SSS Teaching: Becoming a Teacher-Seller & Blogger

Inspiring Educator_ Amber.png

For Amber Ernst, selling resources on TeachersPayTeachers (TpT) has been an integral part of her teaching career. Soon after becoming a teacher in 2012, Amber started SSS Teaching, her TpT store, as a way of sharing some of the resources she created for her students. As a longtime TpT seller, looking back at her past creations gives Amber a chance to reflect on her development as a teacher-seller. 

“I love it because it’s kind of like a scrapbook. I can go back and see what I was working on,” Amber said in a recent interview I did for the Educator Forever course members. 

Selling on TpT started out as a hobby, but became a way for Amber to channel her passions outside the classroom. When creating resources, Amber focuses on what lights her up. Instead of feeling like she has to create content for every subject and grade level, Amber focuses on her areas of expertise. She creates a lot of 3-5th grade ELA and science resources, including a good amount of grammar materials.

“Grammar is not always the most exciting,” said Amber. “So I try to make it fun.” 

For Amber, selling teaching resources online is a way of expanding her impact in education. She loves interacting with buyers on TpT, often taking their feedback and using it to revise or create resources that she knows her audience will love. 

“It’s crazy to see what an impact you can have,” she said, reflecting on the positive responses she’s received from buyers across the country. 

In addition to selling on TpT, Amber has a blog where she connects with educators, creates content, and sells her resources. If you’re interested in becoming a teacher blogger, definitely check out her guide for getting started.  

Whether looking to sell teaching resources via a blog or a TpT store, Amber shared these top tips for selling online: 

  • Promote on Pinterest! Teaching resources are very visual and are a great fit for Pinterest. Create a Pinterest account to promote your resources. Pinterest is the top driver of traffic to Amber’s store.  

  • Create templates so you can easily create different versions of similar resources. Once you have the templates, you can create materials in batches. 

  • Develop a cohesive style. Think about fonts, graphics, and colors that set your resources apart and give your materials a recognizable look. 

  • Consider joining the Classroom Freebies website and write for them as a way to market your products 

Amber started off as a teacher seller while in the classroom, but since has transitioned outside of the classroom to work with the Missouri State Department of Education. This move has allowed her to see her teacher skills in a whole new light. 

“When I was in the classroom, I thought that I would be there forever,” Amber said. But now that she’s left, Amber feels like she has the best of both worlds. She can stay involved in education without the day-to-day stress of being a classroom teacher. 

Amber’s journey outside of the classroom has gotten her to rethink what’s possible for teachers. She’s been surprised by how valuable her skills are and how rewarding it has been to have those skills recognized by other adults. She’s also been amazed to discover how many opportunities are available for teachers. 

“There’s a lot out there. It’s definitely not just brick and mortar schools and classrooms,” Amber said. “Your skills are valuable and can be used in so many different ways.”

Know other inspiring educators we should talk to? Submit your ideas here (& feel free to pitch yourself!)

 

inspiring educators, flexible workLily JonesTpT, flexibilityComment