Merit Pay For Teachers: Pros And Cons

Although there are a lot of good points about introducing the concept of merit pay to teaching, the main problem with this program is will the teachers be happy. Lots of teachers in the trials for this program were happy with the results the students got and their increase in pay, but lots of teachers enjoy their job because they get to create their own curriculums and decide what the students need to know. The reason the teachers were hired in the first place was because the school system trusted them with the education of their children. It’s about time we trust them to do their job and prepare the kids for the future (Does Merit Pay For Teachers Have Merit? Pros And Cons Of New Models For Teacher Compensation). The students will have to prepare for a series of test the entire year instead of using that time to learn. If the teacher’s pay for that entire year rides on one test, they will do anything they can to save get that extra dollar for their family. …show more content…
Education Secretary Arne Duncan, nearly half of the teachers surveyed considered leaving the profession due to standardized testing (Walker, Tim). That is a staggering number, and it proves one thing: teachers are unhappy with how the way standardized tests create pressure on the students, the competition it creates in the work environment, and the amount of time wasted preparing for the tests (Walker, Tim). When students take these tests, they tend to freak out when they realize how much of their grade and future is resting on this one test. When you take the SAT in high school, it could be the difference of whether you get a scholarship or not. They get panicked and do poorly on the tests. This reflects badly on the teachers who will have to take a pay cut because the student didn’t perform as