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| Merit Pay for Teachers | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 9 2007, 07:02 AM (291 Views) | |
| Post #1 Aug 9 2007, 07:02 AM |
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| I think this works well in theory but wouldn't work well in the reality of today's schools. |
Civilian
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| Post #2 Aug 9 2007, 04:24 PM |
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| I am a proponenet of merit pay, however I suspect the hands of those defining merit would be so tied that everyone would be deemed equally meritorious... |
Civil Servant
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| Post #3 Aug 9 2007, 05:43 PM |
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I agree with both BadRabbit and CT-95. I think they should get a base pay, with "bonuses" for kids with better than average test scores or some such thing. I think our teachers are grossly underpaid for what they do and what they have to put up with. If they'd (school boards or whatever they are) get rid of half the administrative staff, there'd be so much more money to pay the teachers and provide paper, etc., for the students. This is why my daughter went to private school or I home schooled her. |
Civil Servant
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| Post #4 Aug 10 2007, 05:51 AM |
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But then all they would do is teach to the test which is wrong in my book. That's what a lot of teachers do now with all the NCLB requirements. The validity of test scores are only as good as the test itself. And even then, there's plenty of kids who have learned the material but do not test well. Another problem is that there's no incentive with merit pay for teachers to seek out poor and/or underperforming schools. It's the new teachers who get stuck with all the bad students. It's not fair to have their salary tied to the performance of a bunch of kids who don't give a rat's patootie (and who's parents don't either). I don't think you can use an absolute yardstick. There's no magic formula. My employer gives the department heads $X in salary increases to divide amongst us workerbees. My company is small enough (and smart enough) to know that the person putting in the most OT isn't always the best worker. They distribute raises based on what I would call a "gut feeling performance level". That certainly wouldn't work for teachers. |
Civilian
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| Post #5 Aug 10 2007, 10:18 AM |
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BadRabbit, That's why I said "some such thing". I don't know how you could really measure the "merit" of a teacher. Here's an idea: Teacher has X # of students. Students are somewhat below average. Let's not use tests to determine that, some other method. (Because you are right - I couldn't take a test worth a dang when I was in school, but if the teacher talked to me, I knew all the right answers or more correctly - I knew the material that had been taught/gone over in glass.) By the end of the school year the students are now exhibiting they are average or above. In my opinion, I'd say the teacher has done their job as have the students done their part. I feel I had a very bad education. I graduated HS with a sixth grade reading level. That has all changed thankfully. As I can now read all sorts of stuff and understand it, if I have an interest in learning about it to begin with. Due to my education, I did not send my daughter to public school. And then she dropped out at 15. She and I are very similar - we're not so much book smart, but we know a lot and we observe and learn through living and reading what interest us. When she was 13 or 14 she spent several hours at a college library learning everything she could about Ritalin - she had an interest. I read the paper she wrote about it - it was great (with the exception of a few grammar errors). I think you get my point - we learn and understand what strikes our interest. |
Civil Servant
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3:16 PM Feb 6