DECEMBER/JANUARY 2003 INSIDE TM 3 Asking Permission 4 Carousel Brainstorm 5 Magnetic Questions 6 Jigsaw Readings NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL 7-8 www.nsdc.org Resources Read your way to success How to choose and use articles for presentations BY JOAN RICHARDSON huckling at a Dilbert cartoon or read- for your work. ing a thought-provoking article seems Just a couple of tips gleaned from the NSDC to be part of virtually every pro- staff: fessional development If focusing on professional development is a workshop, presentation, or regular part of your work, create a set of course. 12 files that have the same labels as the 12 CStaff developers use the written standards. As you read, drop relevant articles work of others because it provides a into that file. When you do this (espe- common language and a common cially if you found something that is reference point for all participants. not in a publication that you Typically, the articles have been writ- read regularly) copy the ten by experts in the field who have page that contains the captured in writing some of the essen- publication’s copyright in- tial points that the presenters want to formation or record infor- Tools For Schools Tools build on in their work with educators. mation from that page and keep it with And the cartoons? Often that picture and the article. If you’re copying a book chapter, a single line of text beneath it are worth a copy the title page and copyright page and keep thousand words. that with the chapter. Successfully using an article as part In both cases, keep a record of this informa- A bi-monthly of a staff development process begins tion: name of publication, date, volume and issue by selecting the appropriate article, number, publisher or organization pub- publication obtaining permission for its use, and Adding a cartoon lishing the magazine or newsletter; con- supporting student choosing a strategy for sharing it with or thought- tact information for the publisher or or- a group. ganization. That will ensure that you and staff learning provoking article have the necessary contact information through school FINDING THE RIGHT STUFF can enliven a if you decide to seek permission for Establishing a reliable system for fil- copying or reprinting. improvement workshop or ing and retrieving articles is essential if In addition to those files, create a sec- you want valuable resources available presentation ond set of files for strategies that you want Continued on Page 2 Tools For Schools December/January 2003 Read your way to success Continued from Page One ever, be cautious about what you discover search function to aid in locating relevant to encourage your staff to use — such as on the web. Remember that anyone can and credible articles from its database of examining student work, journaling, book publish something on the Internet, regard- more than 1 million abstracts of docu- studies, walk throughs, action research — less of quality or authority. As a rule, don’t ments and journal articles on education and leave yourself notes, articles, and ac- use anything you find on the web unless research and practice. tivities relevant to each of those strategies. the author and publication is identified or Finally, if you are interested in some- If you attend a workshop or con- you are able to contact and verify its au- thing lighter to use in your work, consider ference and discover something that thorship. using a cartoon to enliven a presentation might be useful later, note the For articles regarding staff develop- or spark a discussion. Several of the larger presenters name, date of the presen- ment issues, the NSDC cartoon syndicates offer search services tation, and name and location of the Online Library ought to to locate appropriate cartoons. Informa- conference or workshop. Staple the be one of your first stops. tion about such services are typically presenter’s business card to the top of The Online Library available on their web sites. (See Page 7 any presentation material. (Presenters (www.nsdc.org/ for more information.) can aid in this by including the origi- library.htm), which is nal sources of the information on any open to the public, SEEKING PERMISSION written material they distribute.) Copy contains hundreds of Once you’ve identified the article, car- selected articles or tools and file them articles published in toon, or book chapter for your presenta- in the appropriate topic files with a no- NSDC publications tion or workshop, the next step is seeking tation about where you received this ma- (Tools for Schools, permission to use that material. (See Page terial. Results and JSD) dur- 3 for a sample permission request form.) Assemble all materials from one ing the last five years. You should expect that almost any conference or one workshop into The library has 94 cat- article, book chapter, cartoon, or piece of a single binder. Label the binder egories which contain music or video that a staff developer might with the name, location, and date both NSDC articles and links use in a presentation is protected by copy- of the conference or workshop. that will take you to other right. That means the author or publisher Copy selected articles or tools Establish a valuable web resources. In owns the right to the expression of the and file them in the appropriate reliable system addition, the Online Library ideas in that article, book chapter, cartoon, topic files with a notation about includes an extensive bibliog- piece of music or video. where you obtained this material. for filing and raphy of articles and books For example, the National Staff De- Keep a running list on your retrieving articles relevant to professional devel- velopment Council holds the copyright on computer of articles that you opment. every issue of Tools for Schools, Results, have copied and filed away. If Comprehensive mem- and JDS and establishes its own policies you maintain an alphabetical list, you can bers of NSDC have access to a private area for determining who is allowed to copy quickly scan and locate specific articles. of the web site that contains every article and reprint those articles, under what cir- You also can keep a record for yourself published in an NSDC publication during cumstances, and for what fees. of who received a particular article and the last five years. A search function is If the article, cartoon, or book chap- for what purpose. For example: available to help locate specific articles. ter has been copyrighted, it is essential that Sparks, Dennis. “Conversations that The NSDC web site also includes bib- you seek permission from the publisher make the case for professional learn- liographies developed during the before proceeding. Although educators ing,” Results, Sept. 2002. Dialogue. organization’s work on the NSDC Standards have wide latitude in using materials for Sent Suzanne 10/27/02, coaching for Staff Development (www.nsdc.org/ educational purposes, copying articles or conversation. standards.htm). Where possible, these bib- a major portion of a publication in order Most software provides you with a liographies contain links to online sources to avoid buying the publication is not con- quick search function so even locating for the citations. sidered a “fair use.” Most educational or- items in an un-alphabetized list is rela- In addition to NSDC, become famil- ganizations (including NSDC) respond tively simple. iar with the ERIC database (www.askeric. within about two weeks to permission re- If your personal files dont have org/Eric/) which offers extensive access quests, but you should allow at least a what you want, web searches often can to relevant materials, both online and only month or more to receive a response from turn up a wealth of resources. How- available by hard copy. ERIC offers a a non-education organization. PAGE 2 NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Tools For Schools December /January 2003 Asking Permission Seeking permission from the owner of a copyrighted work is an essential part of Rules of the road using an article in a publication or making copies to use in a workshop. Books, articles in magazines, cartoons, music, and videos are all materials that can be Rule #1 protected by copyright. Always seek permission in Your school district or organization may have a standard form for seeking writing. permission to use copyrighted material. If it does not have such a form, ensure that you provide the following information in the letter you send to the publisher. Rule #2 Always get a response in writing. Who is the person or organization seeking permission? Rule #3 Name_______________________________________________________________ Plan ahead. Some publishers suggest Title _______________________________________________________________ allowing as much as six weeks for a Organization ________________________________________________________ response. (NSDC promises a (If you are a nonprofit organization or school district, identify yourself as such.) response within two weeks.) Waiting until the last minute virtually assures What article do you want to use? that you will not receive the permis- Title of the article ____________________________________________________ sion you need in time for the use you Author of the article __________________________________________________ intended. Name of the publication _______________________________________________ Rule #4 ISSN number for the magazine or newsletter; the ISBN number for a book.* Be prepared to pay fees to use ___________________________________________________________________ copyrighted material. Although Date and/or volume and issue number of that publication _____________________ school districts and non-profit Pages on which the article appeared ______________________________________ organizations often get permission to use copyrighted material free of How do you want to use the article? charge, do not assume that will be the n Do you want to copy the article for distribution at a workshop? Yes No case.