I've received merit pay at school for two years. (Merit pay is the big buzz word from our new President) I receive this pay based on three different categories, first is my teaching performance, in which I'm evaluated three times a year. Two of these evaluations are announced, and one is not so that they can see an honest picture of my teaching techniques. Second the district bases my merit pay on how well my students perform on the PAWS test, and thirdly how our school improves as a whole. This last week our school district dumped the entire program. TAP is nationally recognized program and is also the program that the state of WY education department wanted to look at adopting for districts across the state. That means that we would have been the district of "example." The biggest reason they canned the program is because they do not want to pay out the bonuses anymore, and the community felt that early release on Wednesday's was a waste of time for the kids.
Wednesday afternoons was the time that teachers met in their professional clusters, where we learned new strategies, and practiced them in our classrooms. When students were released from school the district provided, for FREE, structured activities or students were bussed home. That means our district bussed the students three different times throughout the day. Doesn't that cost money??
- There will always be the debate whether teachers should get merit pay or not. Many believe that it's the teachers job to begin with, so why get paid more for a job that is already expected. Or the other side of the issue is that teachers will work harder for more pay. Our education system is FILLED with ineffective teachers so why not entice or motivate those slackers.
- There will be another program to replace the TAP system, but it will not involve merit bonuses. (side note: the TAP program was designed by the Milliken(sp) Foundation, which is not part of any school system or the Education Department. They are a business. They also provide monies to doctors who advance medical science or outstanding medical professionals)
- The school board also proposed this week a 4 1/2 day school week. This means that students will be released at 1:00 on Friday. So...parents don't want their students out early on Wednesday's but they do on Friday's???
Should I be mad?
2 comments:
You should be mad, but that won't make you a better teacher. It irritates me that teachers, who are such a vital part of our lives as they are a part of our children's lives, are underpaid and underappreciated. I'm glad to see teachers like you who will be good no matter what they're paid.
You are sweet, but the money was VERY nice.
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