Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Dilemma

So here's the situation...
I won a file of a New years activity on TN. I downloaded it at school and printed it out at recess time. (We have 2 communal printers, which are actually our copy machines.) Someone came in and started talking to me when I was on my way down the hall to pick it up.  So then,  I had to get my kiddos from recess.  At lunch, I was finally able to go down to pick up and make my copies and grab my lunch from the fridge. 

On my way in another teacher was on her way out with a stack of my booklet copied for her class and said, "I borrowed your file. At least I think it was yours, you're the one whose into getting all of those cute Teachers Pay Teachers materials. Hope you don't mind."

As a matter of fact, I wanted to say, I do mind.  I mind you stealing this activity rather than asking me where I got it so you could go get it yourself.  What do I do, or say?  I'm all for sharing... I share things all of the time!  **but not when its something I paid for/won that another teacher should be making money from someone else using it. ** 

And I realize I'm mostly at fault because I shouldn't have left it at the printer.  So I'm at a loss.  What can be said/done?  I'm presenting a PD next Friday and I'm sharing some technology sites including TPT and TN.  I plan on working some discussion about how it works and copyrights.  Is that enough? 

Should I now not use the file I won? 

Should I go buy the file I won so the owner gets proper credit? 

Where is the line and how do I educate others/help others care as much as I do about robbing these fellow teacher-creators of their proper dues?

I feel AWFUL and like I did something wrong here, besides not picking it up as soon as I printed it. How many other times has this happened?  How mad will I be and what will I say when its a file I paid a lot of money for? 

Help? Advice?  Guidance? Ideas? 

I clearly need it all!

2 comments:

Gina S. said...

It isn't your fault. That kind of thing happens when your printers aren't close by. It was an honest mistake. I would just throw it in during your PD that when you buy or even get a freebie from TpT you are purchasing one license but if a couple teachers want to share they offer additional licenses of the same product at discounted pricing. Make a strong point about it. And try not to print unless you can run right in there and get it. I know how this is...I have printed things in the past (simple worksheets from our text books) and by the time I made it all the way to the computer lab someone else took it.
Gina

The Hip Teacher said...

Ugh! The teacher knew that it was probably from TpT and took it anyway? I agree with Gina about telling others about how TpT works, and how you need to purchase a license. I would also add in the fact that using these materials without paying for them is essentially stealing from a fellow teacher, who is most likely as overworked and underpaid as the rest of us. In my workroom at school, we have a bulletin board where we pin materials that anyone can use. Maybe you could start something like this? And is your Media Specialist a stickler for following copyright laws? That is another person who could help educate the staff on this. Don't feel guilty AT ALL! I admire your forward thinking at how to avoid this problem in the future.

~Julie
TheHipTeacher