So I watched this last night, and while Cameron Diaz embodies everything we hope not to become as teachers, it does beg the question: What do we think of merit based pay for teachers?
Wikipedia describes it as "bonuses for workers who perform their jobs effectively, according to measurable criteria." NY Times Article describes some Minnesota teachers' opinions.
What does Cohort 19 think?
I think the suggestion has some merit (no pun intended), but the catch is in the criteria. I think merit-based bonuses should NOT be based on test scores, and they certainly shouldn't be competitive. Those are easy-outs, because they're simple to assess and budget for, but they won't lead to optimal learning outcomes. I think they should be based on anything above-and-beyond that the teacher does for the school, such as organizing community outreach events or fundraising efforts. Additionally, teaching performance should be a factor to consider...but I honestly don't know how one would go about measuring something so nebulous. Perhaps something portfolio-based?
ReplyDelete-Deborah