How often do you share your ideas with others at work? Different strategies that I've learned along the way or by researching work very well for my students. However, those few I've shared ideas with use them and take credit for finding them. I don't want the credit, but if I work hard all summer I don't want others taking credit. On here or other boards I don't mind. This only relates to work. I've told my close friend about the interactive notebook, pinterest, different strategies, etc. she uses them and acts like she found them. This summer I came across a few new ideas, is it wrong I don't want to share anymore? Whenever I use an idea she tells me about she tells me to remember she taught me. With others at the school, very few use ideas I offer them.is it wrong to feel selfish? I spent a lot of late nights looking up ideas. What's your feelings on the matter? On a side note I want them to use these ideas because the students matter to me. What I don't like is when others want to take credit for it and go around gloating.
On a side note I want them to use these ideas because the students matter to me. What I don't like is when others want to take credit for it and go around gloating. I completely agree with everything that you have stated. I am absolutely tired of doing most of the work and my peer collectively taking the credit. Two summer ago, I Rewrote the literacy curriculum map and my peers presented to to the admin as a grade effort. I learned a lesson from that experience. I still share best practices because it benifits the students. Now, I usually add a footnote to documents that I create and save it as read only.
I know what you mean. I started putting all my creations on a PDF file. On the last day of school during my appraisal/ eval my principal told me she wants me to know that she knows everything I do. That she honors me being a quiet and humble employee. I felt shocked she actually knew. I was creating powerpoints but my friend would present them. At least I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. It's that time to go back and I have to decide if I care to share. I love sharing because I learn more. I just don't appreciate what she's doing.
I'm in a PLC and currently in a Coaching Academy which will have me working severl times this year in other teacher's classrooms. Sharing ideas, resources and strategies is dynamic and transformative. I have no problem sharing....it's about STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, not whose idea it is.
Hi, my name is pwhatley, and I am a sharing addict. I am constantly evaluating what works and does not work in my classroom, and as I develop or find new things, I have been happy to share with my coworkers, because, as we all know, it is for the students, not our own credit, that we do the things we do. I, too, am sick of my ideas and hours of work being touted as that of others (one especially). I truly don't mind sharing, but have a real problem when someone allows an idea or product to be announced by admin as theirs when it is not. It's just depressing.
Sweetlatina...my response is based on a climate of collaboration and collegiality. I find working with and sharing with other teachers in many cases is a win-win situation. However when someone blatantly passes off an entire 'body of work' as their own when they had NO part in it would definitely be the impetus for a conversation with that person about the difference between sharing ideas for the common good and taking credit for ideas/creations for personal gain.
This is why I never particularly minded not having a "teammate" (like the classroom teachers do) in my last position. People would always ask me if it bothered me that I was on my own, and apparently that's part of why the teacher before me left. Honestly, it was one of the best things about the job! Even at my previous school where people tended to get along socially, there were always issues with teammates not doing their fair share, waiting until the last minute, disagreeing on how to do things, etc. I swear it also took them at least twice as long to plan everything together and make sure every classroom was doing the same thing! When I met my new grade level team for next year, I was pleased to see that they seemed pretty hands off- they don't plan together or anything like that, which I really appreciate!
I agree that is should be about the betterment of all students. However, I've noticed quite a few people taking credit for my ideas and I admit, it does get tiresome. Sometimes I truly believe it is not intentional but most of the time there is no way it is not. I once had my dept chair laugh at me for a long time about an idea I had. A few days later she presented that idea as her own at a faculty meeting. @@ I've found that some principals really get into the who team player bit and expect everyone to contribute new ideas to the school. When some people take your ideas and pass them off as their own, it makes you look bad. Bad because you don't have any ideas and bad in comparison because they do. So sometimes I label things with my name, upload them under my name or send them out via email to share with everyone, admin included. I really don't mind sharing. I'd rather my hard work benefit as many people as possible. But I'm not about to have a lower evaluation because other people stole my ideas.
I love sharing, don't get me wrong. I learn more by sharing my idea and when they share their ideas. Whether we learned it online or something we created ourselves, I love to share. The problem I encounter is when they claim them as their own, or act like they learned it on their own.
I facilitate GL meetings where we're supposed to be sharing ideas and strategies. They're helpful, and I think all of the teachers get a lot of good information... but my biggest pet peeve - like the others - is when someone takes a specific lesson I've devised, TYPES IT OVER AGAIN, and then presents it for their evaluation/at a meeting as their own idea. It really burns me up.
I'm a stickler for giving credit where credit's due. I make a point of saying I got this idea from so and so or I found this idea online. Unfortunately, not everyone else is like minded but I try not to worry about it too much. I still share, though. In fact, I share so much that other teachers will share my ideas back with me:haha: But then I run into the dilemma of whether or not I should say something. I usually don't because I don't want to sound petty. Something to think about. The more people you share with, the harder it would be for one person to take credit because a lot of other people would know that it was your idea. Something else to think about. A lot of ideas that are out there have been around. A lot of times I'm not sharing what I made but rather what I found.
I worked with a colleague once who would post the homework sheets she made from scratch for the kids on her class website. One day another teacher's class was split up and those sheets were sent with the kids as work for them to do. Not only did this 2nd teacher go to the other teacher's class site and download all of them-she took off the "Created by...." at the bottom. Now that's shady. I share my ideas probably to the point that I annoy people. We had some new teachers on our team last year and I would send them stuff all the time. How much they used, I don't know. I think it's sad that we evaluate teachers so critically now that people feel like they have to fight to get "credit" for everything.
Share your ideas via email, with a CC to the AP, just in case anyone on another grade level can also benefit.
I can see what you're saying... I mean how long does it take so say so and so gave me this idea... I like Alice's idea...Hard part would be when you just say something verbally.
I think this is the heart of it. At the school where I student taught, sharing was to the EXTREME. For instance, there were 5 alg 1 teachers (including me, the student teacher). Each week each of us would take a day and prepare the activities, handouts, files etc. for the day and send it to the others since we all needed to teach the same thing the same day anyway. Of course I frequently modified what they sent, but there was a ton of sharing.
That's how it is in my school too. But then again, we're pretty quick to give credit where it's due. I think I would get pretty miffed if someone else were always getting credit for my ideas.
I share a lot. It's about the students. I don't worry about the credit part. My admin knows I work hard and am a collaborative person. My husband gets irritated with me for "working hard" for other teachers. But, it is just my nature. I'm resourceful. It's fun for me. Though, I recently did hear through the grapevine that a colleague said I need to learn that I am not an administrator. (After I had taken on a task to help admin). Whatev.
A co-worker and I share a lot. If I see a good idea I'll make a copy for her, too. She does the same. I always give credit where it is due, but I think it's really important that we share! Teaching can be isolating. As a newbie, I really appreciate the wisdom that experienced teachers have shared with me.
I would share all the time but when others would not do the same, I got upset. They r quick to take my ideas but wouldn't even share a simple thing like a party sign up sheet. Petty I know, but it gets frustrating when I stay up all hours of the night and they take my ideas. All I'm saying is if you r someone who takes ideas please give ideas, don't ride on the "coat tails "of someone else. This was years ago and I'm still frustrated by it. Lol
I am selfish and give advice when I'm asked to share. I've had far too many experiences of people taking my work and passing it off as their own. Nope. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.
Oh no she didn't! Lol As a student teacher I'm really hoping that others in the math department will be willing to help me with ideas and tips. All the while, I completely understand 'that feeling' when someone else takes credit for your ideas. I think the best (and hardest) thing to do is to take a step back, remind yourself about the students, and share ideas.
"sharing" implies a two way street. "taking" implies that there's only taking, no giving. I'm all about sharing, not so much about having my hard work taken by someone else.
Maybe talk to your teammate and say something like: "I love that we're able to work collaboratively and share our ideas and curriculum. I also enjoy giving you proper credit when you share one of your fabulous ideas and it makes me feel appreciated when I've seen you do the same for my ideas...thanks so much for that. I can just tell this is going to be a wonderful year as we work as a supportive team!"
Cheer - I'm in the same situation - I share anything & everything I have, have created, or have found yet get nothing from the other teacher on my team.
I thanked my grade level partner at the end of this year because I really appreciated everything she shared with me. She seemed surprised at my appreciation and said, "Oh, I love working with you!! I am more than happy to collaborate". I'm so glad she sees it as collaboration, too!
I'm lucky enough to work with other teachers who share readily and divide the work load. I think that part of the reason we are so willing to do it is because we proudly and frequently shout out each others accomplishments. We are constantly bragging about each other at staff meetings, department meetings, even to central office and parents, and I think it encourages people to be creative and take risks.
I think that sharing is just a normal part of being a teacher. We are all working hard to make sure that our students receive the BEST education that they can. In sharing, we can provide alternative activities to meet the needs of many students. I don't appreciate it when people take my ideas and present it as their own. The only other frustration that I have had in sharing is that there are "the takers" who want to get from me but seem unwilling to share with me. Right now in my team, that happens. It depends on the situation with that... sometimes I am disappointed. Other times, well, I figure that they are withholding information from me for a reason... most likely because they are concerned about me being stronger in that area already. Regardless, I will still share and feel that it is just one of those things that we should do for positive student results.
I love how people on my team will make extra copies of something good they found and place one in each member's box. A coworker recently was given a class that I almost taught one year. She's never taught it before. I borrowed her flash drive and downloaded everything I found and adapted onto it. She'll still make a lot of her stuff and do her own revisions, but this will provide a nice framework for her. I've been the recipient of many ideas and plans over the years and I love being able to help someone else. But I still feel the sting of being walked upon by others the few times that it has happened.
Gee, never had an issue like this - so far! There are other issues, but as a whole, we all share and share alike and give the credit where it is due. I would keep sharing at least some things. It will help the kids.
I am happy to share my resources with other teachers, but I do appreciate it if they at least think to reciprocate at some point in the future. It kind of kills me when I see things that I shared with teachers YEARS ago still being handed out as assignments. I am very critical of my work, and am always looking to improve and revise it from year to year. A project or test that I came up with 10 years ago has probably changed for me 10 times since then; however, for another teacher down the hall it might still look exactly the same. It does bother me when people are quick to take something, and then think they never have to reflect or write a lesson plan again because I did it for them a decade ago. (Sorry for the vent, but that's a frustration that I often keep to myself and it felt good to finally say it!)
Since I've never had anyone take credit for something of mine, I'm not sure how I would react. The teachers that I've worked with all share, collaborate, and give credit to others.
