Is a student’s failure in a class an indication that a teacher or professor did not adequately perform his or her job? There are two points of view on this issue. Many will argue that teachers should be paid on a merit system, or Pay for Performance system. There are some that believe that there are too many external factors in a class room for a teacher’s salary to be based on how he or she performs in the class room. Teacher’s pay for performance will be highlighted by first discussing what is pay for performance, next, detailing the definition of teaching, and finally, exploring the question of should teacher’s salaries be based on a student’s academic performance.
Pay for performance is essentially when an employee is allowed to be partly responsible for his or her pay increase. A company will set goals as well as allow the employee to set his or her own goals and if the employee meets those goals, he or she will get a raise. These raises are based on levels of performance ranging from one to five. A level of one means that an employee failed to meet his or her expectations. A level of two means that an employee needs improvements in some areas. A of three means that an employee met his or her expectations. A level of four means that an employee exceeded his or her expectations. A level of five means that the employee far exceeded his or her expectations or as some managers imply, he or she is a “super employee”. Pay for performance is designed to inspire employees to work harder so they can obtain higher raises and bonuses if they reach a certain level. Employees may also be motivated to perform better the next year. The question remains, should teachers be on this type of merit system? Teaching is conveying knowledge in formal learning institutions, whether it is a school, K-12, or a university or college. Teachers have a major influence on a student’s life. They plant seeds of