What it pays for traveling teachers to work with families who travel the world.

Last year, Lucy Alexandra Spencer spent 16 weeks traveling to Oman, France, Switzerland, and Portugal.

Unlike most people, she earns money through traveling rather than spending it.

Spencer's employers, wealthy Europeans and Americans, pay for her trips, which last for weeks or months and involve traveling with their families.

Seven years ago, Spencer began her first traveling teaching role, having previously taught primary school students with learning difficulties.

She has been abroad for approximately two years, including an eight-month journey to Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, she stated.

The cost of hiring Spencer, a U.K.-based teacher, is similar to private school fees for multiple children, which amounts to approximately £8,000 ($10,050) per month to work with three children. Families also bear the expenses of her flights, lodging, and meals.

If families need teachers with specialized skills, such as playing a musical instrument or teaching a foreign language, rates may increase to £10,000.

A teaching assistant who assists with a basic curriculum can be hired for approximately £2,500 per month.

Different from traditional school

According to Spencer, one hour of private tutoring is equivalent to three hours of regular school, so the children she teaches attend sessions with her for approximately four hours each day.

She collaborates with teachers at their schools to develop lessons that align with their home curriculum and prepares them for exams they will take upon their return.

Spencer includes details about local culture, cuisine, and customs in her sessions. For instance, while in Oman, Spencer worked with a family who were new to Arabic countries.

She explained to CNBC Travel that her role was not to teach knowledge but to act as a facilitator, encouraging curiosity and questioning about the things travelers were experiencing, highlighting differences and similarities.

Teaching demands a high level of understanding of the family's cultural beliefs and the ability to improve the children's lives beyond their parents.

An educator, not a tutor

Spencer’s progressive outlook is not for all families, she said.

She prefers to collaborate with startup founders who aim to introduce their kids to diverse learning methods and thought processes, as stated.

She prefers to be referred to as an "educator" or "facilitator" instead of a "teacher" or "tutor," she stated.

While it may seem like school, I don't specialize in that type of international tutoring. Instead, I focus on educating families through travel.

Spencer stated that she must manage families' expectations about her role, which means she must ensure that families won't mistake her for a nanny who provides extensive child care or an au pair who may be expected to do light chores.

"I am solely responsible for education. I do not reside with the family in their home. Although I may occasionally dine with them, I always maintain my own separate living arrangements. Our conversations about this role are always intriguing as we clarify the distinction between this position and a holiday nanny role," she stated.

That means interviewing is a two-way street, she said.

Many families likely perceive the interaction as an interview of the educator, but it is also a mutual evaluation.

Spencer, having her own house and two dogs, only accepts work trips of up to four weeks. However, she can connect families in need of a traveling teacher with the 30,000 teachers in her private tutoring business, Education Boutique.

Making traveling teachers more accessible

Education Boutique's business comprises around 10% of traveling teaching gigs, with the rest matching educators with students with learning issues or who need private exam preparation. Spencer founded the business in 2016 after spending nearly four years as a schoolteacher in the United Kingdom and Dubai. She holds a bachelor's degree in primary teacher education.

Spencer expressed her desire to increase access to traveling teachers for families by offering more affordable options, including pairing families with trained students taking a gap year.

Spencer stated that many young individuals are spending a substantial amount of money to travel the world during their gap year, and they are likely to achieve success in their future careers and education.

Instead of having someone pay for an educator to join them on their travels, families could educate students as they go around the world. By becoming a connector for families who are already going to specific destinations, we can facilitate this educational experience.

Spencer stated that she is dedicated to both aspects of Education Boutique, which involves helping traveling teachers and those who want to assist special education children find jobs.

Spencer stated that we view our role as crucial, as we support the most privileged children worldwide and the most disadvantaged locally.