Comments on: Senate Approves Teacher Merit Pay, Cuts Tenure

By: #1mom

#1mom — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:05:31 +0000

I truly agree with the fact that parents are more than backing down from their responsibilities in the school system. As a parent of 2, When I hear one of mine are not doing what i know they can do in school, its gonna be “old school” at home. Granted there are a few teachers who really dont seem to give it their all. But, I truly believe that if the schools had more parent involvement and concern with their children and their academics, it would be different. Don’t wait to show up when the principal calls you and says little “johnny” is in their office in trouble. Support your teachers and take care of these kids at home. Check school work and make your children do their homework instead of sitting in front of games and computers all day. And parents who say they dont have time to keep up with their children’s school work or what goes on at their school, need to be at home so they can find time.

By: Charlotte Lucas

Charlotte Lucas — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:03:45 +0000

When our representatives make these decisions one can know they have never been in a teaching position. Gregg Evers nor Rick Scott will ever get my vote.

Does the public know that just because a teacher has tenure does not mean they can not be let go. Everthing just has to be documented. Tenure does not guanrantee a bad teacher a job, it just requires a little paperwork…..

By: MM

MM — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:49:48 +0000

Sorry I voted for Evers! My 12 yr old could differentiate the right and wrong in this poor decision….just sayin.

By: QUESTION

QUESTION — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 03:08:47 +0000

GREG EVERS JUSt VOTED HIS SELF OUT OF OFFICE. I WISH I HAD NOT VOTED FOR HIM. LET HIM TRY TO GET HIGH SCORES ON CHILDREN IN SCHOOL THREE OUT OF FIVE DAYS.HOW IS THIS FAIR TO A TEACHER?

By: ThePowerMan

ThePowerMan — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:42:15 +0000

I am in no way saying this is the ONLY answer. I am saying that there has to be a better way than what we had. I see way too many bad teachers that are on cruise control. I am not a teacher nor am I in sales. But I am a college graduate in a professional career. And I do have a boss that evaluates me on my perfomance. And believe me, if I don’t do my job, I will be unemployed. However, my evaluation does not have anything to do with anyone but me.

Now, how do you evaluate teachers? I think we can all agree there are teachers that aren’t up to standards. Some teachers don’t even care whether the kids show up for class. So where do you measure a teacher? How do you seperate the good and the bad? I think you have to use the students scores in the equation somewhere. I’m just saying the system is broke and I like that our leaders are taking a shot at changing it.

I think we can also agree there could also be alot of changes in their studies. I have watched my kids have very strong abilities in totally different areas. Instead of focusing on making them be good at all subjects, why not evaluate where they excel (say 7th or 8th grade) and then focus on their talents. I understand you need to be well rounded but there has to be a happy medium. Times have changed. Now you have subject areas that you didn’t have 20 years ago. We all can’t be doctors and business managers. There is creative occupations that include technology and arts. Things that are left out of today’s curriculm. So, I agree with some of what you say.

By: Ifish4

Ifish4 — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:31:15 +0000

At one time we were on a merit system, and believe me the merit system is the ultimate good old boy system. If you’re liked by the person or persons doing the evaluations, you get a good raise no matter how you do your job, in fact you get your raise and part of another person’s raise that might be a better employee if that person isn’t buddies with the person in charge of the evaluations. Been there and seen it in the first person.

By: hmm...

hmm... — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:07:53 +0000

To ThePowerMan: Please don’t become a teacher. You have no idea what goes on in a classroom! And you have no idea what good teachers go through in order to teach today’s children. Education is always changing and we as teachers are always looking for new ways to reach children. But paying a teacher based on standardized test scores is ludicrous. If there was another method of assessment being used to determine a student’s performance then I would reconsider my opinion on merit pay. Talk about stone age – now that is how I refer to standardized testing.

By: ThePowerMan

ThePowerMan — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:54:43 +0000

Quote: Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, said without the amendments, the bill puts teachers in the position of being without a contract at the end of each year, a lack of job security that will make it harder to recruit good teachers to the state and make even effective teachers vulnerable to the whims of their bosses.

Welcome to the real world!!!!!!! Heck, atleast they get a year contract. Most workers are on a day to day contract. It’s kinda like being paid on commission. You show up for work and are effective and you get paid. You lay out of work and don’t do your job….you don’t get paid. If sales are bad because of the economy, you come up with a unique stategy to get the sale. If kids aren’t learning, you come up with a unique strategy to help them learn.

Life is always changing. Kids are different than they were 10 years ago. The strategies to teach should be different, too. The guy who invented the horse carriage was put out of business when the automobile was invented. We all should continue to adapt to change. That, in my opinion, is why some teachers are not effective anymore. They think they should continue to teach like they always have simply because they were a great teacher 5-10 years ago.

Thumbs Up for Florida. I think the Leg and Sen spoke for the majority.

By: AL Teacher

AL Teacher — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:31:36 +0000

One more comment…if we based some of our politicians pay on performance they would be struggling to make ends meet.

By: Molino Mom

Molino Mom — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:26:35 +0000

You know, it’s a shame Greg Evers does not have the backbone to stand up for those of us who sent him to Tallahassee to begin with. I’ll remember this Evers! Thanks for nothing!