TEACHERS ARE MAKING A KILLING BY SELLING SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES
AND LESSON PLANS ON SITES LIKE TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS.
THERE IS INTERESTING DEBATE GOING ON REGARDING THE ETHICAL
AND LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE WEBSITES, HOWEVER, TEACHERS PAY
TEACHERS CONTENDS THAT IT HAD A MILESTONE LAST YEAR WHEN IT'S
80,000 CONTRIBUTORS EARNED MORE THAN $100
MILLION, AT LEAST A DOZEN HAVE BECOME MILLIONAIRES SINCE
THE SITE LAUNCHED A DECADE AGO.
THESE ARE RATE SCHOOLTEACHERS THAT LITERALLY SELL THE
LESSON PLANS THAT THEY'VE CREATED, OR THAT THEY
SHOULD HAVE CREATED, AND HAVE UTILIZED IN THE CLASSROOMS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST LESSON PLANS, MAYBE IN CERTAIN RESOURCES, LIKE
A PARTICULAR TEST THAT THEY'VE GIVEN THEIR STUDENTS, OR A
PARTICULAR ACTIVITY THAT THEY'VE DESIGNED FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
AND SO WHAT IT DOES IS THAT ñ
IT SAVES A LOT OF TIME FOR NEW TEACHERS, SO THAT THEY CAN
ACTUALLY SPEND THEIR TIME OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM
DOING OTHER THINGS, BUT AGAIN, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ISSUES HERE.
SO, AT TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS, THESE EDUCATORS SET THEIR OWN
PRICES FOR 2.5
MILLION RESOURCES, AND GIVE A COMMISSION TO THE SITE.
WITH A $59.95 MEMBERSHIP IT'S 50%,
WITH A FREE BASIC MEMBERSHIP IT'S 40%.
SO THE WEBSITE TAKES A CUT OF THESE TRANSACTIONS, BUT
APPARENTLY A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY LIKE IT.
LEGAL EXPERTS, THOUGH, QUESTION WHETHER TEACHERS ACTUALLY HAVE
OWNERSHIP OF THE LESSONS THEY ARE SELLING.
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
OWNERSHIP OF THE LESSONS THEY ARE SELLING IS RIDICULOUS.
I THINK THE QUESTION OF WHO OWNS IDEAS?
IF I CREATE AN IDEA IN THE CONTEXT OF MY JOB, DOES THAT
MEAN MY JOB OWNS THE PRODUCTS OF MY INTELLECTUAL LABOR?
I THINK THAT'S AN INTELLECTUAL QUESTION.
I THINK A LAWYER SHOULD STAY OUT OF IT, UNLESS THEY ARE
ARGUING ON BEHALF OF THE TEACHERS MAKING MORE MONEY.
THERE'S AN INTERESTING THING I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT, SOME TEACHERS
HAVE LIKE, A CONTRACT, LIKE A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT INDICATING
THAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY ARE TEACHING IN THE CLASSROOM
ACTUALLY BELONGS TO THAT SCHOOL.
AND SO IF THEY SIGN OFF TO IT, AND THEN THEY PROCEED TO
SELL THEIR LESSON PLANS ON THIS WEBSITE, THEY COULD LOSE
THEIR JOB, OR DEAL WITH SOME SORT OF LAWSUIT.
SO THE LESSON PLAN IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND
BELONGS TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM?
IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, NOT IN ALL.
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS ON IT.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE SUPER EASY SMALL PURCHASES, LIKE A DOLLAR
$.20 HERE, $2.50 THERE, AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE LARGER.
ONE TEACHER SAYS, "I TRY NOT TO SPEND OVER $15."
SHE ESTIMATED THAT HER PREP TIME FOR SCHOOL PLUMMETS FROM 20 TO
30 HOURS A WEEK TO TWO HOURS IF SHE CAN FIND WHAT YOU NEED
ONLINE.
THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE AT A COLLEGE
LEVEL, BECAUSE I THINK AT A COLLEGE LEVEL, AS A PROFESSOR OR
A LECTURER, YOU HAVE TO ñ YOU SHOULD ñ
CRAFT YOUR OWN SYLLABUS.
YOUR TEACHING STYLE MIGHT DIFFER.
WITH GRADE SCHOOL, MATH, SCIENCE, THINGS ARE KIND OF
STANDARDIZED, SO YOU CAN'T, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT I WAS KIND OF WONDERING, BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU AS A TEACHER TO CREATE
YOUR OWN LESSON PLAN, BECAUSE YOU ARE MORE ATTACHED TO IT.
YOU ARE FULLY EQUIPPED TO TEACH IT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT ALL OF IT.
ON THE ONE HAND, I HATE THE FACT THAT TEACHERS GET PAID SO
LITTLE, AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THEIR TIME IN THE
CLASSROOM, OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM THEY DO EVEN MORE WORK.
SO IF THIS PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB
MORE EFFECTIVELY, I'M ALL FOR IT.
I JUST WORRY THAT SOME TEACHERS MIGHT ABUSE THIS, AND TAKE SOME
SHORTCUTS, AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IT.
I'M MORE FOR IT, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE CAPITALISM AND PROFIT
MOTIVE IS ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZING LEARNING, INCENTIVIZING TIME
EFFICIENCIES, HELPING SUPPLEMENT INCOME OF PEOPLE WHO NEED
TO BE MAKING MORE MONEY, BECAUSE THEY WORK THEIR ASSES OFF.
THEY WON'T HAVE TO GO SELL THAT SHE'S ONLINE, OR SOMETHING
ELSE, TO MAKE MONEY, OR TAKE A SECOND JOB.
I THINK EVERY TEACHER I EVER HAD IN SCHOOL WAS LIKE, IT WASN'T SO
MUCH THEIR LESSON PLAN, IT WAS LIKE THEIR CHARISMA, THEIR
PERSONALITIES, THEIR PASSION FOR THE TOPICS, THAT'S WHAT I
REMEMBER MOST, AND IF THEY ARE WILLING TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME
WITH ME AFTER SCHOOL, OR AFTER CLASS TO KIND OF WORK ON
THINGS, SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY STANDARD STUFF, PRETTY MUCH
UNIFORM ACROSS DISTRICTS WHAT THEY ARE TESTED ON, SO, I
MEAN YOU TOUCHED ON THAT, SO, YOU KNOW, LOOK.
HEY, LET'S LET TEACHERS MAKE SOME CASH.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
LET'S MAKE IT TAX-FREE, I SUPPORT THAT.
AND I THINK THERE'S A WAY IN WHICH EVEN THIS PROCESS IS
MUCH LIKE ñ I WORK IN ACADEMIA, SO WHEN I HAVE TO CREATE A
SYLLABUS I GO AND LOOK AT OTHER SYLLABI, AND THAT PROCESS
HELPS ME CONSTRUCT A SYLLABUS THAT IS STILL VERY MUCH MY OWN.
SO IT IS NOT SO MUCH STEALING AS IT IS AN INTEGRATIVE PROCESS, SO
IF IT HELPS TEACHERS EXPAND WHATEVER THEIR FRAMEWORK FOR
TEACHING IS, MAYBE IT'S AN ACTIVITY OR EXERCISE THEY
WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT OF, SO, YOU KNOW I THINK IT EXPANDS
THE TOOLKIT THAT TEACHERS HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO TEACH
BETTER, AND CUT TIME DOING IT.
ABSOLUTELY.
I WAS ASKED TO TEACH AT A SCHOOL OF SIXTH-GRADERS DOWN IN
FLORIDA, AFTER I DID ALL THE STATES COME FROM SHAPES, I SPENT
AN HOUR IN THAT CLASSROOM AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE TEACHER
SURVIVES.
I MEAN, THAT'S ALL DAY WITH THAT MANY KIDS.
I CAN'T EVEN TAKE CARE OF A PUPPY.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, NUTS.
GRADE SCHOOL IS NO JOKE.
AND THEY ARE CONSTANTLY TELLING, AND MANAGING 32 KIDS, IF THEY
ARE LUCKY, AND THAT'S ñ GOD, CAN YOU IMAGINE THEN HAVING TO
LEAVE THAT JOB, AND THEN PLAN FOR THE NEXT DAY?
I CAN'T IMAGINE.
SO, AGAIN, ON A COLLEGE LEVEL IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
ANIMAL.
IT'S, IN MY OPINION, MUCH EASIER.
I COULD NOT TEACH SIXTH-GRADERS.
BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO DISCIPLINE AND
EDUCATE SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THAT IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO.
THEY HAVE THE HARDEST JOB, SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO
MISINTERPRET WHAT I'M SAYING, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE OVERLY
CRITICAL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEACHERS ARE AS, I
GUESS, LIKE, THEIR LESSON PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE
ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
IF YOU ARE COLLABORATING, AND USING THE SITE TO COLLABORATE,
THAT'S GREAT, BUT SOMETIMES ON A COLLEGE LEVEL YOU WILL GET
PROFESSORS WHO LITERALLY JUST USE SOMEONE ELSE TO CREATE
THE SYLLABUS, AND THEN YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF THE
CLASS AND HE DOESN'T FEEL AS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THAT
EDUCATOR IS JUST LOOKING FOR A SHORTCUT.
SO I WORRY ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF IT'S USED AS A
WAY TO COLLABORATE, AND GET REALLY GREAT IDEAS FROM
OTHER TEACHERS ON HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN LESSON PLAN, I
THINK THAT'S AWESOME, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I WORRY ABOUT THOSE IN POSITIONS MORE FROM LIFE, THE DISTRICT, OR
WHATEVER THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIVER
THINGS THAT WERE THE BASIC FUNDAMENTAL ACTIVITIES THAT WERE
BORING, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THESE TEACHERS ARE ACTUALLY
SELLING RESOURCES AND EXAMS THAT COME FROM THEIR OWN CREATIVE
PROCESS, THAT MIGHT LIBERATE TEACHERS FROM SOME OF THOSE
BORING FRAMEWORKS THAT WE KIND OF REPLICATE OVER TIME.
SO, I'M AN ADVOCATE.
IF WE CALL THEM PERSONALIZED TEXTBOOKS, NOBODY WOULD GIVE A
SHIT.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON TEXTBOOKS, WHY NOT
LET TEACHERS WRITE THEIR OWN?
AS LONG AS THEY ARE BETTING THE STUFF, AND MAKE SURE IT IS
ACCURATE, AND MOST SCHOOLS DO.
RIGHT, IT'S THE QUALITY CONTROL OF IT THAT I THINK IS MORE
IMPORTANT.
IF SOME KID COMES HOME AND SAYS, MOM I DIDN'T KNOW THAT
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
TODAY SAID THIS, AND IT'S LIKE, WITHOUT LESSON PLAN FROM THE
60S?
WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?
MY TEACHER GAVE IT TO ME.
SO, I THINK AS LONG AS THEY ARE RELEVANT AND THEY ARE
VETTED, IT'S ALL GOOD.
YEAH, MAKE SOME CASH.
WE DO NEED TO TEACH MARTIN LUTHER KING, BECAUSE NOT ñ SOME
FOLKS ARE NOT AWARE OF HIS GREAT CONTRIBUTION, AS WE'VE SEEN.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO JEFFREY LORD AND THE CIRCUS THAT IS CNN?
WELL, NO ONE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT CNN IF IT WEREN'T A
CIRCUS, RIGHT?
PRETTY MUCH, AND I THINK THAT'S THEIR CORPORATE STRATEGY.
IT IS THEIR CORPORATE STRATEGY.
IT WORKED FOR THEM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ELECTION.
LET'S FIND THE CRAZIEST PEOPLE.
THE MOST PROVOCATIVE BULLSHIT WE CAN THROW OUT THERE.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT CNN; WHO
CARES ABOUT CNN?
I WAS ALWAYS WONDERING WHY THEY KEEP HAVING THESE CRAZY PEOPLE
ON, AND IT'S BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY STAY RELEVANT.
IT'S DEPRESSING, NO PUBLICITY IS BAD FELICITY FOR THEM, BUT
WHATEVER.