Homeschool 101: Teacher Pay Teacher

This school 20-21 school year is definitely one for the books. Quite a lot of us are teaching our children in ways we’ve never had to before. Some are stuck at home most of the day monitoring children while they are online distance learning, others are sending their children to school possibly worrying about their health, and yet some have found the strength and decided to go at it all at home by homeschooling.

There is no right or wrong way to educate your children, as long as you are doing your best. Some children thrive attending public/charter/private schooling. They need the time away from home and the social interaction. Other children are their best selves at home where they feel the most safe and loved and can receive the one-on-one help they so desperately need and possibly don’t get in public school. Each child is different and there is no one cookie cutter mold that fits every single child.

As a homeschool mom, for the second year, (I’m truly a novice) I have learned a lot. My oldest children attended public/charter school from prek-5th grade, and my 3rd child attended from prek-1st grade. I’ve volunteered, put together homework packets, designed bulletin boards, monitored sight word packets. Between experience through that and having a mother who recently retired from a career in elementary ed, I have been privileged to acquire quite a bit of knowledge finding the extras with homeschooling.

Teacher Pay Teacher is one of my primary go-to’s when I am looking for additional resources. When I need to find comprehension questions for a novel I am assigning one of the boys, I search TPT first. If I need help in teaching a certain technique, TPT.

If you have no idea what I am talking about when I talk about TPT, it is essentially an Etsy sort of website where teachers/educators upload plans, teaching aids, bulletin board/door decor ideas, etc. You buy rights to use their ideas.

In the past, if I was stuck on a bulletin board creation, I would typically head to TPT before Pinterest. I like the idea of supporting teachers in their endeavors. Typically each idea package provides the rights to use it, print outs of the pieces needed, and suggestions for anything additional. For example, I did the Wonder bulletin board for one of the boys’ teachers a few years ago and used this idea.

While it gave me plenty to work with, I also put my own spin on the overall look, as you can see.

Another bulletin board I did for another teacher was a Thanksgiving-themed board. It turned out so stinkin’ cute!

Since I began my homeschooling journey, I knew TPT would be a huge resource for any addition educational aids I would need. When I needed help in teaching how to properly write a book report I went here…

When I needed help in comprehension questions for a novel I assigned my middle schoolers, I purchased rights to this…

And when I decided my boys should be learning about state history, I found this tool…

Part of each educational tool on TPT requires to state the subject, grade levels as well as the type of downloadable tool it is. As you can see, quite often the package can easily cater to various grade levels. For example, it is perfect this year for my boys to do the state history because I have two 7th graders and a 3rd grader who is half in 3rd grade and half in 4th grade.

Schooling, especially homeschooling, can be executed in almost any fashion. Adding and subtracting various materials and tools is a regular thing for me. Homeschooling is most definitely not you teaching your children, hours on end, only the things you know. Homeschool curriculum can come from just about anywhere.

What are some of your most favorite materials you use to aid in your children’s education? Do you homeschool and have used TPT before? Hope y’all are having an amazing week, stay safe, and hug your loved ones.