Told you So

So much for pay for performance. It doesn't boost student performance. So what does?

That's simple. Let's stop wasting money on bonuses for teachers. Let's stop wasting money on reform efforts that only last a few years until the next political party takes control and reverses everything. Let's stop wasting money on stupid high-stakes tests (at least stop hogging the damned computer labs to bore our kids to death with NWEA testing when we could actually be using the labs for class).

Instead, let's work on getting better teachers. As John Merrow says all the time over at Learning Matters, "Don't do 'oh, anyone can teach.' Make it hard to be a teacher." Let's actually allow teachers - no that's the wrong verb - let's actually encourage teachers to sit down daily and talk shop and observe each other and their best practices. Let's engage our students instead of bore them. Let's make the sole focus on a school the intellectual lives of kids.

Then that might start turning around our schools.