5 CHEAP Ways to Get Books for a Classroom Library

As a reading teacher, I have a huge passion for constantly bringing new titles into my classroom library.  My first three years of teaching I looped with the same kids.  It became my priority to constantly update my classroom library so my students would not get bored of the same books throughout those three years.  These are my top 5 tips to getting books for CHEAP.

1.  Garage Sales
Garage sales are one of the best places to get used books for your classrooms.  Often times, people are willing to sell the books for dirt cheap.  I've seen books as low as ten cents each!  Some times you might even get lucky and have someone give you books for free when they hear you are a teacher.  I like to join local garage sale sites on Facebook.  People will usually post pictures of items they are going to have and you can easily tell if its worth your time to go.  I also found a 'teacher garage sale' group on Facebook specific for my area.  Teachers are often posting items they no longer need to sell or giveaway.  I'm not sure if these sites are typical for all areas, but take a look.

2. Good Will
Good Will can be hit or miss when trying to find quality books for your classroom.  My local location does not sort the books very well, so I'm always digging through activity books and coloring books to find the good stuff.  The positive of Good Will is the price!  My local Good Will sells all children books for 59cents.  I've seen some locations sell picture books for 59cents and chapter books for 99cents, which is still a good price.  I tend to stop by Good Will a few times a month to check out what they have.  I always leave with 2-3 new books, usually more.

3.  Thriftbooks.com
I just discovered ThriftBooks this summer (2016), and cannot believe what I've been missing!  ThriftBooks has a wide variety of used books for all ages.  The books range in price from $3.59 to almost full price.  Certain books qualify for "thrift deals," which means you can get 3 books for $10 or 4 for $12.  Shipping is free over $10 and once you spend $50 (can be over multiple orders), you get a $5 coupon for your next order.  I'm currently obsessed with this site and have spent way too much money there this summer.  I have ordered almost 30 books from there this summer (shhh don't tell), and they have all been in great shape.  If you want to check it out, you can use my link to get an extra 15% off you first order: http://bit.ly/THRIFTBOOKS



4.  Amazon Penny Books
Before I discovered ThriftBooks, I was purchasing a lot of books from Amazon for a penny.  If you search used books on Amazon, you can find many sellers selling books for one penny plus shipping.  Shipping is usually 3.99, so you end up paying about $4 for a book.  This makes it a bit more expensive than ThriftBooks.  I've found the quality of used books to be comparable to ThriftBooks.

5. Donor's Choose
Instead of purchasing books yourself, you can create projects on Donor's Choose for new books and have friends and family donate to the project.  I've had many books project funded.  Earlier this year I wrote a blog post with my simple tips to get projects funded quickly.  Check it out HERE.

What are some of your favorite ways to get books for your classroom?  Share in the comments so we can all learn from each other.

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TPT Conference Recap - Day 2

If you missed my overview of Day 1 of the Teachers Pay Teachers conference, head over HERE.

I was determined to make the 2nd day better than the first, and that started with leaving extra early to avoid traffic.  The universe had different plans for me because I locked myself out of the house, for the first time EVER, right before leaving.  I had to wait 45 minutes for my mom to bring over the spare key, and then spend a few more minutes fixing my hair that the Florida humidity ruined.  It was a terrible way to start the day, but I knew things would only get better.

Thankfully there was no traffic on the way to the conference, but I realized another big problem right after I parked.  I forgot my wallet at home.  Seriously, I don't know how this all happened.  I started freaking out because I knew I had to pay $20 just to get out of the parking lot.  Luck finally came my way when I found my credit card (that I never use) at the bottom of my purse.  After this meltdown was complete, I was ready to start my day at the conference!

Session 5: Social Media Round Up with Ashley Schroder
This is one session I knew I was going to sign up for when I registered for the conference.  I started following Ashley on social media when she started periscoping at the conference in 2015.  I love her energy and her passion for teaching.  She shared tips and tricks for each platform (Periscope, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat), as well as giving suggestions for influencers to follow.

During her talk on Facebook she mentioned Catherine Reed's (Brown Bag Teacher) session, which was all about Facebook, and how informative it was.  I heard SO MANY good things about this Facebook session that I kind of regret not finding a way to go, but Ashley gave me some good pointers to get started with Facebook.  Once again, video was brought up with Facebook Live.  It's clear I need to get over this video fear if I want to grow my business.  She also talked about scheduling posts with Hootsuite and using memes to help gain followers and engagement.  My facebook page is SUPER new, but check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/teachruncreate

Ashley also talked about using the "explore tool" on Instagram to find new accounts, and using airplane mode to schedule.  You can't schedule posts in Instagram like in Twitter or Facebook, but you can get posts ready to go.

With Snapchat, she mentioned using bit.ly links and telling followers to screen shot it for later.  I haven't tried this yet, but it seems like a very powerful strategy.  There are many other "snappers" using this strategy, but I'm not always compelled to screen shot their link myself.  I used to screen shot tons of things, but then I forgot all about them.  Maybe it's just me...

Ashley ended her session by talking very briefly about some Twitter talks (#tptchat on Sunday and #teacherfriends on Tuesday) and the importance of building an e-mail list.

Session 6: What I did Right, What I did Wrong Panel with Erica Bohrer, Deanna Jump, Chris Kesler, and DeeDee Wills
This session was a refreshing change to the other sessions as it was almost 100% led by the audience.  Each speaker took about 5 minutes to briefly discuss what they did right and wrong, then they opened it up for questions.  Hearing how these big sellers made similar mistakes to the ones I've made was reassuring that I'm not alone.  I especially enjoyed hearing Chris talk. He talked a lot more about the intentional entrepreneurial side of the Teachers Pay Teachers.  He recommended a book, The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone, to help us expand our goals.  I downloaded the book on Audible immediately and its phenomenal.  If you have never used Audible, you can get a free trial to check out this book for free. Check it out at audible.com

Someone asked if any of the sellers had any problems with their district having conflicting opinions about their making income on TeachersPayTeachers.  This has always been a big concern of mine, so I was glad someone asked this!  I had no idea Deanna ran into some problems with her first district and resigned before any resolution came from it. Erica said she avoids issues by sharing her resources with her entire district - great idea.

Session 7: Tap Into Homeschool with Jodi Durgin
As a former elementary school and a home schooling mom, Jodi had a wealth of information to share about promoting our TpT materials to the homeschool community.   Did you know the percent of families homeschooling increases by about 7% annually!?  WOW!  I really enjoyed the simple and powerful tips Jodi shared to make our products more appealing for homeschool families.  She shared how we can turn commonly used education terms (from our product descriptions) into more homeschool friendly words.  For example, change 'common core' to 'skills', 'students' to 'kids' and 'teachers' to 'educators'.

She suggested creating a "Homeschool" board on Pinterest to share our ideas that are most beneficial for this community, as well as using the hashtag #homeschool on Instagram when appropriate.

Session 8: Stay Relevant and Build a Long Term Brand with Angela Watson
My last session of the conference was with Angela Watson.   She talked more about business in general, than giving specific ideas.   I really appreciated the way she set up her session, as it pushed me to start brainstorming ideas immediately.   She briefly discussed Pat Flynn's new book, Will it Fly, which I thought was super cool since I had just finished reading this book.  This is another great book that I suggest you check out.  It's great on Audible because Pat is actually the one reading it and he adds in extra tidbits of information.

Angela mentioned the importance of creating editable products on TeachersPayTeachers.  This is a newer trend and I've definitely seen an increase in sales on some of the products I've already updated to be editable.

Overall, I had a great time at the conference!  I was able to meet so many other sellers and build connections that I know will last.  The sessions were jam packed with valuable content that I know I will play an impact in helping my store grow.  More than anything though, I enjoyed being surrounded by the enormous amount of positivity and true passion for teaching.  It was clear that above anything else, kids are staying at the heart of TeachersPayTeachers.  Everything we do is to improve education for OUR kids.

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TpT Conference Recap - Day 1

Hey guys!  After attending the Teachers Pay Teachers conference last week, I have a sudden burst of inspiration and motivation to start blogging again.  I'm excited to share with you my experience and tidbits of information that I learned.

The conference was in Orlando this year, so it was a no brainer for me to decide to go.  (You know... because I live in Orlando.)  I was really excited about going, but unfortunately had a very rough start to my day.  I actually had a rough start to BOTH of my days, but let's focus on day 1 first.

The conference was in the Disney area, which typically takes about 45 minutes for me to get to.  I made sure to leave my house with plenty of time to spare, because traffic heading into downtown can be pure craziness.  There is no way I could have planned for the traffic I experienced.  There was an accident on the way, and it took me TWO HOURS to get there.  TWO HOURS!  Then, I parked at the wrong hotel and spent 20 minutes trying to figure out where the conference was.  I was a mess, a serious hot mess.

I finally made it to the conference about 10 minutes after the Keynote had started.  On a positive note, there wasn't a line for me to check in.  HaHa. I quickly got my name tag, goodie bag, and schedule for the day.  I headed into the Keynote and thankfully was able to find a seat near the back.

Keynote
I missed hearing Amy talk (atleast... I think she talked first), but I entered while Adam (the CEO of TpT) was discussing some changes and trends with Teachers Pay Teachers.  It was inspiring to hear him talk about the growth TpT is experiencing and their plans for the future.  Jenn Bengal ended the keynote by talking about her path with TpT.  I always love hearing other sellers talk about their journey with this company and how they got where they are.  She was awesome and I immediately regretted not signing up for her session.

Session 1: Yes! You Can Make Videos with Kayse Morris
This is a session I had mixed feelings about attending.  Videos SCARE me.  I'm not kidding.  The thought of videotaping myself is absolutely terrifying.  Let's not even talk about the time I had to videotape myself teaching for undergrad - YIKES.  Anyways, as much as videos scare me I know this is something I need to start getting more comfortable with.  Kayse was awesome and gave lots of tips to make videos.  I realized how many ways I could make videos of my products WITHOUT having to video my face.  This was reassuring.

28% of Google Searches result in a YouTube video. 
50x easier to reach page 1 of Google with a video.

With those stats, it's not question that I need to get into video.  I loved all of Kayse's tips, and especially enjoyed all the example videos she showed.  One of my summer goals is to make a video of one of my products.  I go back to work in 2 weeks, so I better get to work.

Session 2: The Real Truth from a Successful Seller with Erin Cobb
Without a doubt, this was my favorite session. Eric Cobb was hysterical!  She gave an awesome presentation and was 8.5 months pregnant, bless her heart!  I loved how real she was.  She said many things that I feel like other people think, but no one has the courage to say.  In terms of goals, she suggested make monetary product goals instead of a goal based off number of products created.  For example, don't make a goal of creating 4 products each month.  Instead, make a goal to make $20 worth of products. I LOVE this.  I'm using it.

She also gave EVERYONE who attended her session a Teachers Pay Teachers Seller Planner.  It's amazing.

She has the planners for sale in her TeachersPayTeachers store.  Go check it out to see more previews of the inside, and then buy one :)  You definitely need it.  Erin's Teacher Seller Planner

Session 3: TpT Product Planning from Start to Finish with Shelly Rees
Shelly discussed the 9 step process she uses when creating a product for TpT.  She was very detailed and explained the importance of each step.  I love that she included creating pins for your products with her list.  This is a step I often overlook, but I know how important it is.  She also talked about creating a specific work schedule.  Almost every session I attended emphasized the importance of treating TpT like a business.  I struggle with this because of mom guilt.  I know as a single mom I need to be a bit more creative with planning a "work schedule."  I'm working on it.  (I'm actually at McDonalds right now, typing this blog post, while my son plays.  I feel less guilty about working while he plays if he's with other kids! #momwin)

She also gave everyone a product planner.  This one is more detailed to ensure you go over each step of the process.  I've seen her post on Facebook about hosting a few webinars to go over her steps.  If you are struggling with the overall process of creating a product, I would suggest checking it out.

Session 4: Marketing Face to Face with Michele Luck
As I'm trying to expand my TpT business, I think its important to explore all avenues of promotion.  I was very impressed with Michele.  She travels to conferences all over the country and hosts a Teachers Pay Teachers Sellers booth. She has a group on Faceobok and sellers can sign up to promote with her at conferences.   Sellers can send her business cards and sample books, and Michele will have them displayed at her booth.  She went into detail about how she finds conferences, the hidden costs of being a vendor at one, and the strategies her and her hubby use to draw people to their booth when they are there. This is not an avenue I'm 100% ready to go down yet, but I could see myself doing this in the future.

After the sessions, there was a huge teacher meet-up planned.  I made arrangements for my son to go to camp and had to get home to pick him up, so I wasn't able to go.  There were amazing giveaways and everyone who attended got a bag full of goodies.  Yes, I'm jealous.   Check out the hashtag #2016OrlandoMeetUp to see some of the pictures.

Want to read about day 2?  Head over HERE.

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Netflix for BOOKS?

I have an exciting new app to share with you all.  Head to your app store and search "get epic" to find this fun new app!  You can also go to www.getepic.com

Epic! allows teachers to create free accounts.   With your teacher account, you can create up to 36 profiles for your students.  Students can only access the educator account at school, but you can easily put this app on multiple devices.  This would be a great center activity, especially if you are in a one-to-one classroom.  When you login to your teacher account, you will be able to access each student's book log to track which books they are reading.   There are some books that are only offered for paying accounts, but majority of books can be found with free educator account.

If you are a parent or child, you can create an account and pay only $4.99 a month for unlimited access to the Epic book collection.

Epic offers a variety of books geared toward kids ages 12 and under.  The app lets you track how much of the book you've read and how much you have left to read.  After reading the book, you can mark it as a favorite and/or rate it.

You can also download a title to your bookshelf to allow for "offline reading."  This would be a great 

option for when traveling! 

One of my favorite features of Epic is the personalized book recommendations.  Based off the books you check out to read, Epic will recommend other books you might look.  

Epic is constantly updating their library and adding new books.  I will admit, some of the books are better than others.  There are many "less known" books, but there are lots of high interest non-fiction books.  Check out those math books!  Math concept books are a great way to integrate literacy across the curriculum.

Have you used Epic in your classroom?  It was only a month ago that I discovered it, so I'm still exploring it.  Let me know if you use it and what your students think about it.  Do you have other apps you enjoy using for books?  I love finding new resources to get books into the classroom!

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Flavor Run

Yesterday my son, mom, brother, and I participated in the Flavor Run.   My son ran the Color Run a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it.  He was very excited going into this race.

He's been all about these tattoos lately.  A few years ago he hated temporary tattoos, so I'm not sure what exactly sprouted this change.  

We drove about an hour to the location of this race.  My mom's friend came too.  She's been doing a lot of races with us lately, and Tanner has started to call her his girlfriend. ADORABLE.

We each got a flavor packet when we picked up our bibs.  Tanner decided we needed color immediately, so we decided to start having some fun before the race.

The packets appear to be a lot like the stuff from Color Run, but these colors SMELL delicious.  They all have a very fruit smell.  I'm not sure about the "flavor" aspect.... definitely wasn't about to dye my whole mouth various colors to get a taste.

We headed over to the start line pretty early.  It was a small race, but we wanted to make sure we were in the first wave of people.  They started throwing around a  beach ball at the start, so of course Tanner needed a lift to get a better view.  

There was A LOT of color at the start line.  They had big blasters coming around getting everyone.  They also had this contraption that poured color on you as you went through the start line.  Very cool.

Tanner decided early on he wanted to run with his Uncle Kevin.  I absolutely love how close Tanner is with his uncles.  Thankfully Kevin wasn't out to score any PRs this race, and was glad to run with his little nephew. 

I promise you they did run a bit.  I actually think Tanner did more running in this race, than any other race.  At the last Color Run I got in the habit of jogging/walking with them, then sprinting when we got to color.  I would go through then wait for them to try to get that "perfect" photograph of Tanner coming through.  I'm most definitely not a pro photographer.

This course was a bit different, as it was actually a two loop course.  I'm not sure how much I loved this idea.  The first loop was great.  There were three color stops and each stop did a great job pounding on the color.  

Unfortunately, every color stop was out of color for our 2nd loop.  One stop had a a small amount left and was hard core rationing it, but the other two were clearly completely out.  This was a bummer.  

Tanner found a donkey on the 2nd loop, and had to stop to say hello.  He petted it and thought he was the coolest thing.  He was telling everyone how he "petted the animal," because he was convinced it was not a donkey.... but he had no idea what it was.  Kids are funny.

The end of the race was a bit uneventful, but I loved the medal.

How fun is this medal!?  Tanner's favorite part of races is getting a banana, so he was excited to see this medal.  I'm not kidding about the banana either.  I've seen runners say this and clearly they are joking - but clearly Tanner is not.  He got ridiculously upset at one race because there wasn't a banana.  It was just a tiny bit embarrassing....

After the race we had fun with some more color.  Uncle Kevin was sneaky and caught a pack at the start line, and he hid it to the very end.  He surprised Tanner, then gave it to him to play with.

All in all, it was a great race.  I enjoyed the smaller atmosphere of this race, and thought they did a great job with the race swag.  The race shirt was yellow, not white, which was a plus.  The course was pretty, but I do wish it could have been made into one loop somehow.  It's always a bit of a bummer to have to pass through a finish line in the middle of a course.  My fist full marathon was like this and it was not very motivating.

I also was very impressed with the strong scent of the different colors.  I was not expecting it to be so powerful, but there was no denying that the color had some scent. 

My mom is having surgery on Monday, so she won't be able to do any races for awhile.  She's really bummed, but I know this extended recovery will be good for her.  She's been power walking daily for over a year now, and usually does 5-7 miles a day.  I don't think she has EVER taken more than a day off each week.  Rock star status, for sure.   I'm glad I was able to complete this race with her and can't wait to complete her 1st post-surgery race with her in a few months!

We also ran a Valentine's Day 5k this morning.  It was not all "lovey dovey" though. Tanner through a fit about a mile in and sat on the curb crying.  He was very frustrated and didn't want to finish.  I told my mom to keep going and Tanner and I walked back to the finish line and waited for everyone. Kevin placed 2nd in his age group and won a fancy medal and free girl scout cookies.  Tanner would have placed in his age group for the first time ever if he finished, but he did not.  It was beyond frustrating and I don't even have the patience to blog about.

Have you ever done a Flavor Run?  What did you think?

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5 Tips to Make Writing FUN

When I first started teaching, I hated writing instruction.  Many of my kids thought it was boring and it was a struggle to make it more engaging.   Here are some of my TOP TIPS to help your students enjoy writing time.

Tip #1:  Provide resources for your students to use when writing
Many students don't enjoy writing because of low confidence in their writing abilities.  Students who are poor spellers are more hesitant to write.  They are either afraid you aren't going to be able to read and understand their writing or simply have a fear of spelling words wrong.  By providing resources, you are helping set your students up for success.

Some of my favorite resources to provide students are:
- Word Lists by Panicked Teacher [over 10 different word lists to help your students add details to their writing]
- Individual Word Wall [Students can keep their individual word walls at their seat and can add in words as the year goes.  This will help students remember how to spell those tricky new words.]
- Free FRY Word List [keep these handy for students who forget how to spell common words]

Tip #2: PEN PALS
Did you have pen pals growing up?  I remember having multiple pen pals!  We actually had a school wide postal service run by the 5th graders at my elementary school.  We could write letters to other students around campus and 5th graders would pick up the mail in the morning and deliver it within the week.  This particular idea is definitely more time consuming to set up school wide, but you could definitely find a class to be pen pals with your students.

The best way I have found is by posting on social media.  Try sending out a tweet or posting on a teacher forum asking for pen pals.  Teachers across the country are loving this idea and I guarantee you will find a pen pal class within 24 hours.  If you are still struggling, post in the comments.  I'll help you out.

Tip #3: Allow students to decide what to write about
There is a time and place for required writing prompts.  I found the best writing from my students came when I gave them flexibility and freedom in their choice of topic.  I also found that when I said "you can write about anything you want," I had a few students who would say "but I don't know what to write!"  I'm sure you can think of some of these kids in your head right now.

In 2012 I created one of my best selling products on Teachers Pay Teacher for this exact reason.  I wanted students to have flexibility in their writing but I also didn't want any excused for why their page was blank.  Enter 120 Writing Prompts.

I used an old baby formula can and modge-podged scrapbooking paper over the outside.  I created a cute little label (available in the download) and modge-podged it on on the front.  All of the writing prompts (120) were printed, cut, and laminated.  Whenever my students needed an idea for a writing topic, they were able to go choose a card.

It didn't take long for me to realize some students were wasting time and just reading all the prompts.  I set a rule that allowed them to pull out 5 prompts then they had to pick their favorite from the 5 to write about.  This gave them no excuse to be over the writing jar for extended periods of time.

You can find these writing prompts HERE

Tip #4: Display student writing
This one is a no-brainer.  Students, for the most part, love to be on display!  Students want to know that their work they did mattered and you are proud of it.  If students know their work is going to be hung up, they are more likely to put in the extra effort to make it great.  Once all the writing is displayed, students will enjoy being able to read their classmates writing.

Here are some of my favorite writing displays I found on Pinterest:

[found on Pinterest, but original photo from: Rundes Room]

[Found on Pinterest, linked to this Buzz Feed, anyone know the original source??]

[from Lessons with Laughter - super simple set up.  Glue black paper and clothespins to the wall to easily change out student work throughout the year]

Tip #5: STICKERS!

Okay, let me explain.  Students absolutely love stickers.  We all know this.  Why not let them incorporate stickers into their writing?  I used to keep a tub of random stickers near my writing station.  Students could pick up up to FIVE stickers and put them on the top of the paper.  Their goal was to write a creative story incorporating the stickers.  If the stickers were holiday themed, the student would write a story that took place during that holiday.  If they were smiley faces, the student wrote a story incorporating that type of emotion.  I usually limited the amount of word stickers a child could pick, because they tend to be very vague words (like great or wonderful).  

If you need a variety of stickers, check out Amazon.  They usually always have good deals.  Here are some of my favorites (affiliate links)

            

What are some of your favorite ways to make writing fun?  Leave a tip in the comments.  I'd love to hear you ideas!

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Pledge Cents

Everyone is always talking about Donor's Choose and I'm here to tell you about PledgeCents!

First of all, don't get me wrong.... I love Donor's Choose.  Over the past 5 years, I've had over 30 projects funded with Donor's Choose.  I'm extremely grateful for the wonderful site and all the donors who have helped my classroom over the years.   But, this post is not about Donor's Choose.

Let me start with a little story, because we all love stories.  Two years ago I was teaching 4th grade for the first time and was super bummed when I found out my school did not typically go on field trips to St. Augustine.  This is a very common field trip for many 4th graders in Florida, as the social studies curriculum in 4th is tied to Florida history.  The one field trip I remember the most in my K-12 education is St. Augustine.  I have so many vivid memories of this trip.  It is the one trip my parents chaperoned each year for my brothers and I - it's that much fun.   When I was asked to teach 4th grade again as team leader, I KNEW I was going to make this trip happen for my students.  I work at a very high poverty school in Orlando, so not only did I want to plan the trip, but I wanted to make sure all kids could afford it.

Planning a field trip on Donor's Choose was complicated, and I didn't want to deal with it (just being honest)  PledgeCents was (and still is) fairly new, but I decided to give them a try.  I was immediately impressed because one of the co-owners CALLED ME to verify my project and answer any questions I had.  How often does an owner of a business CALL YOU to offer support?  Never.

One reason I absolutely loved PledgeCents platform is you were able to obtain all funds raised, even if you did not raise the total amount you set out to.  This meant that I would be able to use any money raised for my field trip, even if I didn't raise the entire amount.  When you submit a project, they specifically ask you what you will do in this situation.

With PledgeCents, I was able to raise $235 for our field trip.  We didn't reach our goal, but I was able to completely pay for 5 students to attend and have some money to cut the cost of a few other students admission fees.   We had the BEST time on the trip.

If you have a classroom project idea, I highly suggest you post it on Pledge Cents.  But wait!  Don't sign up yet..... They have a pretty sweet referral program going on.  If you let me refer you, they will give you $10 toward your first project.  I'll also get $5 toward my current project for the referral.  Win win!  You get $10 toward your classroom and get to help support mine.  

If you are want the referral, e-mail me at teachruncreate@gmail.com with the subject line of PLEDGE CENTS.  I'll enter your e-mail with 24 hours and PledgeCents will send you the referral right away.   You can also leave your e-mail in the comments... but some people are weird about that.  Just make sure I get your e-mail, okkkkayyy? 

[Hey Pledge Cents!  Are you reading this?  If so, I think it would be WAY easier if you gave me a referral link.... I'm just sayin']

What classroom project ideas do you have?  My current project is for flexible seating!  I'm trying to get some standing desks for my school.  Leave a comment below with your ideas;  I'd love to hear them! 

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Top Podcasts for Teacherpreneurs

About 7 months ago, I discovered podcasts.  Actually, that's not correct.  I first heard of podcasts years ago, but initially thought the whole concept was dumb.  Why would I want to listen to people talk?  I thought I would hate them and find them incredibly boring.  This misconception caused me to not even give them a try.

I can't remember what convinced me to try out a podcast.  Honestly, I wish I could remember.  It would probably make a good story.

Since the school year started, I have listened to podcasts every day on the way to work.  I have an hour commute, so this gives me a lot of listening time.  Typically, I do not listen to podcasts on the way home.  I've tried, but have realized my mind is too flustered with thoughts.

I'm always looking for new podcasts, and enjoy trying new ones out.  These are my top five favorites podcast for teacherpreneurs.  These podcasts are motivating, inspiring, and full of valuable information.  If you are looking to start an online business or simply monetize some of your teaching expertise, I highly suggest you check these out:

1.   Smart Passive Income : Pat Flynn

This is my absolute favorite podcast!  It's one of the first I started to listen to and the one I come to whenever I need inspiration or new ideas.  Pat is an all around family guy and I love how real he is on his show.  The majority of his episodes are interviews with other successful entrepreneurs.  The best part is majority of the people he interviews are regular people, like us.  Regular people who wanted more out of their life and were frustrated with the 9-5 workweek.  His shows have incredible information and tips about creating and succeeding in online business, and he does a great job of making it easy for beginners - like me - to understand the process.

2. Build Your Tribe : Chalene Johnson

If you're not familiar with Chalene Johnson, I'm not sure we can be friends.  Chalene is killing it all over social media and the online business world.  In 2013 I spent a few months as a Beachbody coach.  This is when I learned about Chalene.  It was a almost another year before I understood how much more she did outside of fitness.  Her podcasts make it feel like you are listening to a friend.  She focuses on "building your tribe."  You'll learn how to attract the right people, how to build an e-mail list, and create a community of people that are wanting YOUR content.  I just love Chalene.  

3. Flipped Lifestyle : Shane and Jocelyn Sams

I go back and forth with loving this podcast.  One of the reasons I really enjoy this show is because Shane and Jocelyn are so relatable.  Jocelyn used to be an elementary librarian and Shane is a former teacher and football coach.  They both took their past careers and made it into profitable online businesses.  I find myself not always agreeing with some of the suggestions they make, but that could just be my personal preference.  They are also awesome for beginners, as I feel their episodes don't often go into the complicated tactics involved with online business.

4. The Chalene Show : Chalene Johnson

Yes!  Chalene has TWO podcasts and they both made my top 5.  This podcast is less business related and more personal growth.  She talks about becoming more confident, getting healthy, and finding happiness.  Most of these episodes are shorter, usually less than 30 minutes, and they are always practical.  I listen to these when I need a mental break from business.

5. Social Media Marketing Podcast : Michael Stelzner

This podcast is all about social media.  I adore social media for so many reasons.  I love how it connects us to people all over the world and gives us a way to share our story.  This podcast discusses a variety of different social media platforms and how you can use them to build your business.  In every episode you will learn multiple tips and strategies you can begin to implement right away.  

There you have it!  My top 5 favorite podcasts for teachers turned entreprenuer.  While these are my favorite, there are many others I listen to on occasion.

Runner-Ups:
Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield
Screw the Nine to Five with Jill and Josh Stanton

Ask Pat with Pat Flynn

What are some of your favorite podcasts?

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Donor's Choose Tips

I will admit it:  I'm obsessed with Donor's Choose!

I published my first project on September 5, 2011 during my first year of teaching.  It was funded on February 2, 2012 by complete strangers.  I still remember getting the e-mail in the middle of the day at school, the e-mail that said my project was funded.  With a smile on my face, I told my students about the project.  They didn't understand.  They did not understand how and why strangers would donate money to help them!  Overjoyed and speechless, my students learned a valuable lesson of gratitude this day.  Since that project, I have had 33 projects funded.  

My projects have been for a variety of items, including books, a camera, literacy centers, science experiment kits, school supplies, flexible seating options, website subscriptions (Flocabulary - if you don't have it, you need it) and more.  I'm forever grateful for Donor's Choose for helping me find donors to support my creative and innovating project ideas for my classroom.

Over the years, many people have asked for tips on how to get their projects funded quickly.  I've decided to share some of my top tips for you.  Before I start, please remember one thing:  don't give up.  I've had 33 projects funded, but I've also had a handful of projects go un-funded. It happens.  Don't let an unfunded project stop you from tying again.

Tip #1: Make your projects less than $500
I'm not saying your project won't get funded if it's over $500; many large projects get funded.  In my experience, I have simply found that smaller projects get funded more quickly.  You need to remember Donor's Choose will add on some fees to the total cost of your items.  You can expect about $50-$60 extra added to your projects.  If you have a large project, try splitting into smaller projects.  For example, instead of posting a project for multiple iPads - post a project for 1 iPad.  Instead of posting a project for new books, book bins, and reading strategy games for your new literacy center - try turning this huge project into 3 smaller projects.  Donor's will be less intimated by a smaller project.  The smaller your project is, the faster it will get funded.

Tip #2: Be REAL.
When you post your project, be honest about your school's needs.  Explain your students and their struggles.  Tell your story.  Don't hesitate on getting a picture posted.  If you have permission to post students pictures on internet, I would recommend snapping a new picture of your students.  {Donor's Choose also provides a form for you to send home to parents to get permission for their child to be on the site.} Donor's want to know exactly why YOU deserve and need their money.  They want to know where their money is going and impact it is going to make.  This is not a time to be modest.

Tip #3: PROMOTE your project
Listen people.  Your project is not just going to fund itself.   I teach in a high poverty area, so sending letters home about my project never seemed practical.  Many teachers have found success with this though.   I read a story once where a teacher sent home letters about the Donor's Choose project, and one mom got her company to 100% fund the entire project.  Post on your various social media accounts and tell people what you are doing.  Just like tip #2, be honest and real people about your project.  Share with your friends.  Post on Facebook.  Tweet it out.  You would be surprised how many of your friends will donate.  The small amounts will add up.

Tip #4: Search Partner Funding Opportunities
There are many opportunities for you to get 50% of your project funded through various companies.  I like to check out the Partner Funding site often to see if there are any new opportunities in Florida.  You can check them out HERE.  These opportunities usually have very specific criteria for types of items you can offer.  They will also give you some ideas of projects you could post if you're looking for some new ideas.

Tip #5: Don't give up.
Sometimes projects take time to get funded, sometimes they get funded overnight. Do not get frustrated.  Last week Donor's Choose surprised the entire community by hosting an event called #BestSchoolDay. They partnered with celebrities and large companies to fund projects all over the county.  Celebrities adopted various cities, states, or districts and 100% funded their projects.  This was completely unexpected.  You never know when a donor will come across your project and want to help out, so it's important you have your projects posted with good descriptions for them to read when they find you.

Tip #6:  Be genuine when you say thank-you
After a project is funded, Donor's Choose will require you to do some sort of thank-you package.  Before your materials are ordered, you will be required to verify your project online and write a short thank-you message to your donors.  Do not take this lightly.  Real people, you likely do not know, donated their hard earned money to YOU.   It is essential you take the time to thank them properly.  After your materials arrive, you will have a deadline for posting pictures and writing an impact letter online.  Donors who give over a certain amount have the option of requesting hand-written letters. Once again, take this seriously.  I have a couple donors who I have never met that continuously donate to my projects.  Once someone is donated to you, they will frequently get e-mails about your new projects.   You need (and should want) to make a good impression to prompt them to continue supporting you.

I hope you found this post useful and have some new ideas for getting your project funded quickly.  Please comment below if you use Donor's Choose and what types of items you have received funding for.  I love hearing other project ideas! 

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Color Run

I tried taking my son to a Color Run last year, and he was not having it.  I showed him a video and his response was along the lines of "YUCK. I don't want to get messy."  I have no explanation for that behavior.

This year I signed him up and kept my fingers crossed he would be into it.  I showed him some YouTube videos a few days prior, and HE LOVED IT.  He couldn't wait to get all messy.

He woke up bright and early on the day of the run and Tanner couldn't wait to get his color gear on!

My youngest brother, Kevin, signed up with this.  This made the race that much cooler;  Tanner loves his Uncle Kevin!

I've done The Color Run in the past, so I already knew the starting line would be crowded.  We tried to get there a little early so we could be in one of the first waves.  We met some nice people in line who offered to get a picture of all of us.  I always love when people offer to take pictures and I don't have to ask.  Haha.

Tanner can pretty consistently run 1/4 - 1/2 mile without stopping, depending on his mood.  It doesn't matter how much he has actually run though, he is all about those water stops!

He always has to take his leisurely time when drinking too;  he can't miss a drop!  At the next color, I decided to run ahead to try to get video and pictures of them running through.  It didn't work out so well.  It was very cloudy and I didn't even see them come through! After they found ME, I made them pose for a photo.

I tried a few more times, and was able to get a somewhat decent video of them running through the last color stop, which also had bubbles.  I'll try to upload it when I finish editing it.

It wasn't long before we were all sprinting through that finish line.  At the finish line, they had medals and packets of color for everyone.  We quickly grabbed our items and hurried to a clear spot in the massive swarms of people.   I took a pretty incredible video of Tanner and Uncle Kevin attacking each other with the color packets.  These are some of the still shots from the video:

Then Tanner got a great idea to attack ME.  I had absolutely no idea he was going to do this, but look at that cute face.... can't get upset about that!

All in all, it was a great day!  Tanner has already been asking when we can do another one.  He doesn't understand why we can't do one every weekend.  Life is tough, kid.  

I hope everyone has a good weekend!  Toodles!

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