The Freelance Educator: Practical Advice for Starting Your Educational Consulting Business
By Tinashe Blanchet
(Routledge/Eye On Education, 2022 – Learn more)
Reviewed by Tanya Roy
The Freelance Educator is a practical look at the beginning steps you’ll need to take to convert your knowledge as an educator into part- or full-time work in the world of freelance professional development.
It’s an easy read, making it an excellent resource as you consider what could be a daunting process.
The author’s voice comes through as an encouraging and knowledgeable colleague who has done all of the research so that you don’t have to. And Tinashe Blanchet has done the research.
One of the most powerful aspects of the book is the amount of knowledge Blanchet has gathered from other people. The book takes the stance that being a freelance professional developer is as much about running a successful business as it is about what you can offer as an educator.
A tour guide to successful consulting
The book follows a very logical path from determining that you’re ready to start as an educational consultant through the details of growing your business. As educators with backgrounds in teaching and administration, we may feel we don’t have enough knowledge of business outside of education to move forward. This book serves as a very personable tour guide leading you through the steps to being a successful consultant. Blanchet makes sure we know which websites to visit, which paperwork to file, and which questions to ask.
Each chapter is a small step that you’ll need to take to make your business a success. They include:
• Beginning with Your Why
• Writing a Business Plan
• Launching Your Educational Consulting Business
• Establishing Your Business
• Making + Managing Your Money
• Branding + Marketing
• Communication + Project Management
• Why + How to Grow Your Business
As you can see from the chapter titles, no matter where you are in the process, the book has something to offer you. The author says in Chapter 1: “Feel free to read this book from cover to cover, skim it, or just skip to the part that reflects your particular interests and needs.” As someone who has offered professional development sessions at various conferences, I found something in every chapter to reflect on, even though I’ve begun to enact some of the tasks outlined.
Highlights
There are a few things that make this book extremely useful and relatable. The first is the author’s always positive stance. Blanchet encourages you to do things in as big or as small a way as you are comfortable with. Next, each chapter is full of information from people who come from different places in education, so the reader is exposed to a variety of consultant journeys. This variety also validates everyone’s journey and choices. It acknowledges that not everyone is looking to get the same thing out of consulting work.
Blanchet also addresses imposter syndrome. The idea that we are “just teachers” is often what stops people from moving forward with freelance work. Blanchet acknowledges and affirms that we all have something worthwhile to share.
Each chapter in the book is also set up in a way that teachers will find familiar – it is written as a “lesson plan.” Guiding questions at the beginning of each chapter help the reader to determine if the chapter is going to address their particular needs. This is enhanced by each chapter’s infographic – which lets you identify what you need to know at a glance.
Blanchet does an excellent job of anticipating questions you might have along the way. Should I use my own name as my business name? This and all other questions are answered with logical but thought provoking commentary from more than one source.
The author shares graphics of her own work alongside the information so that you can see what the work looks like in action. And many of the things she shares are so highly practical that they can be enacted immediately. I highlighted for quick reference some recommendations concerning things like websites and computer software.
Immediately upon finishing the chapter, I opened my computer and visited or installed the recommended tech tools. I even used a few of them before writing this review! As is the risk you run when discussing or recommedning anything tech related, a few of the referenced websites and programs were dated and have been surpassed by others in the two years since this book was published.
A must read
The Freelance Educator is a great first step for anyone simply looking into the world of educational consulting for the first time, but it is also a great addition to a freelance education business at any stage. It’s a must read, and a must reference, as you begin and grow your business.
Tanya Roy has been an educator in NYS for 24 years, working with teachers as a Literacy Coach and provider of Professional Development since 2006. Her degrees in special education, elementary education, literacy and literacy coaching have allowed her to help train teachers in the best educational practices for all students. The lens for all her work with teachers is focused on growth mindset, relationship building, trauma informed teaching, and mindful education. Tanya’s love of literacy and language has also helped her achieve international acclaim as an award winning storyteller.
