EFFINGHAM, SC (WBTW) – Savannah Grove Elementary School is helping its teachers create a more engaging learning atmosphere in the classroom by purchasing interactive materials through an online store.
Teachers Pay Teacher (TpT) is a website where teachers can go to browse a wide selection of lesson plans, workbooks, and assignments for their students. Up until recently, teachers had their own personal accounts and used their own money to buy these instructional items. Now, TpT allows schools to set up accounts and help teachers with some of those costs.
Principal David Copeland, Jr. tells News13 the school created an account and distributed $200 to each grade level. Teachers sit down with top administrators and discuss what type of curriculum and activities they are interested in. School officials then go onto TpT, place an order, and pay for those items. This makes it so that teachers have more money to buy smaller but essential classroom supplies.
“We try to alleviate some of that and do that for them so they can put their money toward things that they can use in the classroom like pencil sharpeners, and pencils, and paper,” he said. Another benefit is that teachers can also save on time, not just money. “People have families when they get home. You don’t want to take all of this work home with you,” he said. “So the Teacher Pay Teachers is a huge resource and asset to them because it’s already made. It’s already done. It’s just a matter of putting your piece together to present that to your students.”
First grade teacher Kristin Lee says TpT benefits both her and her students. She tells News13 that the creative and interactive lesson plans provided through TpT help keep students occupied throughout class because “they’re not just sitting back taking it all in. They’re actually engaged in their learning.”
Principal Copeland expressed a similar sentiment saying “we’re getting students to do more than just sitting down and writing.” He also said it makes the school a more fun place for students and teachers.
