tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1107550755163115303.post6709597068711860293..comments2024-03-27T11:28:13.401-06:00Comments on Education Matters: Vitti’s very risky merit pay gambleUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1107550755163115303.post-70343815487647054142014-02-12T16:59:34.046-07:002014-02-12T16:59:34.046-07:00This is ludicrous. I don't work harder because...This is ludicrous. I don't work harder because of money. I, and most of the teachers I teach with, work hard all of the time. Seriously, the VAM cutoff is ridiculous. 25% higher than the average is required. I don't know of a single teacher with 25% higher than the average in the reading category. Traditionally, the average is like 40-50%. I know of no one, except for maybe some elementary or ESOL teachers with 65-75% growth scores in reading. Students tend to make smaller gains in the middle/high schools, because we as a society only speak at a 9th/10th grade level, if that. There are few teachers who could even meet that minimum who would actually choose to work in a more struggling school. At some point, Vitti is going to have to rethink this plan, as few would make the cutoff or choose to move. <br />How about making the classes much smaller, so students could have more one-on-one time with the teachers? How about requiring extra tutoring and using that extra money to pay for it? How about mandating extra summer schooling for those struggling students? How about teaching parents to read to their kids before they even attend school, because many don't know to do this? How about requiring all students to attend every day, and enforcing the law so students have to attend? How about using the money to pay for more guidance counselors, so we don't have 450 students per counselor?<br />In order for there to be real change, all of the teachers/principals/counselors would have to be really effective, not some. How long would they even stay once the money runs out? This is so frustrating, because I know it will not work. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1107550755163115303.post-14647440684518670822014-02-12T09:30:35.364-07:002014-02-12T09:30:35.364-07:00VAM scores are a joke. Last year, I was the only ...VAM scores are a joke. Last year, I was the only teacher in my school to "need improvement." Why? My principal coded my class incorrectly, and I was judged by the wrong test. I was told to teach Intensive Algebra. However, my VAM came from FCAT. My students rocked their Algebra EOC. It's sad that my evaluation didn't reflect it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com