Hi! My name is Jennifer and I'm a bit overwhelmed with "creating" resources. If you're a teacher you might begin to feel as if you exist in two different worlds. I live in one world "the real world" that doesn't exist within the confines of a classroom. This realm is where I breathe, enjoy my marriage and my life. The other world is "teaching" where I'm always trying to stay on top of the next year. As I mentioned in my first post, my first year was a challenge! This was mainly because I wasn't remotely prepared for the amount of planning required to be a successful teacher. My students loved me, so that wasn't my problem....but planning was where I had the most room to grow.
As a result I spend the bulk of my summer planning for the next school year. I know, it doesn't sound fun at all but for me...it's kind of cool!
I get to envision what I want to see for my students and create those materials because often times they aren't available. Over the years I've been told by many co-workers, administrators, and curriculum specialists that I should write curriculum officially. And that's how I ended up here trying to create worthwhile resources for teachers and make them available for use in their classrooms.
The keyword is "trying". And Lord knows that I'm trying! I got this idea that I should make products for Teachers Pay Teachers (an online marketplace for teacher resources) The weird thing about TPT is that there are millions of sellers and they all have their own style, take on certain standards, practices and even down to their photography. The other weird part of this creative venture is that there aren't any explicit rules, classes or clear instructions for this path. You kind of find your own way towards success.
Needless to say, I am overwhelmed! I have learned a lot about designing my products, making sure their view-able on every platform, using PowerPoint as a tool, investing in graphics, and writing explicit directions. There are countless other lessons that I'm learning in this process but I just want to say a few things to any teachpreneurs who are going through this as well....
1. You MAY miss some personal deadlines
Some products will NOT be ready by your desired time frame and that's ok! I am still beginning to navigate this territory and there will be bumps in the road! It's just part of the journey. I have a strong doubt that I will be ready by the BTS sale on August 1-2, 2017 on Teachers Pay Teachers. I have to make peace with this and resolve to only market my products when they're of the highest quality and ready.
2. Reassess your goals when necessary to make sure they're S.M.A.R.T
The biggest part of this endeavor for me is understanding that my time frame may have to shift! I didn't set a realistic goal initially by trying to be ready by the BTS (Back to School) sale.
3. Forgive yourself!
This is the weirdest part for me...because in order for me to make my next goal, I must make sure to be very honest with myself and let go of the personal disappointment I'm experiencing.
4. Get some rest!
Sometimes looking at a product with some refreshed eyes will make a world of difference. I realized that a lot of my product thumbnails needed to be redesigned so that they're easier on the eyes. I've been missing out on too much sleep! And it has been contributing to the product launch delay because I'm continually having to go back and fix mistakes that I missed due to tiredness.
Have you ever experienced anything similar?
I am always open to suggestions, as I am new to this side of Teachers Pay Teachers.
Let me know about your experiences in the comments down below!
SN (side note): Here is a preview of one of the covers from my upcoming "Mars Project" Bundle. Click the picture to preview my store!
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