JOIN THE DISCUSSION - Merit Pay for Teachers...... PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST

We need to start a discussion on the Obama / Republican / Democrat / Politicians push to create a performance pay system for teachers.

Today as I listened as an NPR discussion ensued about Arne Duncan's, Education Secretary, pursuit to create a merit pay system for teachers. Essentially, teachers would be paid based on whether or not their students pass the standardized test in their state. If you know my personal political position, you will shocked at my adamant disagreement to this policy.

First, standardized test are highly disputed as an effective way to measure student learning growth within academia. As FairTest, a think tank organization states, standardized tests " reward the ability to quickly answer superficial questions that do not require real thought. They do not measure the ability to think or create in any field. Their use encourages a narrowed curriculum, outdated methods of instruction, and harmful practices such as retention in grade and tracking. They also assume all test-takers have been exposed to a white, middle-class background."

If we are attempting to prepare students for the future work, then standardized testing is the least effective method. My question to you is: How many of you on a regular basis take a multiple choice / true-false type tests in the work setting? My sister and I were recently discussing the fact that she commonly encounter people in her everyday work setting that are completely unable to write effectively. That is because the writing section, if there is one, normally counts the least and therefore teachers cannot spend too much time teaching this CRITICAL skill.

Additionally, I have never taught in a middle or upper class school. I am sure it has its perks, but it is not where I chose to teach. Many of my students enter the English classroom grade levels behind in reading and writing. So here is an example for you. John enters my Junior English class reading at a 5th grade level. He works very hard, goes to tutoring, does his homework, and improves. At the semester, he has jumped 4 entire grade levels in reading. He takes the standardized test and fails because he is still only reading at a 9th grade level in 11 grade. Now the student and the teacher are put down and labeled as failures by politicians despite the fact that he has shown 4 grade levels of growth in less than a year. This policy will force teachers out of the low income, low performing schools. These schools will struggle to find any teachers, particularly ones that know what they are doing.

For the poor English teacher, this is a nightmare. When I taught in Arizona, Language Arts was 2/3 of the test. In the secondary setting, students typically do not get any more time in the Language Ars setting. Which means, English teachers are to teach Reading and Writing in 55 - 65 minutes a day. Are you crazy?

While the idea of a merit pay system sounds great, the logistics are another nightmare. How are you going to compensate teachers outside of the core curriculum? Seriously, teachers make little money as it is and then you want to take away money based on one test taken at the end of the school year.

Please don't get me wrong. I am for more accountablity in education. I am for holding ALL the stakeholders accountable for educating our children. I just don't feel that the standarized test system is reliable enough to base someone's livlihood on or to label a child's learning. Children can demonstrate learning in some many ways. Research shows that student learning styles vary greatly; however, the standarized test is only geared towards one style. I have worked under the Prop 301 Merit Pay system and received extra money; however, that system was a joke and it certainly did not improve the school's performance.

Lastly, I am so sick of people solely blaming teachers for the failures of the education system. Teachers are under the direction of administrators, who for the most part select the curriuculum (if there is one), implement intervention plans, plan the school calendar, school bell schedules, select class offering, and so on; yet, people are not holding them to the same accountablility. What about parents? Parents can make or break the way a child values education. Parents decide whether or not homework is important or whether or not their child attends school regularly. Parents should be held accountable as well. What about the government? They create these crazy policies like No Child Left Behind and then don't fund them. They expect educators to figure out what they, as politician,s were trying to put together in legislation with absolutely no money. For the most part, THEY ARE NOT EDUCATORS. Most teacher, not all, are dedicated, hardworking, passionate people that do everything they can to teach their students with the resources, or lack there of, that are available. They work on the weekends, they sponsor activities, they are role models, etc. and they continue to take public beatings.

The last section in the NPR interview discussed Duncan's role to get more people in the public sector teaching. While I am sure there are successful cases of some Wall Street Banker entering into the classroom and revolutionized education, those stories are few and far between. My experience with alternate licensing programs is not the "all glory fix it scenario" that Mr. Duncan portrays. In low-income schools, these teachers come and teach for 2 years and leave. They start clubs and organizations that they abandon when their service term is up, leaving the career teachers to try to fill in the gaps. Additionally, they do not have the skills to teach. Teaching is not just about subject matter knowledge.

I think that as a community we have to think beyond these quick fix ideas to create a technology savvy, progressive educational system that creates a future of adults that are well-equiped for the global economy that we see forming. They need to have critical, creative thinking skills. They need to be able to problem-solve and communicate effectively. They need to be able to write and create. All of these skills are going by the wayside in preparation for the annual pencil and paper multiple choice exam that will not translate to their future.

I want to hear your thoughts...