Looking for suggestions...

[Anonymous]

Greetings all,

I am getting ready to retire after 30 years of teaching high school in the public schools. It's been a great ride, but time to move on. Thinking about starting my own business (just one employee-me) and/or part- time work. I would enjoy any of the following so it's hard to know what to do, any thoughts?
a.) Pet Sitting- I love animals and like to walk.
b.) Tutoring- I always liked working with the kids. What subject would be the most in demand/$$ - Algebra, Math Grades K-8, English (writing/reading) or Spanish?
c.) Home Health Aide (Visiting Angels?)
d.) Growing Plants for Profit?
e.) Tour Guide?

Not interested in subbing or working retail. I'm willing to get retrained or take some prep classes if needed.

Anyway, thanks if you have some input. I know there is a lot of wisdom on this site, and my question may seem like small potatoes to some of you with high prestige careers. I already have some fun hobbies. I'm just thinking I'd still like to do something, just not working in the schools.

[Anonymous]

Tutoring is going to pay more than the other options (well, I'm not sure about plant growing, I don't know anything about that). Pet sitting is probably better than just plain dog walking; dog walking you have to be available pretty much every day, mid-day, and it can be harder than the might imagine (dying old dogs that break your heart, young rambunctious dogs that don't want to get back into their crate, having a hard time with keys, etc). And you get paid per walk, not during the time you are driving from one dog client to the next dog. Dog sitting you can have dogs in your home for the weekend, for a week, whatever, and you get to cuddle dogs and get paid for it. You can house sit/ pet sit as well if that would make sense for you. Not a huge amount of money there, though. My friend who does a lot of pet sitting does it in addition to her regular job. I have a number of friends who are tour guides and they really enjoy it -- it is a lot of fun, intellectually stimulating, and decent money because you get tips. But the really great companies, like Museum Hack, are hard to get into and tend to hire younger people who are extremely outgoing (a lot of actors). There is turnover though, so there are opportunities; especially with the outdoor tours (I know I've seen ads for jobs with companies that do ghost tours in Old Town Alexandria).

[Anonymous]

Oh, PP at 14:50 here.

I do have a suggestion for you. Look into working as a standardized patient. It is fun, very flexible, and pays decently. The short of it is that you pretend to be a patient and med students practice their clinical skills (interviewing and doing a physical exam) on you in a standardized environment. GW, Howard, Georgetown, USUHS, UMD and Johns Hopkins are pretty much always looking for people and they do tend to need those of us in the older demographic.

You just need to have a good memory, and have the ability to portray a patient as you have been trained to do (and all training is paid).

[Anonymous]

Wonderful suggestions! Thank you for your feedback. I will definitely look into the ghost tours (sounds fun!) and the practice patient. Had no idea!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wonderful suggestions! Thank you for your feedback. I will definitely look into the ghost tours (sounds fun!) and the practice patient. Had no idea!

Looks like Howard posted a job listing for SPs recently: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/c/Howard-University/Job/Standardized-Patient/-in-Washington,DC?jid=4af6185443cc7989

[Anonymous]

Tutoring, educational consultant, advocate for special needs families, executive function coaching

[Anonymous]

Tutoring all the way. We pay over 100 per 45 minutes for an Orton Gillingham reading tutor. You can work inside private schools during the day and for all kids after school.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for feedback on tutoring suggestions- finding a niche with a reading focus and/or special needs students is an area I hadn't thought of before.
Also appreciate the link for SP!

[Anonymous]

Math tutor (algebra 1&2, geometry) with an in-person or zoom option.

[Anonymous]

I think you could tutor AND pet-sit. There've been programs in elementary schools where shelter dogs come into the school and 1st graders read to them. The dogs are nonjudgmental and happy for the attention, so the kids are enthusiastic about reading to them and increase their confidence, etc.