Who Are We?
Creative Teaching Press (CTP) is a family-owned and teacher-managed supplemental educational publisher for grades PreK-8. CTP is a recognized leader in the industry and offers a wide variety of learning décor and research-based, teacher-tested products that deliver standards-driven content including: phonics, reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. CTP celebrates more than four decades of providing parents and teachers with high-quality, easy-to-use solutions.
How Did We Begin?
In 1965, Luella Connelly was a classroom teacher looking for products that would pick up where textbooks left off. After 17 years in the classroom, she knew that students often needed something beyond textbooks to reinforce skills in a creative and comfortable way. She created “Recipes for Creative Writing,” a box of 4” x 6” cards full of writing ideas. What started as a simple idea to help students learn, turned into a company that Luella and her husband, Pat, ran until their retirement in 1998.
The company’s big break came in 1977 with the introduction of its innovative Scratch ‘n Sniff reward stickers. Market response to these stickers was phenomenal, with teachers and students all over the world buying and collecting them!
Where Are We Now?
Since the Scratch ‘n Sniff phenomenon, CTP has been at the forefront of the educational market. CTP expanded offerings to cover educational needs for grades PreK–8. Its editors, product developers, and authors all have classroom teaching experience and regularly visit classrooms and attend workshops and conventions to ensure that CTP’s products are what teachers want and need!
Jim Connelly, Luella and Pat’s son, has held multiple titles and responsibilities since joining the company in 1982. He was named president in 1994. In his tenure with CTP, the company has quadrupled its sales and expanded its international market presence.
Affiliated brands include:
The Learning Works
CTP purchased this publishing company in 2000. The Learning Works was founded by Linda Schwartz, a teacher and mother, who was looking for new ways to inspire creativity in children while reinforcing basic skills. This product line specializes in educational materials for critical thinking, test preparation, gifted and talented students, character education, self-esteem, health and safety, and life skills, as well as offerings for the more traditional subjects, language arts, math, science, and social studies.
Rejoice!TM
CTP introduced Rejoice!, a line of Scripture-based decoratives, in 2002. These bright and beautiful decoratives are perfect for private school, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, home school, church camp, or anywhere you need an inspirational message.
Youngheart MusicTM
In 1990, CTP acquired a majority ownership of Youngheart Music, a children's music company featuring the wildly popular Greg & Steve. Youngheart has continued to expand, adding more audio and video artists, garnering more and more awards, and gaining in sales and popularity with children, teachers, and parents.
