When I started teaching 14 years ago, Teachers Pay Teachers quickly became one of the tools I relied on most. I was still figuring out who I was as a teacher, and seeing how other educators approached literacy, math, classroom management, and centers gave me confidence while I found my own style.
Some of my favorite classroom activities have come from incredibly talented teacher-authors. TPT has saved me countless hours over the years, introduced me to new teaching ideas, and reminded me that I don't have to reinvent the wheel.
If I could go back and give first-year-teacher Erin one piece of advice, it WOULDN'T be "Don't shop on TPT." It would be this:
Shop with a plan.
The Mistake Wasn't Using TPT
As a new teacher, I bought resources based on whatever I needed that week.
- A phonics activity here.
- A math center there.
- A writing craft before a holiday.
- Morning work when I realized I didn't have enough.
None of those purchases were mistakes. In fact, I still use many of them today. The mistake was that I wasn't thinking ahead. I was solving today's problem instead of building a collection of resources I could return to year after year.
The "I'll Just Grab One Thing..." Mindset
If you've taught for even a week, you know how easy it is to fall into this cycle! Tomorrow's lesson isn't quite ready. You realize you need one more center, one more writing activity, or one more game to reinforce a skill.
So, you hop onto TPT, spend a few dollars, download exactly what you need, and move on.
Truly, that's one of the reasons I love TPT! It gives teachers access to high-quality, classroom-tested resources exactly when they need them.
The challenge is that those small purchases can add up over time if you're always shopping reactively instead of intentionally.
Looking back, I realized I wasn't wasting money - I just didn't have a strategy.
What I Do Differently Now
- I keep a running wishlist.
- I wait for sales whenever I can.
- I look for bundles before buying individual resources.
- I invest in resources I'll use year after year.
- I follow creators whose teaching style matches mine.
What 14 Years of Teaching Has Taught Me
Today, I still shop on TPT all the time, but I approach it differently.
Before I buy something, I ask myself:
- Will I use this year after year?
- Does this fill a real gap in my classroom?
- Is there a bundle that includes this resource and others I'll use?
- Can I add it to my wishlist and wait for a sale?
Those simple questions have helped me build a classroom resource library that I actually use instead of collecting downloads I'll forget about.
From TPT Buyer to TPT Seller
For years, I was simply a TPT buyer.
Like so many teachers, I was constantly creating things for my own classroom - activities to fill curriculum gaps, centers that matched the way I taught, and little ideas that made learning more engaging for my students.
I've always loved creating!
In fact, in college, one of my elementary education professors once questioned whether I had plagiarized an activity I designed because she couldn't believe I had created it myself (that's a story for another day!).
At the time, I was more flattered than offended. Creativity has always been one of my favorite parts of teaching.
As the years went on, I noticed something interesting. The resources I was creating for my own students were becoming the ones I reached for again and again. They had been tested, revised, tweaked, and improved by real classroom experience.
Eventually, I had a simple thought:
If these resources are helping my students, maybe they'll help someone else's, too.
So I opened my own Teachers Pay Teachers store.
What started as a way to share the lessons and activities I was already creating has grown into something I never expected. One of the greatest joys has been hearing from teachers who tell me a resource saved them planning time, helped a struggling learner, or became a favorite in their own classroom.
Being both a buyer and a seller has given me a unique perspective.
- As a buyer, I know the relief of finding the perfect resource after a long day.
- As a seller, I know the hours of planning, revising, classroom testing, and heart that go into creating those resources.
That's one of the reasons I love the TPT community so much. At its core, it's teachers helping teachers.
Now, I jot down big-picture ideas and organize things like classroom systems, decor, and start-of-year routines. But I leave plenty of room to adjust once I meet my new group of learners.
Why I Love Bundles
One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the years is that bundles can be one of the smartest ways to build your classroom resource library.
Whether it's a creator bundle from one store on TPT or a collaborative bundle from various teacher-authors, you're getting a variety of high-quality resources for much less than purchasing each one individually.
When it comes to collaborative bundles, I love how they introduce you to new teacher-authors you may never have discovered otherwise! Some of my favorite TPT creators are people I first found through working together on these bundles.
That's one of the reasons I'm excited to be part of the Ultimate Early Elementary Bundle this year!
Not because I think every teacher needs more resources, but because I believe teachers deserve the right resources - the ones they'll use over and over again.
This bundle includes over 100 resources created specifically for PreK-2 classrooms! Every contributor added something new to this year's bundle, making it a wonderful way to discover fresh ideas while building your classroom library.
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(If you're reading this after the bundle has ended, don't worry! Collaborative bundles come around from time to time, and they're always worth keeping an eye out for.)
If I Could Give New Teachers One Piece of Advice...
Don't feel like you have to create everything yourself.
Some of the best ideas in my classroom started with another teacher who was willing to share what worked for them.
And some of the resources I've created have been inspired by seeing a need in my own classroom and thinking, There has to be a better way.
That's what I love most about teacher-author communities. It's not about buying every resource or creating every resource. It's about teachers sharing ideas, encouraging one another, and making this incredible profession just a little bit easier.
Whether you purchase a single resource, invest in a bundle, or create something from scratch, the goal isn't to have the biggest collection of classroom materials.
It's to have the right resources - the ones that save you time, engage your students, and give you more opportunities to focus on what matters most: teaching.
After 14 years in the classroom, that's the lesson I wish I'd learned sooner.
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I encourage you to take a look at this summer's Ultimate Early Elementary Bundle!
It's filled with exclusive resources from talented teacher-authors, and I'm honored to have one of my own creations included.
It's filled with exclusive resources from talented teacher-authors, and I'm honored to have one of my own creations included.
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