Submitted by Meghan (not verified) on January 15, 2007 - 19:15.
Everyone assumes I don't want merit pay because I am afraid of my students' test scores. I am not boasting, but want to make my point clear - My students have some of the highest test scores in the state and I am a teacher who has recieved awards for innovative teaching and dedication to the students and student learning. I have revamped curriculum to incorporate learning for all students, I have brought in guest speakers to make the learning more relevant to the working world, I attend workshops regularly that change my curriculum constantly, improving on ways to incorporate technology or literacy skills into the classroom. If we were paid on merit, then I would greatly benefit.
But, I am still against the idea. Again, the test that would be used to measure student performance - in California, the STAR test - would make or break a teacher and their pay, but has no meaning for the students at all. The tests are not required for the students to graduate or advance a grade level, they are not looked at by colleges, there is no incentive for the student to even try at the tests. Schools have a huge problem with making sure kids attend on the STAR testing days. And yet, a teacher's livelihood would be based on these scores.
Also, like another respondee mentioned, a teacher gets a student in his/her class and tries their best to improve the learning for the student. However, the teacher sometimes has to deal with students who are severely deficient in basic skills and a year may not be enough time to retrain the 8 or 9 years of ineffective education. And so a teacher's livelihood, again would be based on something they had no control over.
If teacher pay were based on evaluations by principals, parents and students, I again, would fare well. But, I am fortunate to have an honest and adept principal. In addition, I have bright students who may evaluate me and say that I am challenging but most would agree they learned a lot from my teaching. Finally, I have equally supportive parents who have written letters of appreciation and fortunately for me, sent them to my principal to put on file. Nonetheless, I have seen principals needle a teacher and their amazing teaching style because of pressure from parents who just don't like the teacher. I have seen teachers be evaluated negatively and then continually harassed because the child of a school board member earned an "F" in her class. I have also myself received a bad evaluation from a student who all year long told me how much she learned in class and then when she started to falter decided to not accept responsibility but blame me. Additionally, I have had the experience of parents not happy with me or my teaching because I gave their child a "0" on an assignment that they copied from a friend. The parent challenged me on whether or not "collaboration" on assignments was fully defined in my classroom. And so, what if my pay were based on these miscontrued facts?
Another respondee brought up a great poing that merit pay will not change the teaching of the thousands of "good" teachers out there. The good teachers will continue to do what they are doing, because they are there to teach, not for the pay. That doesn't mean, however, that teachers as a whole shouldn't get paid higher salaries. Although most people would argue that for the amount of days teachers work, the salary is high, most teachers are working during their summers and the amount of hours a teacher puts into his/her job during the school year, adds up to be a year long job (60 hours/week - at least).
I think most people are concerned with "bad" teachers and think that a salary increase will fix the problem. What most people do not understand is that there are systems in place to deal with "bad" teachers and it is a myth that you can't fire a teacher. In a good school district, teachers are evaluated every year by various administrators. If you receive 2 consequtive evaluations that are negative, you are placed on probabation in the Peer Assistance Review program. This is a probabationary program and if you do not improve, you will be let go. In addition, the Education Code lists a variety of factors for which an immediate removal of a teacher from their job is required. Finally, new teachers are all part of BTSA, which is a program to help new teachers get on the right path and evaluate their progress. If there are "bad" teachers out there, it is the responsibility of the administration to use the systems in place to remove the teachers.
So, what's my solution. A general rise in pay for teachers as a whole. Mandatory evaluations by school districts of their teachers and consequences for those schools who don't follow through. A better system at the state level of monitoring the renewal of teaching credentials and the professional development required for renewal. A revamp in the requirements of the teacher training programs to better prepare teachers for the profession ... just to name a few.
One final note. Teachers know best what needs to be done to improve the quality of teachers and enhance student learning. And here, Edutopia is asking for our input. Unfortunately, the state and the politicians who write education codes, develop standards for teachers and for content in the schools, they are not asking us for our expert advice. What a great thing it would be to have a think tank of teachers in the midst of all of these issues, offer real and workable solutions to the educational issues that have been at the forefront of education for years.
Everyone assumes I don't
Submitted by Meghan (not verified) on January 15, 2007 - 19:15.
Everyone assumes I don't want merit pay because I am afraid of my students' test scores. I am not boasting, but want to make my point clear - My students have some of the highest test scores in the state and I am a teacher who has recieved awards for innovative teaching and dedication to the students and student learning. I have revamped curriculum to incorporate learning for all students, I have brought in guest speakers to make the learning more relevant to the working world, I attend workshops regularly that change my curriculum constantly, improving on ways to incorporate technology or literacy skills into the classroom. If we were paid on merit, then I would greatly benefit.
But, I am still against the idea. Again, the test that would be used to measure student performance - in California, the STAR test - would make or break a teacher and their pay, but has no meaning for the students at all. The tests are not required for the students to graduate or advance a grade level, they are not looked at by colleges, there is no incentive for the student to even try at the tests. Schools have a huge problem with making sure kids attend on the STAR testing days. And yet, a teacher's livelihood would be based on these scores.
Also, like another respondee mentioned, a teacher gets a student in his/her class and tries their best to improve the learning for the student. However, the teacher sometimes has to deal with students who are severely deficient in basic skills and a year may not be enough time to retrain the 8 or 9 years of ineffective education. And so a teacher's livelihood, again would be based on something they had no control over.
If teacher pay were based on evaluations by principals, parents and students, I again, would fare well. But, I am fortunate to have an honest and adept principal. In addition, I have bright students who may evaluate me and say that I am challenging but most would agree they learned a lot from my teaching. Finally, I have equally supportive parents who have written letters of appreciation and fortunately for me, sent them to my principal to put on file. Nonetheless, I have seen principals needle a teacher and their amazing teaching style because of pressure from parents who just don't like the teacher. I have seen teachers be evaluated negatively and then continually harassed because the child of a school board member earned an "F" in her class. I have also myself received a bad evaluation from a student who all year long told me how much she learned in class and then when she started to falter decided to not accept responsibility but blame me. Additionally, I have had the experience of parents not happy with me or my teaching because I gave their child a "0" on an assignment that they copied from a friend. The parent challenged me on whether or not "collaboration" on assignments was fully defined in my classroom. And so, what if my pay were based on these miscontrued facts?
Another respondee brought up a great poing that merit pay will not change the teaching of the thousands of "good" teachers out there. The good teachers will continue to do what they are doing, because they are there to teach, not for the pay. That doesn't mean, however, that teachers as a whole shouldn't get paid higher salaries. Although most people would argue that for the amount of days teachers work, the salary is high, most teachers are working during their summers and the amount of hours a teacher puts into his/her job during the school year, adds up to be a year long job (60 hours/week - at least).
I think most people are concerned with "bad" teachers and think that a salary increase will fix the problem. What most people do not understand is that there are systems in place to deal with "bad" teachers and it is a myth that you can't fire a teacher. In a good school district, teachers are evaluated every year by various administrators. If you receive 2 consequtive evaluations that are negative, you are placed on probabation in the Peer Assistance Review program. This is a probabationary program and if you do not improve, you will be let go. In addition, the Education Code lists a variety of factors for which an immediate removal of a teacher from their job is required. Finally, new teachers are all part of BTSA, which is a program to help new teachers get on the right path and evaluate their progress. If there are "bad" teachers out there, it is the responsibility of the administration to use the systems in place to remove the teachers.
So, what's my solution. A general rise in pay for teachers as a whole. Mandatory evaluations by school districts of their teachers and consequences for those schools who don't follow through. A better system at the state level of monitoring the renewal of teaching credentials and the professional development required for renewal. A revamp in the requirements of the teacher training programs to better prepare teachers for the profession ... just to name a few.
One final note. Teachers know best what needs to be done to improve the quality of teachers and enhance student learning. And here, Edutopia is asking for our input. Unfortunately, the state and the politicians who write education codes, develop standards for teachers and for content in the schools, they are not asking us for our expert advice. What a great thing it would be to have a think tank of teachers in the midst of all of these issues, offer real and workable solutions to the educational issues that have been at the forefront of education for years.