Teaching Small Online Classes on Outschool: An In-Depth Guide for Retirees

Maybe you taught school for thirty years. Maybe you know everything about birds, quilting, chess or the Civil War. Outschool is a website where adults teach small live classes to children and teens over video. Families search for a class, sign up and pay through the site.

This guide explains how it works, as of October 2026, so you can decide calmly whether it fits you. Treat any money it brings in as a possible extra. As a rough estimate, a class or two a week might help with a bill like your phone plan, but there is no guarantee of students.

What Outschool is

Outschool is an online marketplace for classes. Teachers design their own classes, set their own prices and choose their own schedules. Outschool provides the website, handles payments and connects families to each class through Zoom, the video-calling program.

Outschool’s recruiting page says classes are for kids and teens ages 3 to 18. Topics range from school subjects to hobbies, social groups and special interests. Its own examples include art, book clubs and music lessons. Adult classes are not offered.

Classes must be objective, non-religious and suitable for the age group.

Who can teach

You do not need a teaching license. Outschool says it does not require formal teaching credentials. What it looks for is real knowledge or passion in a subject. If you do have credentials, uploading them is recommended, because they can qualify you for some publicly funded programs.

The basic requirements are:

You are at least 18 years old.
You live in the 50 U.S. states, or one of a short list of other countries, for at least six months of the year. U.S. territories don’t qualify.
You can receive payments through PayPal.
You speak and write English well.
You can reply to families promptly and professionally.

There is no fee to teach on Outschool.

What you’ll need at home

Outschool’s technical requirements are modest, but they matter:

A laptop or desktop computer, ideally a Mac or Windows machine less than about five years old. Outschool says teachers should use a laptop. A phone is only for emergencies.
A webcam and microphone. Teachers must keep their camera on during live classes. Most laptops have both built in.
An internet connection of at least 3 Mbps for both upload and download. If you are not sure of your speed, your internet company can tell you, or a family member can help you run a speed test.
A quiet, well-lit spot with a tidy background.

Outschool gives you the Zoom account, so you don’t need to buy one.

How to apply, step by step

Outschool’s help center lays out these steps:

Fill out the teacher application. Describe your expertise and the classes you’d like to teach, and record a short introduction video. Outschool says you’ll usually hear back within three business days.
Once approved, finish your public teacher profile. Write a friendly paragraph about your background and what students can expect.
Create your first class listing. Outschool suggests starting with a one-time class. Listings are reviewed, which can take up to three days.
Verify your identity through Persona, a service Outschool uses. This is free.
Complete a criminal background check. In the U.S., it is run by a company called Yardstik. Outschool pays the cost.
Watch two short required videos about Outschool’s policies.

No class goes live until your background check clears.

A note on the background check

Because you will be teaching children, the background check asks for your Social Security number. That is normal for a real child-safety check. Enter it only inside Outschool’s official website after you have applied, never in reply to an email, text or phone call. The check screens for violent offenses and trust-and-safety offenses such as fraud. Traffic tickets don’t count. It must be renewed every year, and Outschool says your account is suspended right away if the renewal lapses.

Choosing a class format

Outschool offers several kinds of classes. As of October 2026, the main types are:

Live group class with a set length. It has a planned number of lessons and an end date. It can be a single session.
Recurring weekly class. It has no end date, and students can join any week. Families pay week by week.
Live one-on-one class. Private lessons or tutoring at times you make available.
Self-paced class. Prerecorded lessons with no live meetings.

You set the minimum and maximum number of students for each group class. Many new teachers find a one-time class is a gentle way to try teaching on video without committing to weeks of lessons.

Ideas that suit many retirees

Think about what you know well and could explain to a ten-year-old:

A school subject you taught or used at work, like reading, math or science
A hobby such as knitting, drawing, gardening, cooking, birding or card games
Life skills, like writing a thank-you letter or planning a small budget
History you lived through, presented in an objective way

Setting your price and what you keep

Teachers set all class prices. Outschool’s New Teacher FAQ says it typically recommends $18 to $21 per student for each hour in class.

Outschool keeps 30% of the class price as its fee. You keep 70%. Parents also pay a separate marketplace fee, which does not come out of your share.

Here is a simple example using made-up numbers, just to show the math. Say you charge $20 for a one-hour class and six students sign up. That is $120. After Outschool’s 30%, you would receive $84, before taxes. Many classes will have fewer students, especially at first, and some may have none. Outschool itself says earnings depend on what your classes cost and how many people sign up.

When you get paid

Payouts go to your PayPal account, in U.S. dollars. The timing depends on the class type. For example, Outschool says one-time and multi-week classes paid up front are paid out about 7 to 8 days after the class starts. Weekly classes are paid on Sundays, about 7 to 13 days after that week’s meetings.

Safety rules that protect students and you

Outschool has clear rules, and they are worth reading before you apply:

Outschool records all live classes for safety and quality. Recordings are kept for 90 days.
All communication with families must stay on the Outschool platform.
Outschool does not encourage in-person meetings with families.
Teachers may not share personal contact information except in a few listed cases, and then only with the parent, never directly with a child.

These rules can feel strict, but they protect you as much as the children.

Getting comfortable on camera

Teaching on video is a skill of its own, and it’s fine to practice. Before your first class, try a short video call with a friend or grandchild. Check that your face is well lit, your voice is clear and your notes are within reach. Keep a glass of water nearby. Plan a few simple questions to get quiet students talking.

Avoiding teaching-job scams

Real teaching platforms don’t charge you to get started, and they don’t hire you through a surprise text. The FTC warns about job offers that ask you to pay for training or a starter kit, that send you a check and ask you to send part of it back, or that ask you to buy gift cards. Those are scams. Apply only by typing the official website address yourself. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Taxes and benefits

Outschool teachers are independent contractors, so no taxes are taken out. Outschool doesn’t send tax forms itself. PayPal may send a Form 1099-K if you go over its reporting threshold, but the IRS says you must report your income either way. You generally have to file if your net self-employment earnings are $400 or more.

If you receive Social Security and are under full retirement age, earnings over $24,480 in 2026 can temporarily reduce your benefits. SSI, Medicaid and housing assistance have their own rules. Check your own situation at ssa.gov and irs.gov, or ask a tax professional.

Is it right for you?

Outschool may suit you if you enjoy children, like explaining things and are comfortable learning a little technology. It may not suit you if you need steady, predictable income, since students come and go. If you’re curious, read Outschool’s teacher help pages, sketch one class idea on paper and see how it feels.

Teaching Small Online Classes on Outschool: An In-Depth Guide for Retirees

What Outschool is

Who can teach

What you’ll need at home