Teacher merit pay in the state of Florida infuriates me! How can politicians seriously think that hard working, in fact let's just get to the point...overworked, underpaid, underappreciated teachers are going to possibly/probably get paid based on students peformance (i.e. standardized test scores)? For real?!
Most of the teachers that I know are very well educated (more than other professionals that I know), spend HOURS on lesson plans, grading, worrying about their students, and on professional development. I hate hearing that teachers have it so easy because we have summers off. My answer to that is, "have you ever tried teaching?". It's a difficult, exhausting, stressful job (though rewarding - I guess that's why there are so many people graduating with a degree in education today).
I love being a teacher. I believe STRONGLY in education and in helping students "be all that they can be". I don't care how cliche that sounds. It's true. For example, this week a student of mine stayed after school with me so that I could tutor her in English/Reading. Since I'm so busy and there are paid tutors (teachers from the school) who tutor twice a week, I suggested to her a few weeks ago, when she first asked me to tutor her, that she inquire about this tutoring program. They even provide transportation home. She did. But then she came back saying she wanted me to tutor her. I agreed to do so, making time after school. I helped this student work on vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms, gave her tips on reading strategies, gave her book recommendations, talked about the Academic Word List, discussed her future (college) plans, and encouraged her on her upcoming standardized test. I also listened as she shared some concerns on test taking and on a family issue that affects her school performance. My heart went out to her. The thing is that I'm by NO means unique. Any of the teachers that I know would do the same (and probably already do).
THOUSANDS of teachers, every day, spend time away from their families to stay after school to encourage and support their students. Even when the students' parents don't care. We listen. We advice. We care. Why, then, should highly effective, hard working teachers be subjected to unfair work conditions (i.e. teacher pay-tenure bills)? Teachers care about their students' education when not even the parents do. The last thing that we need is to be undermined AGAIN and to stress out about our salaries and job security.
What is this merit pay bill? Well, the Florida senate (among other states) believes that teachers' pay, as well as tenure, should be dependent on students' performance on standardized tests. So what you're telling me is that my paycheck depends on how tired my student is, the one who is involved with a gang and sells drugs all night and can't, therefore, stay awake during his 90-minute test? The student who doesn't come to school, and when he does it's just to sleep during class, is going to decide how much money I bring home to my family? The one who yells "f*&^ off!" will decide if I go on my family vacation this year? The girl who can't concentrate because she isn't sure if she'll have to move again this weekend, or where her next meal will come from, or if the physical/sexual/verbal abuse will ever end, will decide my salary? And what about special education teachers?
Obviously politicians have NO idea what it's like to be in the classroom these days. They don't know what public education is like. They have absolutely no clue about what goes in our classrooms on a daily basis, and obviously they think that we're overpaid. Well, my classroom door is always open. Come on in....
In the meantime, I've found a job in Brazil where I can only hope I'll be appreciated.
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