Comments on: How Ogden (and other districts) can foster excellence in teaching

By: Buzytwo

Buzytwo — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:59:00 +0000

Having recently retired from this district, I have a very substantial difference of opinion on what really is happening in the district. My health has improved drastically and I believe the course that they are on is unsafe for all including the children. If the adults are unsafe, then how can the children be safe.

By: Sackdrum

Sackdrum — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Pay for performance doesn’t work when there is no consensus on the measure for good performance.

Furthermore, maybe the “science teacher” playing on the computer probably does so because they are being paid like a babysitter.

My idea of pay for performance is that if we pay them, they’ll be more likely to perform.

Excluding the altruistic, charitable teachers who go above and beyond for personal reward, Ogden school district is getting exactly what they are paying for.

By: D M

D M — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:01:00 +0000

Like the “overworked” science teacher my kids had in high school who had the class draw pictures of animals while he played video games on his computer? Surely you are joking.

There ARE some teachers who should NOT get paid as much as other teachers get.

Conversely, there ARE teachers who should get MORE than most of their peers.

Teachers are some of the most consistent at making sure THEIR kids get the RIGHT teachers.

By: Derek H. Monson

Derek H. Monson — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:49:00 +0000

So because some teachers are overworked while doing “the best they can,” and because some children fail no matter what, we should not attempt to pay teachers based on performance? Really?

The reality is that success in most jobs (if not all jobs) depends to an extent on things outside of an employee’s control. Yet, many successful organizations still find ways to encourage and reward good performance through how they pay their employees. You haven’t giving any compelling reason why teachers should be an exception to this rule.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:59:00 +0000

Your plan is faulty. Usually, the overworked teacher does the best they can. Students are ultimately the deciders of their own fate, and many in Ogden will fail regardless of the teaching effort.

Then your overworked teacher is fired.

Paying one group of people based on the actions of another group of people without consequences for the second group is faulty logic.