Are You Kidding!!

The article I posted yesterday from the Orlando Sentinel concerning the evaluation, based partly on merit, of Florida teachers who teach non-core courses is a fascinating yet convoluted scenario.

Here is a teacher, Vince Santo, who as a performing arts instructor, and FLorida officials will base half of his evauation on merit. Okay, I have a problem with the whole merit pay but that is another issue. Get this, Florida and his school, want to base his degree of 'merit,' or lack thereof, based on how students perform in math and reading, classes he doesn't even teach! Like I said, you have to be kidding.

It makes absolutely no sense to base ones evaluation of a teacher on the performance of students in courses that you don't even teach. How on earth is a Music, Drama, or Art teacher suppose to impact student performance on the FCAT tests with regard to math and reading? Quite simply they can't!

The performing arts are by their nature 'performance' oriented and subjecting students and, in turn, teachers to so some sort of standardized testing is absurd, simply absurd.

When will the 'powers that be,' who come up with these merit pay concoctions, get in through their heads that excellence in teaching and learning isn't merely a product of testing?

School reform will start to take place when educators get rid of the foolishness of an over-dependence on standardized testing and the idea that merit or worth of a teach is based on test results.

You want a good teacher? All you have to do is look to the many thousands out there who engage students, are bright, work their tails off, are prepared, and look to treat students in a respectful manner.

Thanks,
Dick