Caution may lead to paralysis
Published:Monday | January 3, 2011 | 12:00 AM
The Editor, Sir:
Your columnist, Keith Noel, is concerned that the Ministry of Education is seeking to target non-performing teachers and to institute performance-based pay without first having an agreed set of criteria against which performance is to be judged.
I agree that there are many variables that can affect outcomes (however that may be defined) and that one should proceed cautiously. The risk, however, is that our caution may lead to paralysis. Given that there are reports of unacceptable numbers of children leaving school without mastering the basics, there is an urgent need for something to be done. How can we go forward without treading the "dangerous path" that Mr Noel has identified? Shall we do nothing while we develop "truly efficient instruments to measure teacher performance"?
We could, but there is another way. Start the consultations and discussions required in order to come up with comprehensive and efficient assessment instruments; at the same time, the teachers/principals should introduce more limited performance reviews that focus only on 'process'. For instance, does the teacher turn up for work? On time? Does he/she have a lesson plan (or whatever it is called nowadays)? And so on ... (similar reviews can be done for principals).
Maybe we don't have to start with a comprehensive plan that covers all possible factors? Maybe we can work on one or two tractable aspects while we are developing our 'master plan'?
I am, etc.,
COLIN MCKENZIE