Do you use Teachers Pay Teachers Yet?

“They know enough who know how to learn” – Henry Adams (1838-1918), historian

Where do millions of dedicated teachers find affordable, readymade lessons? What if you could reap real benefits from all of your original supplementary classroom materials? Why haven’t we done this sooner?

Exciting news, readers: Select chapters of Compelling Conversations and Compelling American Conversations (with bonus material from the Teacher Edition) are now available for purchase on TeachersPayTeachers! A longtime fan finally joining the parade, I am very optimistic about the opportunities it presents for Chimayo Press and many other ESL and EFL educators discovering the pleasures and perils of self-publishing.

The Etsy-esque site’s greatest appeal is its “by teachers, for teachers” mentality. With a user base well in the millions, you can easily find what you’re looking for: all materials adhere to Common Core standards, and feature unique, affordable lesson plans and activities for all grades and subjects.

Founded in 2006 by New Yorker and teacher Paul Edelman, TeachersPayTeachers is “the first and largest open marketplace where teachers share, sell, and buy original educational resources,” as reported by CNBC.  Most resources sell for around $3-5 dollars, but according to multiple success stories, this can add up fast! TPT’s top ten sellers alone have earned millions, and what started out as a hobby for some – like California English teacher Laura Randazzo – has become a serious source of revenue.

However, not all the benefits are monetary.  As CEO Adam Freed has pointed out:

“Sure there’s a great business there, but for teachers who use our site, it’s always about the students.”

How refreshing to hear! We don’t always get to choose our textbooks, and supplementary material can make all the difference. As someone who’s spent 25+ years teaching English students at various levels how to have compelling conversations – and having co-authored five books on the subject– seeing such a supportive, education-driven community sharing so many excellent resources and wisdom reminds me that the students will reap the ultimate reward. It is also a boon to tutors and novice teachers, who may not know where to start when creating supplemental material of their own. Consider me excited!

Click here to visit our page with over 25 unique lessons and bundles available for your classroom needs. We look forward to adding more chapters from our original Compelling Conversations and It’s a Breeze titles in the near future. Onwards and upwards!

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