I think merit pay in a field like education would discourage collaboration and mentoring, which I think would be a significant loss.
To make sure we're talking about the same idea, by "merit pay," I mean a reward for a job well done. This approach is used in most organizations employing merit pay. It doesn't typically inhibit collaboration. In fact, it often encourages teamwork --- most organizations put a premium on the ability to work in a team.
Examples of meritorious work that should earn someone a bonus, a raise, or a promotion:
- Taking on extra work and doing a good job of it. Someone could help ensure that the way stuff in the storeroom is organized meets OSHA regulations, or could help assess a new reading program.
- Lead an effort to assess some program at school, such as PE (e.g. examine programs elsewhere with the program at home.
- Increase test scores in a target group. Test scores shouldn't be the only measure, but they're still a valid measure.
- Implement a new program, such as a way to provide acceleration.
- Get some grant money.
- Etc. Just use your imagination.
As for promotions: a while back, the software industry realized that some people who deserved promotions didn't want to be managers and were far more valuable doing technical work anyway. So the companies changed their systems. At many companies nowadays, management isn't the only road of promotion. Many people can now climb very high in the corporate hierarchy without having to become line managers.
Schools could (should) establish a hierarchy of teaching ranks. Titles could include, for example, Teacher I, Teacher II, Teacher III, Senior Teacher, etc. etc. Just look to industry for how to do this kind of thing.
And people should get promoted based on merit, not on seniority.At the same time, I also think it's important for some of those very talented people to be setting policies. They can have a greater positive effect when they influence the system instead of just a single classroom.
Bottom line: the schools are going to have to change.
I wonder about the GRE scores you mention. The lowest compared to math and science masters? Or also compared to english, language, fine arts, etc. masters?
See Table 2.
I believe in a generalist model in elementary school and would not want to see it go to a middle or highschool model.
Why? What's better about it?
