Share it or Sell it or Stay in your Classroom?

This week in IDE 611 we are discussing "Online Resources for Educators." We are dissecting topics of credibility of online sources, accessibility and wrestling with the question of can technology really enhance teaching and learning. While reading the introduction of the week's topic by Professor Lei, I had some rather passionate feelings/opinions when I clicked on this link/article she posted: Should Teachers Be Allowed to Sell Their Lesson Plans?

Let me back up a few years. I was the lead Family Consumer Science teacher at our high school. We had two new Family Consumer Science teachers join our school/team. I knew what it was like to start as a new teacher and feel like you were drowning. So, after a little subtle hinting from my administration, I forked over my insanely huge lesson plan binders that I bled and sweated over for countless, sleepless years. My teaching bible, if you will. As soon as I handed it over, I pretty much wanted to cry. The next thing I knew these new teachers were relaxing and socializing during the weekends and week nights. Arriving before the morning bell and leaving after the last afternoon bell. Meanwhile, I showed up early and left way too late. They didn't have to spend 20+ hours every weekend lesson planning like I did my first year teaching. They were just photocopying my lessons and materials and using them with ease. My intellectual property was now theirs. My pride and joy. No one ever handed me anything when I started teaching. I recreated the wheel for everything. I was jealous. Sure collaboration is needed necessary between educators. I loved seeing what amazing things my colleagues were doing (within my discipline and outside of it)! And, we should share ideas. Make each other better educators. But, to reference the article I post above, those lessons were mine. The school did not "own" them. I mean, seriously, what teacher actually uses their planning period to actually "plan." Rather, they squeeze in a much needed bathroom break and are slammed with meetings, communicating with parents, professional development meetings, grading (if you are lucky!), making copies, advising co-curriculars/clubs, given an assigned duty, or asked to cover another teacher's class. The list goes on.

So, should I be able to sell my intellectual property? My lesson plans. I believe so. Should I collaborate, open up my filing cabinet and share with my colleagues - absolutely! But, I do believe that it should be my choice what I should do with my intellectual property. The school pays me to educate students --- which is what I do during my contractual time ---- But, everything that needs to be completed so I can teach during my contractual time is done on my time. I don't think I am the exception to this reality. Teachers in our country work hard. Very hard. Don't get me started on the "but they have their summers off" argument (when I taught I spent some of my summers on required professional development conferences and taking students in my co-curricular organization to student competitions for days at a time). Or, the classic "don't work a full day" argument. If you do, well, you may unleash a very scary blogger... I am not trying to be a teacher martyr but, well, it never hurts to express your feelings. It's healthy, right? ;)

So, given the topic for this post, I felt it was only fitting that I share some Web 2.0 lesson planning tools with you, my dear fellow readers. Maybe for you to use -- or to make some extra money with:

• https://sharemylesson.com/
• http://betterlesson.com/
• http://www.teachersnotebook.com/
• https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
• https://www.lessonplanet.com/
• http://www.educationworld.com/
• http://lessonplanspage.com/

Cheers,
Sara