Why Reviews Matter: Unlocking the Benefits of Leaving Feedback on TPT

Kirsten 0:09

This is the social studies teacher podcast, a show for busy elementary teachers looking for fun and engaging ways to easily add social studies into their classroom schedule without feeling overwhelmed or pressed for time. I'm Kirsten of the Southern teach, an educator and mom who is passionate about all things social studies. I love sharing ideas and strategies that are low prep and easy to implement. So let's dive in together.

Kirsten 0:47

Kirsten 2:00

Now, I did want to preface this by saying that leaving a review on Teachers Pay Teachers isn't just about giving feedback. It's a simple way to support other educators, help improve the resources you've purchased, and also it helps you earn some nice perks along the way. So I'm going to share with you some benefits of leaving reviews, how you can do it, and why it is worth your time, even if you have just five minutes.

Kirsten 2:28

Let's talk about four benefits of leaving reviews. Number one, it helps to support fellow teachers and creators. Leaving a review is a fantastic way to show appreciation for the creators behind the resources you use. TPT sellers do put a lot of time into making high quality classroom ready resources, and your feedback encourages them to keep creating. Positive reviews can help sellers know what's working and constructive feedback can inspire future improvements. The second benefit is that it builds community among teachers. Reviews on TPT create a supportive community where teachers can help each other find the best resources for their classroom. Your honest review provides insight for other teachers, considering the resource helping them make informed choices. Think of it like recommending a great book or classroom activity to a friend. I know, I am always checking the reviews, not just the stellar five star reviews, but even the four three star reviews. I want to get a full picture of what people like and may not like about the resource, and I make the best informed decision based off of that. The third benefit is that it helps you reflect on resource effectiveness. Taking a few moments to leave a review allows you to reflect on how the resource worked with your students. Did it meet your needs? How did students respond? Were they engaged? Did it align well with your curriculum goals? Reflecting on these questions can help you better evaluate resources and choose even more effective ones in the future. And another big benefit is that you can earn TPT credits toward future purchases. One of the best perks of leaving reviews on TPT is that you earn credits for each paid resource you review. These credits accumulate and can be redeemed for future purchases, giving you access to even more resources at a discount, or sometimes if you have enough credits for free. This is TPT's way of thanking you for your feedback and encouraging more community involvement.

Kirsten 4:29

Kirsten 4:29

And if you're looking to see how many TPT credits you have, in general, you can click on your profile picture and go to account balance, and you'll see three little boxes. The one in the middle will say, TPT, credits earned. And you can click on View credits, and you'll see all the credits that you have earned in total. Each credit has a value of five cents. So every 20 credits earned equals $1 that you can apply to future TPT purchases.

Kirsten 7:51

Now if you're wanting to redeem your TPT credits, all you're going to do is you're going to put in whatever resources you want into your cart, and when you check out, there will be the ability to use TPT credits. So to apply your account balance to a purchase with those TPT credits, you can just select the Use the account balance option under the secure checkout button in your cart. Then you enter the amount you'd like to apply to your order, and then click Apply, and you'll be able to use those credits there.

Kirsten 8:29

So just some quick perks of leaving reviews in general. The first big perk is earning TPT credits. As mentioned, you'll earn TPT credits for each review on a paid resource. The second perk is that you have access to the best resources. By reading and leaving reviews, you're helping to create a reliable system where teachers can access the most effective resources available. The more reviews a resource has, the easier it is for other teachers to assess whether it's the right fit for their classroom. The third perk, it influences future resources. Your feedback gives TPT sellers, such as myself, ideas for updates, enhancements, or even brand new products based on your classroom needs. Many sellers read every review and use them to make valuable improvements, so your review can directly influence what's available on TPT. And the fourth perk, discounts on future resources. With TPT credits, you can purchase resources for a fraction of the price, which allows you to try new tools and activities for your classroom without impacting your budget. That's a major bonus there.

Kirsten 9:36

All right, now I'm going to share with you some tips on writing an effective TPT review. My first tip I have is to be specific. Describe how you've used the resource and how it helped your students. Specific feedback is more helpful for sellers and other buyers. Another tip is to mention the age and grade level. Mention the grade level or age group you teach as it helps other educators understand if the resource will suit their classroom. And don't be afraid to give constructive feedback. Sometimes saying, Oh, this is great. It's nice to see as a TPT seller, but I would really love any type of constructive feedback. If you have suggestions for improvement, frame them in a constructive way. Sellers are often grateful for insights that help make their resources even better. Now, if you have purchased resources on my website store, you can leave a review there as well. There is currently not a credit system, but maybe that could be something in the future. You can go into my account on the southern teach.com, forward slash shop, select an order and click on each resource purchased. Simply go to the Reviews tab, you can rate up to five stars and write a review. And if you have maybe purchased the same resource on TPT or something like that, you can always copy and paste there.

Leaving a review on TPT is a small gesture that makes a big impact. By sharing your experience, you're supporting fellow educators, enhancing the community, and improving your own teaching resources, all while earning credits for future purchases. So the next time you use a resource that made your day a little easier or your lesson a little brighter, take a moment to leave a review. You'll be helping out teachers everywhere, one review at a time. I hope you enjoy the rest of your week, and I will talk to you next week.

Thanks for listening to the social studies teacher podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, hit that subscribe button and leave a review. I would love to hear your thoughts. You can also find me on Instagram at the southern teach. I can't wait for you to join me in the next episode for more teacher tips and strategies.