This article is a couple of weeks old, but it caught my eye in the days leading up to me starting this blog. Value-added assessment has created a stir of controversy, but some think it is one way to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers and their teaching. What do you think?http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/education/01teacher.html?_r=1
For more on how others, including practitioners, policy makers, and scholars, feel about the issue, try accessing the NY Times Room for Debate.
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/09/06/assessing-a-teachers-value?ref=education
Or for another opinion try this one.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/magazine/05FOB-wwln-t.html?_r=1
I am no saint and would be quite happy if they would pay me more money for the hours I put in. Moreover, I am in favor of exchanging constructive criticism, which will nourish our expertise. However, I am of two minds for now, when it comes to "evaluation-based" bonus assessment. First, our bottom line as teachers is to make a difference, as opposed to making a profit. In addition, I work with my colleagues as a team. Let me quote movie director David Fincher, who was commenting in an interview with TIME (October 4, 2010, p.51) on what his new movie The Social Network portrays: "Once money gets injected into something it tears up the fabric of all of those idealistic good intentions."
ReplyDeleteIam of two minds as well. I wouldn't mind more money, but I wonder how they would evaluate me. The talk is of using the scores of standardized tests for public school teachers. How about people in higher education like me? Would I be evaluated on the scores my students get on TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) or on the type of jobs they get when the graduate? Can the effectiveness of my teaching be measured in quantifiable terms? Can yours? Another problem with linking scores to pay is many people would probably switch from approaches that focus on student learning to teaching to the test, which is what happened in NY. I understand the desire to hold teachers accountable for what they do in the classroom and to make sure we have effective teachers who really do help children learn. I am just not sure if this is the way to go about it. Thoughts?
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