Whatcha think? (By: Jessica)

This article was passed on to me by my friend, Maria the Divine.

http://www.thestate.com/2011/02/08/1684042/sc-politics.html

It is quite interesting.

I have varied opinions on it and I'm curious to know what Linds thinks of it.....

I'm also curious to know what other teachers think of it......

I'm just as curious to know what the opinions are of people who ARE NOT teachers....

Let me know...post your thoughts, opinions, questions, and concerns.

Here are mine....


"teachers’ salaries should be based on their effectiveness in the classroom, not their seniority or post-graduate credentials."

This statement I have mixed feelings about. I agree a little with the 1st part, but not the last. I do think that increasing teachers pay based on post-graduate credentials is extremely important. If I put MY OWN money into increasing my degree, that I expect to get it back in a pay increase. Call me crazy or selfish, but I'm not going to go back to school and take class after class for my own good. I'm sorry. I'm just not. I'm going to do it for the money. The first part of this statement is touchy. I think that it would be great to base salaries on classroom effectivness, but what exactly would constitute "good classroom effectiveness"?

I agree with this statement to an extent.  Like you mention there are several loop holes.  Your right, define "classroom effectiveness."  Does this mean my salary is based on a student's performance or my ability to reach ALL students who come from a variety of backgrounds as well as  different needs? Some kids simply choose not to work and I don't want my salary based on the lack of effort of a middle school student who has a hard time seeing the big picture in life or may not necessarily value education as their peers and Justin Beiber are more important at this time in their lives.  On the flip side,  I also feel that  a teacher who has been in the classroom for 30 years should not get paid more than a teacher who has been only teaching for 3-4 years but are working their tails off to be the best, while the veteran has become complacent and comfortable.  So there needs to be something or some way to measure teacher effectiveness and it cannot based only on student performance. 

"...the state’s best teachers should be paid much more, while inferior teachers should be tossed."

Tossed? That's a little harsh.... but I kinda like this statement. If you are not doing your job correctly, then don't expect to reap the rewards of those who are. I would LOVE to be paid more for being a successful teacher! I think incentive money or perks for high test scores or number of passing students would be GREAT! I also think that this will NEVER happen and would be very hard to come up with guidelines for. But, it's nice to dream, huh? I also like how he says "paid MUCH more." I wonder how much more we are talking about???

I just recently read in a parent magazine, "teachers are the most unappreciated profession, yet have the highest expectations."  This statement just goes to show how our society has a lack of respect for teachers.  Who uses the word inferior and tossed when referring to teachers? Where is the respect and support for teachers? Instead of complaining about them, let's help them and work with them.  Isn't that what we do for our students?  Why not, do it for our teachers who hold the power and are the ones on the frontline of education?  I get so tired of hearing how easy teachers have it, only work 9 months of the year, anybody can teach.  My response, go for it, I dare you.  Talk to me in a year, then tell me how easy it is.   





"...postgraduate degrees and certifications don’t seem to boost student learning. "

DISAGREE. I think they do. Just my opinion.  Hey Mr., I think you need some research to back your statements, with all do respect, I'm pretty certain there would be research support the fact that furthering education does not hurt student learning, AND allows for teachers to keep up the latest, cutting edge teaching methods and strategies.   AND I'm pretty sure NO other profession requires you to continue your education until the end of our career.  Bottom line, teachers never stop learning and your telling me this "doesn't seem to boost student learning." I don't buy it.  Not one bit.  


"He wants to compensate teachers based on how much students learn in their classroom — determined by tests they take at the beginning and end of the school year — along with evaluations from students, parents, principals and fellow teachers. "

This statement makes me smile, gives me goosebumps, and makes me excited. Why...cause I know that I deserve this and have achieved these things and am currently achieving these things. I know that I prolly could bring home more of the bacon and support my growing family, if teachers were compensated for "doing a good job". But, I know it would never happen. Whenever my students score high on their state-wide tests (which they have the past 3 years....1st or 2nd out of 9 schools that we compete against...thank you very much) my school does not even acknowledge it. I get no "pat on the back", no "great job", no announcement in the paper or over the intercom. Heck...not even a smile, wink, and gun. Nuttin. I had ONE administrator, ONE time, acknowledge me at a staff meeting on my high test scores. Thank you Charlie Mayfield, I will never forget that. What makes you think they are going to start handin' out the benjamins, when they won't even say "good job"? Bahhahahah! But, like I said before...it's nice to dream......

All for this, I say go for it.  But since we are going to hold the teacher's accountable, let's go ahead hold parents, students, principals accountable, too.  I believe in order for a student to be successful all parties need to be fully committed to learning and do their jobs as well.   This means the student commits to coming to school everyday ready to learning and puts forth effort everyday.  This means the parents respect and support teachers in every realm and commits to open communication with the teacher at all times.  This means principals support the teachers when a student makes a poor choice and heaven forbid say NO to a parent.  I'm not holding my breath.  Let's be honest, parents run our districts.  Parent can't say NO kids anymore, than leaders can say NO to parents.  Get some balls, people.  Really.

"...Teachers in certain hard-to-fill subjects — such as physics, chemistry and biology — also should be paid more, he said. "

You want to pay someone MORE who teaches a specific subject? That's dumb. Who's to say one subject is harder than another? Teaching is hard work regardless of WHAT you teach. That's just stupid.
Im curious to know what you think. Do you agree, disagree, both? I won't be offended if you have a different opinion than myself....that's life and happens all the time! :)

Really, I'm embarrassed that someone even would say this.  That's like saying not every student can learn.  Every teacher is teaching.  


We should pass a bill, you know, like NCLB (No Child Left Behind), and cause a nation of panic once we realize our students are failing and our educational systems need help.  Educational reform finally is acknowledged, thanks to NCLB.  So thank you NCLB.  You've left our teachers in awry, feeling hopelessness, overwhelmed, undermined, and unappreciated.  You have left our kids to little or no creativity because of test driven lessons.  You have left our nation in a world of hurt because you tried implementing something you didn't have a plan for.  You didn't provide your teachers with the support, training, NOR money to make things better, instead you created a society in which our students,  teachers, and administrators focus more on a way to "beat the system" and "results" of invalid, poorly written assessment to gauge the learning of students.  Quite frankly, you took a true, pure education and learning environment away from teachers who were passionate about their content and students who just wanted choices in education, not a test.  So good luck on finding those hard to fill subjects.  Oh and where is this extra money coming from to pay these hard to fill subject area teachers?  Last time I checked our nation is at least 15 trillion dollars in debt.  Good plan, people.  Really.  




Bottom line, I don't have the answers nor a solution, but I wish people would start listening to teachers who are in the forefront of education.  Really, we might actually get somewhere with educational reform.