Why Preparing (My Products) for a Teaching Conference Is Like Taking a College Class (Part Two)

Once I saw the quality of work submitted by the other TpT sellers signed up for each teaching conference, I realized I was in trouble! Professional quality work was expected, and I did not have a clue where to begin!

Thankfully, Jennifer had a list in the files section of the group Facebook page, which explains what needs to be done to get ready for each conference. (It kinda reminded me of a course syllabus.) Then I noticed that it was a full page! Yikes! I knew I had to get to work!

I had already completed the Google Doc and submitted my payment. Check. Check. Next was completing the “Marketing Materials” section. Since this seemed like a HUGE undertaking, I naturally put it off until later. Like any good student, I decided to check out the social scene instead of do my homework. In this case, I started browsing through the photos on the group Facebook page. Hmm, there were some really cute things there!

At this point I noticed the goodie bag items the other sellers were putting together. Each goodie bag included a freebie item to help teachers remember the seller’s store. Some had cute small jewelry items, classroom supply items with a store logo, or a teacher pen. All were adorable, and I felt a twinge of anxiety. What could I contribute that hadn’t already been submitted? I definitely didn’t want to copy any other seller! (Plagiarism will get you in deep trouble anywhere!)

Gulping down my nervousness, I replied to a post, expressing my admiration for the other sellers’ freebie items, and confusion as to what I could give to the collection. Luckily, this is a fantastic group of teacher-sellers, and I was quickly given an answer that fits my personality PERFECTLY. Can you guess what it is? Leave your best guess in the comments below.

To find out the answer, make sure to read my next blog post, where I will describe my freebie item. Pictures will be included!

Thanks and have a fabulous week!

Why Preparing (My Products) for a Teaching Conference Is Like Taking a College Class

I get bored easily. If I’m not learning something new, I will seek out the opportunity to stretch myself in another direction. Up until the last year, this entailed getting advanced degrees, or moving grade levels or districts. Last year it was becoming a seller on TpT, using Pinterest, starting a business Facebook page, and creating a blog (plus taking Charity Preston’s lessons on Teaching Blog Traffic School.)

A few months ago I saw a post by Jennifer Smith-Sloane (you may know her as 4mulaFun) in the forums on TpT. She was advertising open slots for the next few teaching conferences for which she and Michelle Martin-Luck would have booths. TpT sellers sign up for the slots, send Jennifer and Michelle their samples, and then these two ladies put up a fabulous display table, complete with product books, task card displays, freebie gift bags, and a raffle (where one teacher wins a free product from each participating seller.)

Since I had never done this before, I decided to sign up. You might say I dove into the deep end!

Michelle and Jennifer have a Facebook group dedicated to those of us sellers who signed up for the conferences. At first, I didn’t pay much attention. It was only as time progressed (and I started to see some of the posts made by the other sellers in the group) that I clicked on the “Receive Notifications” under the Facebook “Like” button for the group. That’s when I really sat up and began to take notice. :D

Read more about my experience with preparing my products for a teaching conference on my next blog post. Until then, thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here soon. Please leave a comment if you liked this post or have a question you would like answered.

Have a terrific day!

Carol's May Currently!

Less than one month left of school! Testing is finished (except for make-ups), projects are almost complete, and it’s time to wrap up the school year! That can only mean…

It’s time for May Currently!

I love to read Farley’s blog at Oh Boy Fourth Grade! That lady has a terrific sense of humor, plus I enjoy reading about what other teachers are doing, both at home and at school right now. J

I love listening to the sounds of the birds outside my windows. Their call-and-response songs always make me smile. One inquisitive mockingbird seemed to watching me as much as I was watching it one day. Two curious creatures trying to learn about one another.

The weather has been gorgeous all week! In the mornings, when I walk our golden retriever, I can feel the warm rays of the sun soaking into my winter-chilled skin, slowly bringing me back to seasonal life. Ahhh!!!

The clear days seemed to have helped clear out some of the cobwebs from my mind, too! Lately I’ve been working on a new set of western-themed TpT products. (You can find them here: Western-Themed Items) Ironically, they’re designed for the beginning of the school year, LOL! It’s funny, but the closer I get to the end of one school year, the more I start thinking about the beginning of the next one! (I do have another one in mind for the end of the year, but more about that another time!)

However, all this hunching over the computer has left me in dire need of a back massage! If I could afford it, I’d definitely hire my own personal massage therapist to give me and my family members back massages every day!

Unfortunately, when I’m “in the zone,” creativity-wise, I tend to forget about other important things happening around me. That’s why my home has a smoky cast to it right now. Chocolate chip cookies aren’t meant to bake for 45 minutes. Ouch! What a waste of innocent chocolate! :( 

For my summer bucket list I want to relax somewhere next to a body of water. It could be a beach, a pool, or the closest water park. I just want to soak up the peace and tranquility of the sun, the water, and the gently lapping waves. Sounds blissful, doesn’t it?

Which reminds me of a freebie in my TpT store. If you’ve never picked it up, I hope you’ll click here: Summer "Time" Elapsed Time Sample Pack and download it for free now.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you’ll leave a comment and stop by again soon!

TpT Loves Teachers Sale Plus a FREEBIE for My Followers!

Are you tired? I know I am! However, I have just the thing to perk you up! TpT is having a sale in appreciation of all the hard work teachers do! EVERYTHING on the TpT site is 10% off May 6 through 8 (extended 1 day due some technical glitches on the site, which made it difficult for buyers to complete their purchases on Wednesday night) as a way to say “Thank you!” to teachers around the world! Who doesn’t love a sale?

In addition, I have marked my ENTIRE store an additional 20% off! If you purchase any item in my store on May 6 through 8 (extended 1 day), and use the checkout code TPTXO, you will receive 28% off the original price.

I know it sounds weird that 10% + 20% equals 28%, but let me explain. Let’s say that you put something in your cart that was originally $10, but I’ve marked it down 20% to $8. Then at checkout you use the TPTXO code to save an additional 10%. That’s $8 - $0.80 = $7.20, which is 28% off the original store price of $10. You save $2.80 for every $10 worth of products in my store!

But don’t wait! The sale only lasts through midnight ET on May 8^th. After that, all these fabulous deals go away until the next sale in August or September!

Plus, as a special freebie for my blog followers, purchase any item in my store during the sale and receive an item of equal or lesser price FREE!

Here’s how it works:

1.     Make your purchase from Carol's Garden on TpT on May 6 - 8.

2.     Post a comment here on my blog telling me your user name and what item you purchased, plus the title of the product (of equal or lesser price) that you would like from my store.

3.     Include your email so that I know where to send the FREE item! (If you do not feel comfortable posting your email address here, you may send it to me at my email address  here: My Email. Just make sure to still make a comment on my blog, and include the information listed above. J

4.     Once I have verified your purchase, I will send the free item to you! It’s my way of saying thank you for following me!

Hope to see you here again soon! Thanks for visiting!