Hey y’all!
I’m Erin, the creatrix behind Early Elementary Resources.
I am so happy that you are here! I am a former kindergarten teacher and K-3 interventionist with a passion for early education. I love supporting educators with fun, engaging, easy-to-prep activities that bolster students’ academic growth in reading and math.​​​
MY TEACHER STORY
I graduated from Harding University with a B.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences – graduating with no clue what I wanted to do with my life! After a move to Nashville and a brief stint in business sales, I decided to combine my passion for literacy and working with children (I taught children’s modeling, acting, and personal development classes in college!) and went back to school to pursue a career in education. I graduated with my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Middle Tennessee State University and started my teaching career in 2011. Like many teachers, I have moved around grade levels based on need! I have experience teaching both third and fifth grade, as well as supporting teachers and struggling students as a K-3 interventionist. But my PASSION – and where I spent many years – is teaching the littlest learners in kindergarten! ​​
The road to selling my resources on Teachers Pay Teachers came about sort of by accident! Like many teachers out there, I was struggling to make ends meet on my teaching salary and I started the search for a part-time job. I worked in a rural area in Middle Tennessee, had a lengthy commute, and was having difficulty finding something that would be easily accessible between my school and home. One evening, I was perusing TPT for teaching materials for my kindergarten classroom and thought to myself how much I would love to be creating resources. I had always loved design (my undergrad degree is in fashion and interior merchandising!) and thought it could be a fun and creative outlet, while also bringing in some much-needed income. I decided to give myself a few months to try and ended up LOVING it! My store, previously called A Library and Garden, was born in 2013. Over the years, my store has evolved – including a name change, updated branding, and a new website! But what has remained the same is how much I enjoy creating engaging yet challenging activities for classrooms around the world.​​
Although I am not currently in the classroom full-time (I am substitute teaching in my former school district!), I love being able to create bright and fun resources that are easy-to-prep for teachers and keep students engaged – all while supporting student growth and achievement. I hope that you are able to find inspiring ideas and engaging activities on my website. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.​​​
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I love my family and friends with all my heart! I recently moved back to my hometown in Tennessee to be closer to them and get to be more involved in my nephews’ lives. When I’m not with my friends and family, I absolutely adore traveling. I have been to 14 countries and counting and spent most of 2018 abroad in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia! I l love exploring new places, meeting new people, trying new food, and learning from other cultures. On the weekends, you can find me taking nature walks, perusing the farmer’s market, practicing yoga, curled up with a good book and my cat Percy, and learning about whatever new subject I am currently obsessed with (right now, I’m learning all about plant medicine!). I am so grateful that you are here and look forward to connecting with you!
