Elliot Phillips, the visionary behind The Teacher Project, is witnessing a shift in education as teachers swap traditional classrooms for the world of online tutoring. “In 2025, we’re seeing teachers ditch traditional roles for online tutoring at an unprecedented rate,” he observes. Drawing from his work empowering educators, Elliot identifies five compelling reasons behind this shift—time freedom, greater impact, increased income, autonomy, and travel opportunities. His perspective, rooted in years of guiding teachers to teach on their own terms, offers a roadmap for why this transition is reshaping the profession.
Time Freedom and Flexibility Transform Teaching
Elliot sees the rigid schedules of traditional teaching as a relic of the past, one that online tutoring is dismantling. “Teachers are done with the 7 a.m. commutes and late-night grading,” he says. “Online tutoring gives them time freedom—10 hours of teaching a week can replace a 50-hour school grind.” He paints a vivid contrast: a classroom teacher might spend hours commuting, teaching, and planning, while an online tutor can work with small groups—say, five groups of five students, meeting twice weekly—and still have the day to themselves. “That leaves time to build their business or just live their lives,” Elliot explains. Through The Teacher Project, he’s helped educators see this shift as liberation. “Flexibility isn’t a perk—it’s a necessity,” he asserts. “Teachers want to teach when it suits them, not when a bell dictates. That’s why they’re switching in droves.” In 2025, as work-life balance becomes non-negotiable, Elliot believes this freedom is a game-changer.
Greater Impact Through Scalable Reach
For Elliot, the move to online tutoring is also about amplifying a teacher’s influence. “In a school, you’re capped at the students in your room,” he notes. “Online, your impact is limitless.” He describes a model where a single tutor can teach 25 students across five small groups—or scale further by hiring others. “I’ve worked with teachers who’ve gone from 30 local kids to 100 students worldwide,” Elliot shares. “One tutor told me she’s now helping students in places she’d never reach from a classroom.” This scalability aligns with why many entered teaching in the first place. “Teachers want to make a difference,” he says. “Online tutoring lets them choose how many students they help and where those students are.” Whether it’s growing group sizes or duplicating efforts with additional tutors, Elliot sees no ceiling. “Your reach isn’t tied to a building anymore,” he adds. “That’s a powerful motivator in 2025.”
Income Potential Unlocks Financial Rewards
Perhaps the most eye-opening reason, Elliot argues, is the income online tutoring offers. “Teachers average $18 an hour in the U.S., £12 in the UK—after 10-hour days of teaching and prep,” he says. “Online, that flips.” He breaks it down: with 25 students paying $500 for a 12-week course, a tutor earns $12,500 in three months—working just 10 hours a week. Raise that to $1,000 per student, and it’s $75,000 a year. “And that’s just the start,” Elliot emphasizes. “Increase rates, grow groups, hire tutors—the scale is unlimited.” He’s seen this firsthand at The Teacher Project. “We’ve had teachers double their salary and cut their hours,” he reveals. “One went from $50,000 a year to over $100,000, teaching less.” For Elliot, this financial shift is about sustainability. “Teaching’s noble, but it should pay what it’s worth,” he insists. “In 2025, teachers are switching because online tutoring finally rewards their expertise.”
Autonomy and Travel Redefine the Profession
Elliot also highlights two additional drivers: autonomy and travel. On autonomy, he’s passionate about the control online tutoring provides to his students. “In schools, you’re bound by a curriculum you might not believe in,” he says. “Online, you decide what, when, and who you teach.” This freedom extends to scheduling and student selection, dodging classroom behavior issues. “You enroll students who want to be there,” Elliot notes. “That’s empowering.” Then there’s travel. “School breaks mean high travel costs or burnout,” he explains. “Online, you teach from your laptop—anywhere, anytime.” He’s seen tutors work from abroad or take weekend trips without canceling lessons. In 2025, these perks are pulling educators online.
Elliot Phillips’ insights through The Teacher Project illuminate a pivotal moment. “Teachers are switching because online tutoring offers freedom, impact, and rewards schools can’t match,” he concludes. His advice? “Start small—five students—and grow from there.” For educators eyeing 2025, Elliot’s vision is clear: “This is your chance to teach on your terms.”
About Elliot Phillips
Elliot Phillips is the Founder and CEO of The Teacher Project, an education technology company on a mission to transform the way teachers educate the world. As a former PE teacher, Elliot is deeply passionate about empowering educators to build thriving online businesses and achieve unprecedented levels of impact and freedom. Under Elliot’s leadership, The Teacher Project has helped over 3,000 teachers start their own successful online teaching ventures, with many replacing their full-time teaching salaries in just a matter of months. To learn more, click here: http://www.teacherproject.io.
