise and purchase resources… I mean the list goes on.

Why Do Work Places Value Former Teachers?

Strong Communication Skills:

  • National Education Association (NEA) highlights the communication and presentation skills teachers develop, which are essential in many workplace roles, from management to customer service.
  • Source: NEA - Teachers’ Transferable Skills

Exceptional Problem-Solving Abilities:

  • The Balance Careers emphasises how teaching develops problem-solving skills due to the constant challenges teachers face in the classroom, which are applicable in any role requiring critical thinking.
  • Source: The Balance Careers - Why Teachers Make Great Employees

Adaptability and Flexibility:

  • Forbes discusses how teaching requires adaptability, especially with new educational technologies or diverse student needs, making teachers highly adaptable in business settings as well.
  • Source: Forbes - 7 Transferable Skills Teachers Bring to the Workplace

Time Management and Organisational Skills:

  • CareerFoundry notes that teachers must balance numerous responsibilities, and this experience makes them excellent at time management, a key skill in nearly every industry.
  • Source: CareerFoundry - Why Former Teachers Excel in Tech Careers

Leadership and Teamwork:

  • The Teacher’s Toolkit outlines how teachers manage classrooms and collaborate with colleagues, showing their capacity for leadership and teamwork, both of which are highly valued in corporate environments.
  • Source: Teacher’s Toolkit - 10 Reasons Teachers Make Great Employees

Why Is This Important To Remember?

If you are in a position where you want to take a break from your current role or looking for something else to pursue career wise, please know you have all the skills necessary and with some direction, support and training there is a wide world of possibilities out there!

If you are developing these skills and becoming proficient at implementing them in real-world scenarios regularly, you should be able to leverage them to make yourself a more appealing candidate for the next step in your career.

  • Why do teachers leave teaching? read our article on the top 20 reasons according to the data
  • The most common professions teachers move to after teaching? We have it here, all according to real and recent data!

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