Should Teachers Make Money From Their Lesson Plans?

In 2011, Georgia kindergarten teacher Deanna Jump earned more than $400,000 - not from her day job but from lesson plans and resources she submitted to TeachersPayTeachers. It’s an online site founded by former New York City teacher Paul Edelman where teachers can buy and sell lesson plans from each other.

Jump learned about it from another colleague. When she began submitting materials, she only made $300.00 one month. But then she used social media - particularly blogs to promote herself. The site founder felt her work was of such high quality that he began promoting it on the homepage and its popularity exploded.

Items within Jump’s collection of 60 lesson plan materials costs $10 or less. According Education Week, she is generous with the money she’s made.

“She has bought a specially equipped van for a brother who is quadriplegic and set up a scholarship at her son's private school. At her own school, she has purchased technology equipment—including a Smartboard for a friend—and paid for colleagues to attend the Ron Clark Academy. She has also funded projects on Donorschoose, the site that lets individuals help teachers buy needed instructional supplies.”

Jump tells Education Week that she considers TeachersPayTeachers a second job, something that many educators have been compelled to take on because of low salaries.

Point well-taken.

But some critics of TeacherPayTeachers accuse it of being a “lesson plan” mill. Others feel that teachers should not be making money from content used to increase student learning.

What do you think? Is this a good way for teachers to make extra money? Or is this a bad practice? Do you have experience submitting or buying from TeachersPayTeachers? Chime in now!