Let me save you some time right now — this is not one of those “I made $10,000 in my first month on Teachers Pay Teachers” blog posts. If that’s what you’re looking for, there are plenty of those out there. This is the real version.
It Started With Being Broke and Frustrated
I had zero money and zero luck finding free resources on TpT that actually matched what I needed in my classroom. You know the feeling — you spend 45 minutes searching, download three things that look promising, and none of them are quite right. At some point I did the math and realized making something myself was faster than searching for something that didn’t exist yet.
So that’s what I did.
I posted my first products when I was student teaching. I had to create resources for my undergraduate classes anyway, so I figured — why not post them and make some money on the side? I was optimistic. Enthusiastic. Completely delusional about how TpT works.
Spoiler alert: I did not make any money on them.
The Real Reason I Started Taking It Seriously
Fast forward a few years. I was burning out. If you’ve taught special education for any length of time, you know the feeling — the paperwork, the meetings, the constant emotional weight of advocating for kids in a system that doesn’t always make it easy. I loved my students. I was exhausted by everything else.
I started thinking seriously about building my TpT store as a way out. I told myself I could build it fast, replace my teaching income, and have more flexibility. I had a plan. I had motivation. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into.
That has not happened — even after over a year of really working at it.
So Why Am I Still Doing It?
Honestly? Because I’m having fun. And as long as I’m having fun, I’ll keep building.
There’s something genuinely satisfying about creating a resource, posting it, and knowing that somewhere out there a teacher is using it with their students. I’m still obsessed with research, currently working on my second master’s degree — so everything I make is grounded in what actually works, not just what looks cute. That matters to me.
The store is growing. Slowly, steadily, and on my own terms. I’m not chasing viral moments or trying to be someone I’m not. I’m just a special education teacher who makes practical K–2 resources for teachers who are out here doing the hard work every day, and someday I’ll make it out of this classroom.
If that sounds like you — welcome. You’re in the right place.
Browse the Mrs. K Teaches SPED store on Teachers Pay Teachers here.
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