This NYTimes article alerts us to work done on the efficacy of good teachers. The conclusion: good teachers are good. The article mentions "poor performing" teachers and the some comments debate about what do do about them, now that there is proof that good teachers are good.
A couple of thoughts. First, the effect is quite modest for an individual student, an increase of about $4600 in LIFETIME income. To me, the modesty of the gain underscores the notion that one teacher is just one variable in a sea of about 1000 variables, including socioeconomic status, family situation, race, peers, administrators, etc. But cumulatively, over a teacher's career, this results in about 2.5 million in increased earnings.
Maybe "good" teachers should get this figure as bonus on retirement. Not kidding, but wouldn't it be peachy?
Of course the question remains, how to weed out the bad apples. This seems the exact opposite tack to take. Our best and brightest (and medium best and medium brightest) are choosing "professional" careers. Teaching, in this country, has not garnered the respect of a profession, because it is historically low-paying. [Actually, most jobs once (or currently) dominated by women are underpaid, and that's another article I'll get to some day.]
Can we please just raise teachers' salaries and attract the good ones, rather than focusing on weeding out the bad ones?
No comments:
Post a Comment