Sell teaching resources in New Zealand: a guide for Kiwi teachers
New Zealand teachers write for a curriculum, an assessment system and a bicultural classroom that few overseas authors understand. That makes good local resources hard to find, and worth selling. Here is how to do it with TeachLessons.
Short answer: Yes, New Zealand teachers can sell teaching resources on TeachLessons. Apply with the short form, email your files to support@stifo.de, set prices in US dollars and keep 70% of net revenue, paid monthly via PayPal in US dollars. Label NZ Curriculum levels or NCEA standards clearly, use A4 and check that te reo Māori is accurate.
Who buys New Zealand teaching resources?
Our buyers are teachers, schools and home-educating families, mainly in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore and international schools. New Zealand teachers are a smaller group, but they have fewer purpose-made resources to choose from, so material written for Aotearoa classrooms stands out. Australian, UK and international school teachers also buy A4, British-spelling resources, and many skill-based resources travel well across those markets.
Primary and intermediate
Literacy and maths by curriculum level, inquiry units with local contexts, and resources for structured literacy.
Secondary and NCEA
Original practice tasks and revision for achievement standards, written in your own words with your own exemplars.
Te reo and tikanga
Classroom te reo Māori, Matariki units and bicultural classroom displays, made with care and accuracy.
How should I describe NZ Curriculum and NCEA coverage?
Teachers want to know quickly whether a resource fits their class. Give the year level and, where relevant, the curriculum level or phase, and the learning area: "Year 5-6 Maths, Number" or "Level 3 Social Sciences". Curriculum documents are being refreshed, so if you have written to a specific version, say which, and keep a version date in the file footer.
For NCEA, name the subject and the achievement standard number your practice task targets. Some rules for senior resources:
- Write your own practice tasks, model answers and marking guides. Don't copy NZQA assessment resources, exemplars, past exam papers or assessment schedules.
- Don't use NZQA or Ministry of Education logos, and don't describe a resource as an official assessment or as moderated.
- Describe a task as "practice for AS 91xxx" rather than presenting it as the assessment itself.
- Remind buyers that internal assessment tasks used for credit must meet their school's own requirements.
Our guide to selling test prep and exam revision resources covers original practice questions in more depth.
How do I use te reo Māori respectfully in resources I sell?
Te reo Māori runs through New Zealand classrooms, and buyers notice quickly when it is used carelessly. A few principles for sellers:
- Check spelling and macrons on every word. Missing or wrong macrons change meaning, and teachers will spot them. If your font or file loses macrons, fix it before sending.
- Get vocabulary, karakia, waiata and whakataukī checked by a fluent speaker, ideally someone connected to the relevant iwi or hapū if the content is local.
- Avoid using taonga such as tā moko, specific carvings, sacred stories or iwi-specific knowledge as decoration or content without permission.
- Don't use clip art that caricatures Māori people or culture. Use respectful, licensed images or your own artwork.
- Credit sources and contributors properly where you have permission to include their work.
Resources must be suitable for schools and must not infringe anyone else's rights. TeachLessons does not check resources for third-party rights, so these checks are your responsibility, and we may take a resource offline if we receive a complaint.
Should I use NZ spelling and A4 for international buyers?
Yes. New Zealand spelling (colour, organise, maths) and A4 suit NZ, Australian, UK and many international buyers. Say so in the description. Local contexts like kiwi birds, New Zealand money and place names are a plus for local buyers; for wider appeal, you can make a general version too. Seasonal resources should name the hemisphere, since a winter unit in July looks odd to a US teacher.
Send printables as PDF, with any editable files and answer keys in the same ZIP. Our worksheets and printables guide covers print setup.
How do payouts and taxes work for New Zealand sellers?
You set prices in US dollars. We pay monthly, by the 15th, for the previous month's sales, via PayPal in US dollars, with a statement of every sale. PayPal can convert to New Zealand dollars at its own rates; check them in your account.
| Your price (USD) | Payout per sale (USD) |
|---|---|
| $3.50 | $2.38 |
| $5.00 | $3.40 |
| $10.00 | $6.79 |
| $20.00 | $13.58 |
Payout = price x 0.97 x 0.70. Our optional suggestion is at least $4.99 for a single resource; you decide. Try other prices in the payout calculator.
You're responsible for taxes on your income, and how resource sales are treated depends on your circumstances, so ask a tax advisor in New Zealand. If the law requires TeachLessons to withhold tax from a payout, it is deducted and you get a confirmation. Whether you can sell resources made for your school depends on your employment agreement and local law; check your agreement or ask your union.
How do I join from New Zealand?
Apply with the short application form, which takes about five minutes. We email the seller documents, including the Seller Agreement, payout form, Resource Rights Checklist and the Resource Submission List. Sign the agreement, add one row per resource with year level, curriculum level or standard, and send everything in one email to support@stifo.de with files, previews and thumbnails as PNG or JPEG. Several large files can go as one Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer link that opens without a login.
We confirm receipt within 2 business days, write your product pages and set up your author page and landing pages. Resources go live once they are set up, with no extra approval round, so double-check macrons and answer keys first. You keep your copyright and can sell the same resources elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Can New Zealand teachers sell resources on TeachLessons?
Yes. Teacher-authors from any country can join if they can receive PayPal payments in US dollars and write resources in English or for English-speaking classrooms.
Can I sell NCEA practice resources?
Yes, if the tasks, exemplars and marking guides are your own. Don't copy NZQA materials or present a resource as an official assessment.
Can I include te reo Māori in my resources?
Yes. Use correct spelling and macrons, have content checked by a fluent speaker, and don't use taonga or iwi-specific knowledge without permission.
Am I paid in New Zealand dollars?
No. Payouts are in US dollars via PayPal, monthly by the 15th. PayPal can convert them at its own rates.
Do I need to register for GST?
We can't give tax advice. You're responsible for taxes on your income, so ask a tax advisor in New Zealand.
What do I earn on a $10 resource?
You earn $6.79 US per sale: the $0.30 payment cost comes off first, then you keep 70% of $9.70.
Ready to sell your teaching resources?
Apply with the short form. We email you the seller documents, you send your final files with previews and thumbnails, and we set up your product pages, your author page and landing pages. You keep 70% of net revenue, with no fees and no exclusivity.
Keep reading
General information about the TeachLessons Seller Program, not legal, tax or financial advice. The signed Seller Agreement sets out the binding terms. Questions: support@stifo.de.