| Recently I read of a new website where teachers | | | | time is not enough and time must be spent after |
| can post and sell their lesson plans to recover the | | | | school hours to complete their daily tasks. And |
| time that they had spent in developing these | | | | the question then arises, if I am doing it on my |
| plans. On the surface, this sounds reasonable and | | | | own time, then I own the intellectual capitol and |
| why would anyone object to teachers making a | | | | have the right to sell this capitol. However, many |
| little more money through such a capitalist | | | | salaried people take their work home to finish it |
| venture and leveraging their intellectual | | | | and are not compensated for those efforts. In |
| capitol?However this question is much more about | | | | the real world, it is part of the job.What for me is |
| understanding the importance of retaining | | | | most troubling about teachers selling lesson plans |
| intellectual capital (knowledge management) within | | | | (that in many cases are the intellectual property |
| the educational system and how this | | | | of the school) is one of ethics. Since I was a |
| demonstrates questionable ethics on part of the | | | | former teacher, I experienced first hand the |
| teachers.Consider the following scenario:I am an | | | | extra hours invested in preparing my room, |
| instructional designer (person who writes training | | | | grading papers and creating engaging learning |
| programs) and employed full time. Part of my job | | | | activities. Yet, coming from a small business |
| is to create activities that promote learning for | | | | background, doing all this perceived extra stuff |
| the target audience. Do I have a right to sell | | | | wasn't really all that extra because it was part of |
| those activities on my own time on a website? | | | | the job, plain and simple. To go out and sell the |
| Even though I am not a lawyer, I know that this | | | | fruits of my labor that were paid for by my |
| would be highly unethical and probably illegal. These | | | | employer would be totally unethical and probably |
| activities are the direct result of my job | | | | would get me fired. Yet, teachers are being |
| description. My employer has already paid me for | | | | encouraged to engage in unethical behavior and |
| their creation.Now, I am a teacher who is paid to | | | | they probably believe it is OK.And finally there is |
| educate young people. Also, I am paid to attend | | | | the issue of copyright. In many teacher |
| numerous professional development days in which | | | | professional development workshops, the |
| I learn to create specific lesson plans that | | | | speakers distribute sample lesson plans. With |
| promote learning for my students. Do I have a | | | | today's technology, a quick scan and a few edits |
| right to sell those activities on my own time on a | | | | can change the visual ownership of the lesson |
| website? From a legal standpoint, I don't know | | | | plan, but the intellectual capitol still belongs to the |
| the answer to that question. However, from an | | | | presenter of the workshop. Of course if a |
| ethical standpoint, absolutely not! What is | | | | student did this, it would be cheating or |
| happening is that I am being paid twice to | | | | plagiarism.As a small business and education coach |
| perform the same work. Some individuals call this | | | | who has created hundreds of learning activities to |
| double dipping and in many proven cases it is | | | | help clients better understand key concepts, I |
| illegal.As a former public school teacher, elected | | | | have always acknowledged the source of the |
| school board trustee and now a performance | | | | activity such as a concept, story or quote when it |
| improvement consultant, I have seen hundreds of | | | | wasn't mine. This keeps me always aware of my |
| thousands of dollars lost by school systems | | | | own ethical standards and ensures that I hold fast |
| because they had not created a knowledge | | | | and true to those standards.So before any |
| management process. Lesson plans created during | | | | teacher sells what they believe to be their lesson |
| school hours and during time designated to | | | | plan, maybe they need to identify where that plan |
| teacher professional development should be | | | | came from and ask themselves: "Have I already |
| archived by the school corporation so that every | | | | been paid for that lesson plan?"Leanne |
| teacher benefits from this knowledge. Just think | | | | Hoagland-Smith coaches small businesses to large |
| about all that lost knowledge and wisdom and its | | | | organizations and high school students to |
| very expensive price tag.Professional | | | | entrepreneurs to double performance by closing |
| development is truly expensive. According to | | | | the gap between today's outcomes and |
| Northern Central Regional Learning Laboratory | | | | tomorrow's goals. Please feel free to contact |
| (NCRL), a quick search revealed the following | | | | Leanne at 219.759.5601 or visit and explore how |
| allocation of funds for professional | | | | she can help you from the free articles to the |
| development:Illinois over $100 million annually for | | | | improvement tips.One quick question,if you could |
| professional development | | | | secure one new client or breakthrough that one |
| Iowa over $50 million | | | | roadbloack, what would that mean to you? Then, |
| Michigan over $20 million | | | | take a risk and give a call at 219.759.5601 to |
| Ohio over $25 millionAdditionally within each | | | | experience incredible business.Mention that you |
| school day, teachers receive paid preparation time | | | | read this article and receive a complimentary 60 |
| to work on their lesson plans, grade students' | | | | minute coaching session. |
| papers, etc. For many teachers, the designated | | | | |