Why EdTech Companies Want to Hire Teachers
EdTech companies are increasingly looking to hire teachers leaving teaching. Why? To help them develop and promote their products successfully. Without the voice of real teachers, how can an EdTech tool properly serve schools?
Teachers provide not only unique insights into EdTech tools, likely having used the tools ourselves with students, but we also have many skills that you just can't find in someone not weathered by a classroom of tiny humans.
1. Teachers Understand Pedagogy
Former teachers have a deep understanding of how students learn and what they need to succeed in the classroom. This knowledge is invaluable to EdTech companies that want to create products that are effective and engaging for students. Teachers can provide insights into how to design curriculum and assessments that align with learning objectives and meet the needs of different types of learners.
2. Teachers Provide Feedback
Teachers are used to giving and receiving feedback every single day. They can provide valuable insights into how a product is working in the classroom and what changes might need to be made to improve it. You remember using a tool and thinking "oh, I wish it did this." This is your chance to make it happen.
3. Teachers are Tech-savvy
Most teachers already use technology in the classroom and are familiar with a wide range of EdTech products. They can help these companies stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in the field. They can also provide insights into how to integrate technology into the classroom in a way that's effective and engaging for students.
4. Teachers are Brand Ambassadors
As teachers, we're often the first to discover and adopt new EdTech products. We serve as powerful advocates for a tool, helping to spread the word to colleagues and administrators. EdTech companies that have strong relationships with teachers are more likely to succeed in the competitive EdTech marketplace.
5. Teachers Trust Teachers
If it's made by teachers, it's made for teachers. No one understands the needs of teachers like other teachers, especially today. How many times have you tried a new tool because it was recommended to you by another educator? And wouldn’t you be more likely to try a tool influenced by a team of teachers, rather than one developed by random engineers and salespeople? You add credibility, reliability, and likability to a brand.
To an EdTech company, a former teacher is more than just an employee. Even if, for example, you work in a human resources role, you’re a consultant to the sales team, the marketing team, the engineering team. You’re also a marketing tool that the company can promote. You’re an investment worth making to any EdTech company, so know your value.
