This one is from Online Opinion.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5745
The biggest problem I have with performance pay is the lack of recognition that collegiality plays in providing an effective workplace for both students and teachers. Ariel briefly mentions this when he discusses the recommendations made in 2006 in the US: "teachers who perform at high levels and spread their expertise to other teachers deserve extra compensation for their performance and accomplishments." (my italics)
This is a crucial issue for all teachers, particularly beginning ones. If the experienced teachers are serious about ensuring that their new colleagues are going to succeed, an emphasis on assisting them in their planning, assessments and modelling good teaching strategies is essential. In a system where teachers are competing for a bigger slice of the same sized pay pie (see Julie Bishop's comments last weekend about the fact that the education budget will not be getting any bigger as a result of her plans), experienced teachers may be less willing to help the newbies.
It's not just about dollars and cents, it's about common sense. Teaching is not like other professions. The continuum of learning through 13 years of school means that, unlike a commercial enterprise where there is a beginning and an end to a project, no one teacher can be held up as the "reason" for a student's success.
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and another one. It seems that performance pay is getting a lot of screen time on the various blogs.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5770
Oh yes, JournalQueen, it is the hot topic!
The points you raise are excellent ones, and the issue of collegiality is extremely important. With no extra money being put into the coffers, this becomes a competition. If you are competing for pay, how much effort would you be willing to expend giving someone else assistance so that they can improve the quality of teaching? Of course, every teacher should be willing to put effort into improving their teaching, but with money at stake, would collegiality work as we would want it to?
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