#edchat Recap: 3 Ways to Reward Successful Teachers

Merit Pay Gone Wrong

This week's #edchat, "How should successful & innovative teaching and teachers be rewarded?" was incredibly appropriate in light of Florida's controversial Senate Bill 6 this week that faced strong opposition and even outrage from teachers. The bill, if signed into law by Governor Crist, will eliminate teacher tenure, require experience, certification, and advanced degrees not be considered when paying teachers, and base
salaries on "learning gains" made on standardized tests.

The bill is often referred to as the merit pay bill, however many teachers have questioned whether or not the true impact of the bill will be to reward successful teachers. Interestingly enough, many #edchatters felt that merit pay is not the best option for rewarding effective teachers.

tomwhitby: Merit Pay: A tip Jar at the front of the class will speed us along to the race to the top! #edchat It does not work!