Let’s be real. What kind of evaluation process can be created to evaluate teachers in all these areas and more to determine who deserves merit pay? This is why I adamently oppose merit pay. Because really, if you are doing all of the things mentioned above, do you do it in the hopes of earning merit pay or because you are just a good teacher?

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I don’t think it is possible to give merit pay with any degree of equity associated with how it is apportioned. But having an across-the-board pay scheme that does not take into account teaching circumstances isn’t either.

Some education authorities award special allowances as they see fit, according to living costs related to a region in order, in some measure, to attract teachers to that region. London is such an area, for instance. But this, of course, is not a merit payment.

I wonder why the idea persists though, considering how many decades such merit award schemes for teachers have been discussed. And if award scheme eventuated, would the merit award be of a sufficient amount to provide what’s sought, whether it be as an incentive to better teaching, as an attraction for good teachers or whatever.

Teachers tend to do a lot of navel gazing when it comes to this topic. I think there’s need for a bit of comparing to rationalise whether merit pay is appropriate in the first place.

I have a list of questions associated with this. I don’t have any answers, but the questions may provide some perspective to the whole idea of merit pay:

And to what extent are such schemes considered successful in lifting the quality of practice?

Catchya later

Teaching is an interesting profession in that we are always working (or so it seems to me). Like you, Matthew, I am preparing at home morning and evening. I set aside every Sunday afternoon to enter grades and get ready for the next week. Yesterday, I heard some of my seniors grumbling about teachers who have not updated grades since February. “Not like Mrs. Zody, she puts our grades in every day.” Well, not quite, but it was nice to hear some appreciation.

I’m sure there are characteristics of this teacher that you’re not sharing, because I’m sure there are plenty of good teachers who leave early to pick up kids from daycare, work from the comfort of their home, etc.

Why don’t we increase the pay of all teachers, then kick out the ones who aren’t doing their job.

I must confess my bias here. There are days when I stay late after school and I’ve never missed a talent show, a literacy night, a science fair (all unpaid activities). However, I frequently leave soon after the bell. I spend a lot of my time at home writing about education, compiling resources, and planning for the school day. I am sure there are people who just go home at the end of the day and never think about school but because of the way I structure my own day and my system of organization, I don’t necessarily equate teachers staying late at school with greater merit…particularly after witnessing teachers in some schools spend their summer cleaning their classroom closets.