Need great resources as a Texas Teacher? As a teacher, it can be hard to find time to do everything that is required of you. Students are not ordered to fill buildings to design but are human beings with ever-changing needs and different learning styles. It would be impossible for one person to have all the skills and tools necessary to meet the demands of their students. That is why collaboration and community are so important in teaching. We recently contacted some teachers who have been teaching for years and asked them, “What are your favorite classroom resources?” The number one answer was Teachers Pay Teachers. But we also got several other responses, and we took the time to research them to save you some time and picked our time five.
1. Teachers Pay Teachers
With over 3 Million resources you are sure to find something here to help you in your classroom. The upside of this site is that they have a lot of free resources. The downside is that the paid resources are of higher quality than you get for free. But, I find that sometimes, a collection of resources is just a great place to get ideas for my projects or resources. Sometimes, a collection is just a jumping-off point or inspiration for a project incorporating two or three resources. What I do love about this site is that it allows you to filter the content by grade and subject. I recommend using those filters or else the amount of data can be overwhelming.
2. Texas Performance Standards Project
The Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) is a resource for providing differentiated instruction to gifted/talented (G/T) students (and can be used for providing enhanced academic opportunities for all students). According to a friend who is a principal, she says, “This is a great website for gifted and talented. Units are already created and set up by grade level. An excellent resource for students moving faster than the masses. Individual projects also.” The content here is nowhere near as robust as Teachers Pay Teachers, but there are definitely some great resources.
3. Lead4Ward Teacher Workshops
lead4ward makes a difference in students’ lives by helping educators focus their work, creating structures that give teachers and students a sense of hope and confidence, and supporting leaders with systems they can trust. Lead4Ward has several workshops you can take for $150 to learn more about how to teach various subjects in the classroom. Their philosophy is that when teachers continue to learn and develop it helps them grow their students better. This is an example of one of their workshops:
Lead4Ward: Problem Solving in the Math Classroom (Kinder – High School)
Do you want to develop self-sufficient, independent thinkers? Are your students struggling with how to start a math problem or effectively communicate their understanding of the content? This session will focus on the effective planning of the process standards to support students with “Tools to Know” to initiate the problem-solving process and “Ways to Show” their understanding of the content.
4. Google Teacher Tribe
According to Devin, “They have a website and podcast. It’s super helpful with how to integrate all Google resources.” We checked it out, and it is a comprehensive platform for using Google Docs, but it also has quizzes and forms already created that you can use for your classroom. One of the things I liked about this site is that it has ideas for using Google Docs and Google Drawing tools in ways that I wouldn’t have thought about. It is a great resource for maximizing your creativity with Google tools.
5. Health and Science Pipeline Initiative
The Health and Science Pipeline Initiative (HASPI) is a collaborative network of K-16 educators, industry representatives, and community organizations engaged in the common effort to improve students’ ultimate success in healthcare professions. HASPI preparation is intended for students of all academic levels and backgrounds. This resource is free but does require registration. The resources are health and science-based, but they are extensive. The site is well organized, and the materials are EXTENSIVE. I was a little overwhelmed with how many labs and resources there were for one subject.
6. Crash Course – YouTube Online Educational Resources
Who doesn’t love online videos? This resource is fun and educational so it is definitely a favorite. What I like about this YouTube Channel is that it is not just a resource for students. If you want to learn about Existentialism or The Handmade’s Tale, there is a Crash Course. It’s a great way to learn a lot of information in easily digestible bites.
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