AUSTRALIA needs a more professional approach to evaluating and rewarding teachers than the promise of bonuses for just 10 per cent of staff in any year, according to a leading United States researcher on teacher performance.
Drew Gitomer, a director of Educational Testing Service in New Jersey, says policymakers should trust teachers to develop professional standards, rather than imposing standards and bonus schemes on them.
I’m not a big fan of bonus payments to teachers. I prefer an across the board payment rise. I think that the bonus system is flawed for the following reasons:
- It creates unnecessary competition amongst teachers. Teachers are supposed to work together and collaborate, not compete against each other.
- What fair method can one possibly use to measure how good teachers are?
- Where did they come up with 10%? What kind of message is that sending to the rest of the teaching fraternity? Are they not worthy of extra pay for their time and dedication?
Teachers do a difficult job. Many get burnt out. Some leave because the pay is insufficient to meet cost of living expenses. It’s time to stop using teachers as a scapegoat when dealing with the academic results of our children, and support them with a framework that helps them excel.
Tags: Children, Education, Family, Parenting, Politics, School
Topical Teaching 
November 9, 2010 at 2:07 pm |
This is so true. School systems lose good teachers all the time and it’s the kids that suffer.