Featured Teacher Author
1. How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers? What made you decide to be a part of it?
We started TpT about a year ago. We had heard about it and thought it was a great idea that allowed some innovative sharing! We started thinking about the best way for us to use this to share lessons and ideas from our programs and products. We're a little unique in that we are selling as a non-profit organization. We design and implement professional development programs in math and science with teachers in grades Pk-12. Our staff consists of teachers on special assignment from their district, retired teachers, and K-12 consultants that are in the classroom. All the products we have listed were developed by teachers...for teachers!
2. When did you know that you wanted to be in education?
Personally, I think I always did! My father was in education and I would always read the professional journals that were around the house. My mother was an educator as well. I knew however, that I loved science, so I made sure that I could focus on this content and be able to teach in an elementary--kids are just naturally curious at that age and I wanted to be able to foster that curiosity!
3. How are you currently involved in education?
Currently, I am on loan from my district as the Director of the Teaching & Learning Collaboration (TLC) which is what we use to sell on TpT. While I direct the organization, my passion is being able to work with teachers who attend our professional development programs. They are always eager to learn new ideas, and I love the excitement of a group coming back to share how well their students responded to lessons from our session.
4. What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?
Do it! Even posting a few lessons to get started, and looking at other lessons that sellers post is rewarding! I think is also makes you think about the innovation that takes place in a classroom on a daily basis--there are some amazing things happening out there and I love that TpT is a good platform to share those ideas!
5. What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?
For us, it has been energizing to begin to brainstorm new ideas for lessons to post on TpT. We started just by posting a few resources we already had to see how things went. Math Camp-In and Science Tasks with Otis & Flask are two that were ready to go, and we wanted to see how TpT worked. Our main goal is to use funds from TpT sales to provide professional development at no cost for our participants, who are teachers! So, we really like the idea that teachers are helping teachers in our programs. Now, we have a good list of ideas, especially for math and the Common Core that we are working on. I like that TpT is pushing us to think outside the box-and the fact that we can share some of those ideas is exciting!
6. What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?
I love weather! A few teachers in my building know me as KDAR. In the winter, I am best known for my weather reports that forecast snow days! They are usually creative, crazy, and correct. What everyone really loves is that if I am wrong, I have the Krispie Kreme Guarantee. So, if I say there is a snow day, and there isn't...at least there are donuts to look forward too!
7. Do you participate in education outside of the classroom? In what type of role?
Since our main focus is designing professional development, I do a lot outside the classroom. I have taught grades 1-5 for about 17 years and loved every minute. I have been on loan for just a few years as the Director of TLC, and love it too! We are always presenting at conferences (look for us at NCTM where we present about Math Camp-In) or NSTA.
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
I often think I missed my calling as a Secret Agent! Maybe that's why I love my Teacher on Special Assignment title! Or, based on my interest in forecasting the weather, maybe I should have been a meteorologist! But the great thing about teaching is that I can be just about anything on any given day - I love the creativity of teaching!
9. What profession would you not like to do?
I tell my school nurse all the time that I couldn't do her job! She has too many schools, too many sick kids, and well, we all know how it usually ends in the clinic! I do always make sure she gets a nice little holiday gift: Lysol, Airborne, and chocolate!
10. Who is your favorite author? Favorite educational author? And why?
Personally, I love Dan Brown titles. (Again, maybe its that secret agent thing) What I really like is the blend of history, secrecy, and some science. It's a book that I usually can't put down.
Professionally, one of my favorite books is Greater Than Yourself. I love the message behind it of mentoring and looking for the best in everyone.
Kelli's Prized Products
I'm most proud our Math Camp-In products. A colleague and I developed the Grade 2 version and used in with our classrooms for four years. Now, we have expanded the idea and have a Math Camp-In for grades 1-4. It's a great way to engage students and families in mathematics!
We also have Science Tasks with Otis & Flask that are a set of 9 science centers that reinforce concepts and help prepare for achievement tests. Each can be downloaded separately, or all 9 can be ordered as a hard good. This was the result of a great collaborative project of teachers and curriculum directors. It's a great product and doesn't require lots of science equipment, so they are east to use.
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