copyright again

I'm really very new at this. I'm hoping I'm adding to my first blog post. If not, I'll be beginning again! Anyway, I just received our textbook, Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide, 4th Ed. by Simpson. The chapters in this book are The Law, Public Domain, Fair Use, Print materials in Schools, Audiovisual materials in Schools, Music Materials in Schools, Multimedia in Schools, Distance Learning in Schools, Internet in Schools, Computer Software in schools, School Library Exemptions, Permissions, Managing Copyright in schools, Copyright and Administrators, and Copyright Policies. Whew! After I finish this book I should be an expert! Reading the introduction to the book I love the premise of the children fighting and the outcome of the teacher telling one child, "You don't take what isn't yours without asking first!" And, the author states, "That's all copyright is about."

Copyright-what does it mean?

I've been assigned the task of writing about copyrighting. I really don't know much about the definition of copyright except that it protects the rights of those who have original writings, be it poetry, songs, legal documents, or what have you. I don't know how easy it is to get one or how much protection it gives. I know when I was a student teacher, a teacher I worked with added the copyright symbol to anything he designed, be it assignment sheet, worksheet, or test. He didn't mind if people used his work, he just wanted credit for it. I don't know how that would stand up legally but I guess I'll do some searching! The first visit will be to my dictionary. Let's see, Webster's New World Dictionary, 4th edition says that copyright means, "the exclusive right to the publication, production, or sale of the rights to a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work, or to the use of a commercial print or label, granted by law for a specified period of time to an author, composer, artist, distributor, etc." Okay! I did have the general idea. I'll add more as I discover more!