Featured Teacher: Michelle Heisler

1.   How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?

I have been selling on TpT since June 2010. I have been selling my teaching resources since 2003 on other websites but when I learned about TpT and started selling here it quickly became my 'home' selling site.

2.   When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

As long as I can remember I wanted to be a teacher. I loved school as a child. I had many wonderful teachers over the years that inspired me to want to be 'just like them'!

3.   How are you currently involved in education?

At the current time creating and selling teaching resources is my main focus with education. Due to a disability I am no longer able to work as a regular classroom teacher. Creating new resources and being a part of the TpT community allows me to stay active and current in my field.

4.   What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?

Take the plunge! Join in the forums and learn from all the outstanding people there. You will learn as you go to make your products more appealing to the mass market and you will make many great friends along the way!

5.   What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

The highlight for me at TpT has been the camaraderie amongst the people in the forums. I have learned so much and am in awe of the vast talent that is there.

6.   What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?

I am a Disney World fanatic! I love all things Disney and I just feel 'at home' when I am there.

7.   Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

I am an active volunteer in my children's classrooms. It is very interesting to be on the other side of the desk and observe how other teachers do things. I have been very impressed with the skills and talent of all the teachers I have volunteered for.

8.   What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

I love science. I am fascinated with the jobs on shows like CSI. Very intriguing!  Being a veterinarian would be a fantastic job too.  I also think it would be interesting to be in the law profession.

9.   What profession would you not like to do?

A job I know I could not handle is nursing.   My hat is off to the wonderful men and women that can do it, but I know it wouldn't be for me.

10. Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

Overall my favorite author is J.K. Rowling. I adore the Harry Potter series. She is a genius in the world she created and how she had the entire series planned out. I read many educational authors but I do not have a specific favorite. Actually many of my favorites are fellow TpT sellers who have blogs. I love reading what everyone is doing, the great ideas and opinions!

The Teaching Bank ~ Michelle Heisler

The Teaching Bank's Teachers Pay Teacher Store



The Teaching Bank's Favorite Items

The first unit that I created as a teacher was for the Charlotte's Web book.My favorite area for writing curriculum is novel units. I would have to say Charlotte's Web is my favorite because that is where it all started!

Charlotte's Web Unit

The other item that is a personal favorite is my Alien Text Talk Activity. I had great success in the classroom using Daily Oral Language methods and I was able to translate those skill activities to a method that is current and fun for the students where they can legitimately use their texting knowledge.

Alien Text Talk Activity

Featured Teacher Author: Michele Luck

Featured Teacher-Author

1.   How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?

I stumbled onto Tpt back in 2008.  I can't even remember how I found it, but I have been a seller, and loving it, ever since!

2.   When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

I didn't acknowledge that I wanted to BE a teacher until I tried a few other things in adulthood and realized that all along, I was teaching.  In reality, I have been a teacher since about age 2.  I would line my dolls up around the room and play "school" for hours while they "HAD TO" listen!

3.   How are you currently involved in education?

I am currently teaching high school level World Civilizations and Geography.  I have taught all areas in the Social Studies Department from grades 6-12 and English grades 9-12.

4.   What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?

Just do it!  If nothing else, it is a great opportunity to collaborate with other teachers that are excited about what they do.

5.   What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

The highlight has to be talking with the other teachers in the forum and on the blogs.  The great ideas and inspirational stories keep me excited about what we do!

6.   What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?

I LOVE to dance!  If you ever drive by the house while my shades are up, you will find me leaping and strutting across the living room to my good ole 80s music!

7.   Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

I am everywhere I can be that involves either Social Studies or Education.  I attend and present at conferences on a variety of topics, I participate on online forums and trainings whenever they are available, and I have worked with my local universities to motivate and encourage student and new teachers.  I have also written one book for new teachers, and I am working on another for the parents!

8.   What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

I would love to work at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum AFTER they push me out of my high school classroom!  I just love the teaching experience every day, but I would also love the opportunity to teach people about the Holocaust and what can be done to teach the next generation to do better.

9.   What profession would you not like to do?

I am one that will try anything once, BUT... I am also a control freak, so anything involving jumping out of planes or off buildings would be out of the question.

10. Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies, but I do not really have a favorite author.  I jump around quite a bit in my reading from genre to genre, so I am always finding something new I love. 
My favorite educational author is Dr. Angene Wilson.  She is also my mentor and was my professor many years ago.  She writes for the Peace Corp (and other education magazines), and her articles always remind me why I am here and why I step into my classroom each day.

By Michele Luck

Michele Luck's TPT store

Michele's Favorite Products

My most enjoyable classes are the ones where my students are "traveling" around my room and investigating different places or times.  In the Renaissance Tour of Florence Activity, they get to explore the city as it is becoming the Renaissance center.  I love it!

Renaissance Walking Tour Activity



In my U.S. History classes, I have always loved it when my students take on the roles of average people from the past.  In my Immigration activity, they read from role cards and stand in front of great images of the times.  It is always very engaging in my classroom.

Immigration and New Immigrant Activity

Featured Teacher Author: Michelle Walker

Featured Seller

1.   How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?

In South Africa, where I live, I recently started a small business supplying teachers with resources and when I came across TpT I thought "let's give it a bash"...I've had a store on TpT for about 18 months now, but have only realized the potential of really marketing myself within this quarter and have been pulling all the stops to get myself more "noticed"..it is slow going, but I have seen steady results so far (nothing to get too excited about yet, but it's a start!)

2.   When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

My first day of Grade 1!!

3.   How are you currently involved in education?

I taught for 16 years and when I went off on maternity leave my heartstrings tugged me to remain at home so I started a small business creating resources for teachers.

4.   What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?

"Why on earth not?" You have nothing to lose and plenty to gain!

5.   What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

Having a product selected as a feature in the first newsletter of this year! And a consistent rating of 4.0!!

6.   What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?

I love art! Painting, drawing, papier mache, pottery, anything! I'm happy to get messy...as long as I can get clean again afterwards!!

7.   Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

Well, my business is outside the classroom. I teach extra Maths lessons from home in the afternoons. I have a website and a blog!

8.   What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

ART!!

9.   What profession would you not like to do?

Anything in the "hardcore" business line!

10.                Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

I loooove to read, no firm favorite, although I have read just about every Jodi Picoult written and love Audrey Niffenegger (Her Fearful Symmetry and Time Traveller's Wife)! Although not really an educational author I have loved Torey Hayden's books forever. She inspired me even more to want to teach during my high school years.

by Michelle Walker

Michelle Walker's TPT store

Featured Items

I simply adore my Monster Math Activity Pack! I had such fun creating this pack with the stunning scrapbooking clipart from 'Just so Scrappy 2' and just know that every kid I ever taught would have loved to work with it!
Monster Math Activity Packet
I am also extremely proud of all of my integrated Thematic Units (All about me, Bugs, Recycling and Dinosaurs and Dodos). I believe very strongly in integration when teaching young children. It helps children to make connections between what they are learning and the world around them and keeps learning exciting and relevant.
All About Me, Thematic Unit

Featured Teacher-Author: Karla Banks

1. How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?

I have only been on TpT for about 4 months.  Another teacher told me about TpT after I shared one of my smartboard lesson with her.  She told me that TpT is a great place to find and share resources and she was right! TpT is the best place for teachers to get together to help each other and to share materials.

2. When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

I always said I would never be a teacher.  I hate public speaking!  I entered college thinking I would earn a degree in psychology.  By the end of my first year, I was taking education classes.  By the end of my second year, I was only taking classes for special educators.  I found I love to work with young children and help them learn. 

3. How are you currently involved in education?

I am currently a special education teacher in a Title I school.  I taught a pull-out resource class for 5 years.  I have been teaching a self-contained class for children with various disabilities for the last 7 years.  I have students in K-5 in one class, like the old one room school house.  I am also very fortunate that the school I work in is an arts integrated school.  Teaching through the arts has helped my students learn when so many other strategies hasn't worked.  In the 5 years that I have been teaching through the art, I have been able to move 4 students out of my class and back into the general classroom with only resource support.

4. What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?

Jump in!  TpT is a great community for teachers.  It's a place where teachers can communicate with teachers all over the world.  They offer advice and help on every topic imaginable for teachers.  It's a place where you can find thousands of free resources that are kid tested and ready to use in your classroom.  After you have checked out the free products, start posting your own excellent materials.  The other teachers here will help you make them even better and ready to sell.  

5. What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

I have absolutely love chatting with teachers from all across the country and around the world.  It's amazing how much education varies from place to place.  TpT has helped me to stay on top of current teaching practices and how education is changing.

6. What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?

I love to quilt!  I have made several quilts for my girls.  I especially love to make quilts for new babies.  I love to use bright colors and different textures in my quilts.  I just finished a UT quilt for a little boy and I am working on a Sunbonnet Sue quilt for a lady at church.  Quilting is a great way for me to relax.

7. Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

My husband and I teach the 3rd-4th grade Sunday School class at church.  We have been doing this for 7 years now.  We also work in our church's Bible School.  This is the first year I haven't taught a class in Bible School in several years.  This year, the church asked me to be the VBS director.  It has been a challenge, but I've learned every minute of it.  I still have so much to learn for next year.  

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

When I was a child I always wanted to be an astronaut.  I love the mystery that space holds for us.  I was in the 4th grade when remember clearly when the Challenger mission exploded with the first teacher, Christa McAuliffe, aboard.  I am still fascinated with space and love to teach about it.  Most children love the  wonders that space holds and want to learn everything they can about it too. 

9. What profession would you not like to do?

I would be absolutely miserable with a job that required me to work out in the weather all day!  I freeze all of the time!  In the summer, I'm a big baby, I  hate to be in the hot, humid weather for long periods of time.  Recess is the perfect amount of outside time for me!

10. Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

I love to read and will read almost anything that someone gives me.  With two young daughters, I don't have much time to read anymore.  Recently I have been reading Torey Hayden's books.  They are amazing, mostly because they are nonfiction.  Torey is a special education teacher who writes about her class.  If you want an idea of what it's like to teach a self-contained special education class for children with severe emotional and behavior disabilities, grab one of her books.  It will give you insight of what many special educators face day in and day out.  

by Karla Banks


 Karla's TPT Store


Karla's Pick Products

Teaching Quotes Using Dr. Seuss

This is a smartboard arts integrated lesson. Students learn how to identify the words being said before moving on to adding correct punctuation to sentences and finally creating their own sentences using correct punctuation for quotes. Student also learn about the artwork of Dr. Seuss and a few tips on how to become a cartoonist. The lesson ends with students creating their own cartoon character (step by step instructions-fool proof) and writing a quote using correct punctuation.

Compare and Contrast Using Georgia O'Keefe and Henri Rousseau

This is an arts integrated lesson that teaches the concepts compare and contrast. It begins with basic objects and moves the students to use higher order thinking to compare and contrast both the lives and then the art work of Rousseau and O'Keeffe. This lesson also teaches students to use a venn diagram to organize their information. Everything you need to teach this lesson is included. (Lesson plan and all background knowledge of the artists are included in the file.) 

Featured Teacher Author: Al Baggetta

Featured Teacher Author

1.   How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?

I've been selling my software and test packs on TPT for about three years -- shortly after Paul started the venture.  Before that I had been selling my software and test packs via the internet and through the popular teacher catalog of Teachers' Discovery.

2.   When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

I decided to become a teacher when I was in college (many years ago in a galaxy far far away -- to paraphrase).  I was studying Shakespeare and the depth of the English language, and it seemed like topics I would love to pass on to the younger generation.

3.   How are you currently involved in education?

I am currently retired and connected with educators through my website (baggetta.com).

4.   What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?
Do it.  You will not only be helping yourself but younger teachers who need ideas to make their classes more stimulating.

5.   What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

My time on TPT has allowed me to earn a small and comfortable income to supplement my retirement and has kept me up to date on a lot of the changes in education since I retired.

6.   What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?

I enjoy playing the guitar and scrollsawing.

7.   Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

No other activities except developing new ideas using software and testing material for the classroom.

8.   What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Very happy just the way things are, thank you.

9.   What profession would you not like to do?

See question 8 above.

10.                Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

Shakespeare has always been my favorite writer, followed by Poe, Twain, Frost and many others.  I don't read too many books about education, since I have already lived through much of what it is all about.  Experience is the best teacher.

by Al Baggetta

Al Baggetta's TPT store

Baggetta Software

Al's Products

I'm most proud of my work with development of the Literary Test Generators, which I offer on my website.  When I was a new teacher I remember searching regularly for testing material, often not available, so I spent a lot of time creating my own.  I applied this to developing algorithms that I used in my Test Generator programs, which hundreds of teachers are also now using.

Featured Teacher-Author: Pegi Bevins

1.   How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?I’ve been on TPT since 2007. I used to teach high school English, so I was part of a school district and had a lot of contacts within the district. When I left the public school system, my pool of contacts shrank, so I thought TPT would be a great marketplace for my products, and it has proven itself to be just that. Also, I had tried having my own website, but I couldn’t get any traffic to it. TPT has provided me with a customer base that I don’t think I could have reached on my own.

2.   When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

I had an excellent English teacher in high school who showed me that literature can be more than just a story. This inspired me to want to be like him.

3.   How are you currently involved in education?

I teach remedial writing at the community college level. Most of my students never planned on attending college, but with the current state of the economy and job market, they realize that it’s the best way to become employable.

4.   What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers? 

Offer a variety of products that can be developed quickly, keep the price down, and make them both fun and educational—something the students will enjoy doing and the teacher can be confident in the educational value of. Also, keep in mind that sometimes the simplest things work best.

5.   What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

A highlight has been that teachers actually implement my products in the classrooms, so students all over the country are being exposed to them. Also, I’ve received wonderful feedback on my products from teachers, which inspires me to keep creating them.

6.   What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?I am a weaver. Yes, people still do that! Also, my husband and I are beekeepers. 

7.   Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

No.

8.   What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

I would like to explore the field of library science, which is probably pretty typical for a teacher of literature.

9.   What profession would you not like to do? 

I would not like to work somewhere where I would have very little contact with other people and do not have the chance to meet a new group of people each semester. 

10.                Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

I’m into the classics—F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harper Lee, and Charles Dickens. The classics have more depth than a lot of the literature today.

My favorite author for classroom use is Harper Lee at the high school level, Lois Lowry at the middle school level, and Natalie Babbitt at the elementary level. Their books have such wonderful life-changing messages in them. I don’t anyone can ever be the same after reading them.

by Pegi Bevins

Pegi's TPT Store

Pegi's Pick Products

I have 23 editions of ThemeQuotes games, which I started developing when I taught high school. The games link famous quotations to the themes of popular books taught in the classroom and promote values, encourage teamwork, develop students’ understanding of theme, and challenge students’ reading-for-detail skills. They are a great way to wrap up a book unit. The games are based on most-taught books from fourth to twelfth grade.

Theme Quote Game

I’m also proud of my unique types of crossword puzzles. I have puzzles that focus on figurative language, homophones, anagrams, trivia, authors’ lives, character quotations, synonyms and antonyms, and analogies, just to name a few. I have approached crosswords in a unique way to make them challenging and fun. I like to say that students learn from my puzzles without even knowing it!

Red Fern Grows Crossword Puzzles

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Featured Teacher-Author: Heather Kaiser

1.   How long have you been on Teachers Pay Teachers?  What made you decide to be a part of it?

I joined TPT as a basic seller somewhere around July 2009 and upgraded to premium seller in March 2010.  I first heard about TPT from someone on the Proteacher.net forum and immediately decided it was worth joining.  I had been sharing my ideas freely for a long time.  While that has its’ rewards, TPT was exactly the kind of place I had been searching for.

2.   When did you know that you wanted to be in education?

I have known I wanted to be an educator since I was in the 3^rd grade.  My teacher gave me opportunities to be a peer helper and I was hooked.

3.   How are you currently involved in education?

I am currently a science lab teacher for 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade students in a small urban community school. In this role, I was recently nominated for and named as a 2011 recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome Career Award for Math and Science Teachers

4.   What would be your advice to people who are considering joining Teachers Pay Teachers?

Take the time to make your product look professional before posting.  I jumped right in and posted my things as they were without realizing the value of adding copyright notices, cover pages, answer keys, and directions for use.  It takes a lot more time to go back and make the fixes than it does to upload it in a completed format from the very beginning.

5.   What has been a highlight, thus far, about being on Teachers Pay Teachers?

The collaboration with other high quality, creative, caring, competent educators!

6.   What is something fun about you that other teachers don’t know?

I grew up in Southwestern New York.  Every winter, my dad would connect PVC pipes together in an octagon shape and lay out some heavy duty plastic.  Then he’d run the hose out to it and fill it with several inches of water.  By the end of November it had frozen and I had my own private ice skating rink for the winter without the worries of falling through the ice into a pond.

7.   Do you participate in education outside of the classroom?  In what type of role?

Collaboration is the key to becoming a great educator.  With that in mind I tweet, blog, facebook, skype, and socialize on a number of discussion boards with other teachers.  I’m active in our district as a facilitator of professional development both face to face and online.  Additionally, I serve on advisory teams and curriculum teams within the district.

8.   What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

I think I would like to record children’s audio books.  I’ve been told that my speaking voice would be good for that.

9.   What profession would you not like to do?

I would not want to do most of the jobs featured on Mike Rowe’s “Dirty Jobs”.

10.                Who is your favorite author?  Favorite educational author?  And why?

This is seriously hard for me to choose. I do enjoy Kate DiCamillo.  Students love a great animal character with human qualities.  Her books make for some great read alouds.  She has an amazing knack for linking some seemingly unconnected characters together into a tightly woven plot with an unexpected twist at the end.  It gets the kids every time.

by Heather Kaiser

Heather's Pick Products

Super Science Set - Weather and Climate

This super science set is a combination of all the weather and climate products I have created to this point. What you get: I have Who has and Wordle Wise PowerPoint vocabulary games, Weather tracking data sheets and Excel spreadsheet for technology integration, Trifold unit study guide for reviewing key concepts, SmartBoard consensogram and HotSpots activities plus water cycle and cloud identification quizzes that works with or without the Smart Response system, and a tic tac toe differentiated menu of choice activities complete with mini-rubrics for easy grading.

Pumpkin Predictions

A fully integrated math, science and cross-curricular writing plan including foldable and suggested uses. This one page (double-sided)foldable can be used to track this investigation from beginning to end. Real world skills of measurement, and using simple machines to make work easier tie in nicely as well as the obvious science concepts centered around the parts of a plant and the scientific method. Take it further by creating a class graph of the data to compare results and come to a conclusion regarding our ability to accurately predict the number of seeds in a pumpkin.