We are all aware of the fact that teachers have to plan lessons. It is part of the work that comes with the profession. This week’s article looks at how lesson plans that used to be shared for free are now being sold online. Go to the link below and read the article. Write a reflective comment that shows you have read the article, expresses your views, and addresses my questions.
How do you feel about teachers selling lesson plans? Under what conditions should the school own the materials? Under what conditions should the teacher own the materials? Respond to the following quote, “Joseph McDonald said the online selling cheapens what teachers do and undermines efforts to build sites where educators freely exchange ideas and lesson plans.”
9 comments:
I think that selling lesson plans is understandable, as long as it is the work of the teacher, not SparkNotes, for example. The school should own the material, if the school had purchased the material and had then given it to the teacher solely for the purpose of teaching their students but otherwise, it should be ok. If it was the teacher’s own work and research, than it should not be the school’s property but rather their own. I agree with the quote above because if teachers charge money for their ideas and lessons, than it will defiantly undermine these efforts.
I honestly think it's fine- it's the teacher's material why wouldn't they be able to sell it? Why should the school care it has nothing to do with them because it's not their creation. If teachers have to resort to selling their lesson plans in order to get more books and supplies for their classroom, then that is obviously a read flag to something-- that there isn't enough funding in the first place.
There's a difference in the school providing the lesson plans and the teacher coming up with them. As far as I know most teaches have to come up with their own lesson plans, they aren't provided for them. Same thing with textbooks and books- they are publicly available for any school/teacher to buy so those wouldn't count either if any material was taken from them.
I don't agree with the quotes because teacher's aren't undermining their work if they are the ones selling it- they think they created a good lesson plan and want others to be able to use it and adapt it to their own. But if the teacher put the effort into putting together the plan and someone were to just take it and use it, then I think that is unfair because the teacher who created it gets nothing in return except a thank you, if that. So really, I think teachers should charge for their creations- for as much as they do and as little as they earn, its only fair.
Personally I think that education and lessons plans should be free but I understand that to create some of the worksheets and activities takes a lot of time and effort—effort that the teachers want to be rewarded for. Through the school should own all the materials, teachers move from school to school and need to take their lesson plans with them. Thus, it seems that the teachers ultimately own their entire lesson plans and activates. In a way, what McDonald said is true because virtually anyone with money to buy the plans and eyes to read the instructions can become a teacher. This would create a false impression because the “teacher” may not know any other information than what they bought to keep the students busy.
Selling lesson plans should be okay, because there will be some less experienced teachers around the school, but I don't think there should be things like spark notes and other official cheating websites. Less experienced teachers should buy some lesson plans, because it will be better for the education for students, and the lesson plans will be at least better than amatuer teaching skills. Teachers also have to plan their own lesson plans by using those lesson plans as a resource.
I think selling lesson plans is fine. It could help new/inexperienced teachers to get into the groove of teaching and give them an idea of what a good lesson plan is. It seems somewhat stingy to sell a lesson plan, rather than offer it for free, but as long as these plans were good, schools would benefit from purchasing them for their teachers.
I think the teacher should always own the materials, but be monitored by the school/administration of the school. The teacher should have full access and rights to the materials, as he/she knows exactly what needs to be tweaked/included/removed/etc.. to teach what needs to be taught for his/her class. The school owning them would only complicate the matter, in my opinion.
I agree with this quote. A teacher would lose her/his originality/teaching style by using a bought plan - they would be teaching under something that is not theirs or something they created with their own unique touch. The last bit, about this undermining said sites, is also very true, as putting a price on these plans defeats the purpose of educators aiding each other in a charitable way.
I believe that the selling of lesson plan is an upsurd idea. Lesson plans are there to share and used to create the best possible result from the student. People who become teachers should be those who are willing to inspire the students not those who want to become rich and wealthy in means that is shun by society and deemed as an eyesore. Under no conditions should the school own the materials for a lesson, it is a method to educate, especially in public schools, not a tool to gain money. Likewise, under no circumstance, should a teacher be the owner of a specific method in education. I completely agree with the quote by Joseph McDonald's belief that marketing of lessons cheapen the true meaning of education and the system in the current system. Such systems allow teachers to share, without payment, new and better ways to educate students, suggested by other teachers. Education has become, not a previlage, but a necessary and absolute part of society. It shouldn't turn into a part of society only for the previlaged and rich, but for all.
I find it pretty weird since the fact that eBay is a social networking auction site. I find what the teachers doing a good idea, but the only problem is that what will the highest bidder do with it?
The conditions that the school should follow when they use the money is that a majority of teachers choose what the school should get, not following the hierarchy. What's better is that the principal and/or superintendent chooses a bunch of things of his choice, & leaves all the choosing to the teachers.
The conditions that the teachers should follow when they use the money is that they do not use more than half of it combined. Sure they can do whatever they want to it, but they must use it wisely to leave more than half combined for the school.
I doubtlessly agree, because when teaching in real life, the teachers can combine ideas with anyone from students to the superintendent, & it's easier to see that being a teacher is not that cheap & careless.
I think that selling lessons is reasonable, just as long as it comes from the teacher himself or herself. The only thing I would say would be that Spark Notes shouldn't be a part of it at all. I think that inexperienced teachers should go and learn how to teach. I think this because it will be better for the students and what they learn. I think that teachers have to plan out what they are going to do for that lesson, because if they don't taking and teaching right from the book is lame and very boring!
I think that it is perfectly fine to sell lesson plans but I think it would be more beneficial for them to be free. I think that the school should own the material to pass on to other teachers who need it when a teacher leaves. I think that if it is the teacher's work it should be in there own possession. I think that this quote is untrue because people in general would rather get things for free then paying for it. So less people would buy the plans so the site itself would be less popular and the free plans would increase.
-Tristan
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